2004 Veramonte Primus Casablanca Valley Chile. Beekman, Glen Rock; $18.99.
Deep red color, deep hue, good fruit aromas and tastes with hints of tobacco and chocolate, herbs and minerals, lively taste, medium mouth feel, good balance of firm tannins and mild acidity, long smoky, spicy finish. A pretty wine, which went well with roasted vegetables; we particularly liked the contrast with the sweetish edge of the vegetables. No EGA. 3*.
Notes:
http://www.veramonte.cl/ A blend of Carmenère (The Lost Bordeaux Grape), Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, Primus is a combination of power and finesse from Veramonte's Casablanca Valley Estate. Definitely a "terroir" wine, Primus is a limited production wine that showcases the rare Carmenère variety, a grape once prevalent in Bordeaux in the 1800's when Chile first began importing vines from France. Distinct and exotic, Carmenère is making a strong comeback as a blending component for premium wines.
"Today is undoubtedly the most exciting time in Chile's wine history. As winemaking techniques continue to evolve, we believe that Chile will spearhead the reemergence of Carmenère as a basis for the best blends in the world, as well as a return to the noble stature this varietal once held in Bordeaux. Carmenère holds a unique and unparalleled place in international winemaking history, and we are proud to play a role as the next chapter of the Carmenère story continues to unfold. We invite you to enjoy Primus. Salud!"
Agustín Huneeus, Chairman/Vintner, Agustín F. Huneeus, President.
Wine Spectator: The proprietary red wine, the 2004 Primus, is a blend of 47% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 23% Carmenere. It delivers an attractive perfume of pain grille, black cherry and blueberry. This is followed by a supple, ripe wine with no hard edges in a racy style. Drink this tasty, lively red over the next five years. Score: 88. —Jay Miller, June 2007.
Robinson: [Carmenère's] new power base is chile, where, it was discovered in 1994, a substantial proportion of the vines previously believed to be Merlot are in fact this historic variety, presumably imported directly from Bordeaux in the late 19th century. It ripens even later than Cabernet Sauvignon and if yields are limited, by grafting on to low-vigour rootstocks, for example, has the potential to make very fine wines, combining some of the charm of Merlot with the structure of Cabernet Sauvignon. Excessive herbaceousness can sometimes dominate its ripe tomato-like flavours but the Chileans had already acknowledged that at least 6,000 ha/14,825 acres of their vines were Carmenère by 2004.
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