Wine Magazine Chilean Reds – 24 March, 2003
Cabernet Sauvignon and blends
Syrah
Carmenère
Others


Cabernet Sauvignon and Blends

Errazuriz Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2002 Aconcagua Valley
Colour, nice ruby; nose ripe fruit anda touch leathery; palate, sweet ripe cassis fruit but dusty tannins and a touch volatile; aftertaste sweet, tart and leathery. A bit rustic. 79

Trio Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Sauvignon 2001 Maipo Valley
Colour, fairly full ruby; nose, nice ripe cassis fruit with some oak; palate, sweet cassis, ripe tannin and slight VA – dry tart finish with some fruit; aftertaste quite dry but with some appealing cassis fruit length. 83

Terra Andina Cabernet Sauvignon 2001 Central Valley
Colour, decent ruby; nose, restrained, some nice ripe fruit; palate, nice fruit attack, well balanced; aftertaste nice sweet ripe leathery. 86

35 South Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 Lontue Valley
Colour, quite deep ruby; nose, a bit dumb; palate, sweet juicy attack, some tannin, dry; aftertaste sweet cassis. Attractive, easy, ripe. 84

Terramater Cabernet Sauvignon 2001 Central Valley
Colour, mid ruby; nose, vague fruit, leathery; palate, fruit and acid attack, slightly dilute centre, dryish finish; aftertaste nice pure blackcurrant pastille. 83

1865 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva 2000 Maipo Valley
Colour, fullish mid red; nose, leathery, some fruit; palate, some ripe fruit, lowish acidity, ripe leathery tannins, alcohol. Seems quite mature already. 82

Terramater Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2000 Central Valley
Colour, fullish mid red; nose, rather lifted, ripe fruit, leathery; palate, quite juicy fruit, ripe tannins, acidity but a touch dilute; aftertaste nice cassis but a bit feeble. 82

Valdivieso Cabernet Sauvignon 2001 Central Valley
Colour, ruby; nose, slight, leathery and some fruit; palate, quite pure cassis fruit, good acidity, some tannin. Nice pure cassis fruit but a bit simple. 81

Gato Negro Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 Lontué Valley
Colour, fullish ruby/mid; nose, nice ripe fruit; palate, juicy ripe fruit, some tannin, lowish acidity. Sweet ripe dry aftertaste. Nice balance. 84

Cono Sur Vision Cabernet Sauvignon 2001 Maipo Valley
Colour, deep mid red; nose, dusty slightly confected fruit; palate, sweet then tart, slightly hollow centre, eucalyptus, ersatz cassis finish. Dry tart aftertaste, unbalanced. 78

Castillo de Molina Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva 2001 Lontue Valley
Colour, mid red; nose, nice ripe fruit; palate, good fruit, ripe tannins, acidity, rater tannic finish; aftertaste nice sweet ripe dry – pleasant. 85

1Alto de Terra Andina Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva 2001 Maipo Valley
Colour, deepish ruby/mid red; nose, pleasant fruit; palate, sweet fruit, leathery tannins, highish acidity, slightly baked jammy dry finish; aftertaste dry raisiny. Too raisiny but some concentration. 85

Castillero de Diablo Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 Central Valley
Colour, fullish ruby; nose, nice ripe fruit; palate, nice ripe juicy fruit, firm ripe dry finish but a touch green; aftertaste cassis but green. 82

Valdivieso Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 1999 Central Valley
Colour, fullish ruby/mid red; nose, quite pure fruit; palate, soft gentle fruit, some acidity, lowish tannin, cassis dry fresh finish. aftertaste quite pure cassis. Comes round on aftertaste. 86.5

Santa Rita Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2001 Maipo Valley
Colour, fullish ruby; some fruit but reduced; palate, lively acidity, some fruit but too reduced. Some concentration. 78

Marques de Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon 2001 Puente Alto Maipo Valley
Colour, fullish ruby/mid red; nose, nice ripe fruit, elegant; palate, nice dry cassis/plum/mulberry fruit, good balance, some alcohol; aftertaste nice dry/juicy. Quite elegant. 87.5

Santa Rita Medalla Real Special Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2000 Maipo Valley
Colour, full mid red; nose, rather leafy, capsicum and berry; palate, sweet ripe berry spicy fruit with tannin and oak – juicy dry slightly lifted finish; aftertaste sweet, tart dry with oak. Some style. 87.5

Cono Sur 20 Barrels Cabernet Sauvignon 2001 Maipo Valley
Colour, full ruby; nose, berry and capsicum; palate, capsicum, acid, leafy – polished but slightly green tannins; aftertaste slightly ersatz fruit. 80

Altum Terramater Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 1999 Curico Single Vineyard
Colour, mid to mature red; nose, quite bright, some fruit; palate, fruit, tannin, acid – slight lifted and polished – dull dry acid finish aftertaste tart, some fruit. 79

Vina Carmen Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2000 Maipo Valley
Colour, fairly full mid red; nose, some fruit; palate, rather aromatic, dry – slightly ersatz; aftertaste dull dry ersatz. 77

Nativa Cabernet Sauvignon 2000 Maipo Valley
Colour, mid red; nose, some ripe leathery minty fruit; palate, some fruit but a bit dry and polished; aftertaste dry slightly dull. 80

Errazuriz Max Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 1999 Aconcagua Valley
Colour, quite full mature red; nose, berry and leafy capsicum fruit; palate, dry aromatic capsicum leathery, evident oak, acid tart; aftertaste aromatic dry capsicum berry. 81

Vina San Pedro Special Reserve Cabo de Hornos 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon, Lontué Valley
Colour, fullish mid red; nose, some ripe fruit; palate, cassis and capsicum, leathery; aftertaste nice sweet leathery cedar oak. Some style. 85

Errazuriz Don Maximiano Founders Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 1999, Aconcagua Valley
Colour, fullish mid/mature red;nose, green leafy aromatic fruit; palate, sweet aromatic leafy fruit, tannin, acid, oak; aftertaste rather sapid aromatic green leafy. 78

Santa Rita Casa Real Cabernet Sauvignon 1999 Maipo Valley
Colour, fullish mid/mature red;, nose, slightly green, leafy and oak; palate, nice leathery fruit, - leafy spicy capsicum finish; aftertaste dry quite rich but minty, capsicum and alcoholic. 82

Carmen Winemaker_s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 Maipo Valley
Colour, quite full mid/mature red; nose, slightly rustic, leafy berry, dry; palate, leathery sweet fruit – nice oak/leather/fruit balance; aftertaste dry tart fruit oak with some concentration. 88

Carmen Gold Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 Maipo Valley
Colour, fullish mid/mature red; nose, iodine, minty, medicinal; palate, sweet raisiny fruit (citrus), tannin slightly orange peel firm tanninc finish; aftertaste dry sapid with some fruit and concentration. 86


Syrah

Terra Andina Syrah 2001 Central Valley
Colour, full purple; nose, quite full ripe juicy, slightly confected; palate, soft ripejuicy plum fruit, nice easy style; aftertaste dry sapid but juicy. Quite simple but pleasant. 87

Errazuriz Estate Syrah 2000 Aconcagua Valley
Colour, quite full ruby; nose, nice sweet ripe tarry fruit; palate, sweet juicy fruit, slightly confected, good tannin and acid. Bit too sweet/dry. 81

Castillo de Molina Reserva Shiraz 2001 Lontue Valley
Colour, ruby; nose, vague fruit; palate, sweet juicy soft peppery fruit bit a bit reduced, some tannin, acid; aftertaste nice peppery ripe juicy dry. Quite serious with some concentration. 86.5

Terramater Reserva Shiraz 2001 Central Valley
Colour, fullish purple; nose, vaguely spicy; palate, juicy spicy dry with some peppery fruit on finish; aftertaste tart sweet fruit dry. Quite pleasant. 84

Errazuriz Don Maximiano Estate Syrah Reserva 1999 Aconcagua Valley
Colour, fullish ruby; nose, spicy peppery reduced; palate, medicinal, reduced with dry sweet plum fruit and good acidity and oak – quite rich concentrated finish. Nice rich dry style with some concentration. 86


Carmenère

Vina Carmen Insigne Carmenère 2001 Rapel Valley
Colour, mid red, some age; nose, quite full and aromatic, leafy, slightly green Xmas cake fruit; palate, ripe sweet raisiny fruit, oak, some tannin, balance; aftertaste nice raisiny fruit, frsh oaky. Leafy oaky style with rainy fruit.

Terra Andina Carmenère 2000 Central Valley
Colour, mid red; nose, sweet, green, leafy and oak; palate, sweet/acid, slightly dilute and attnué, citrus peel (oxidised) fruit; aftertaste sweet soft but slightly feeble. 79

South Carmenère 2002 Lontué Valley
Colour, fullish mid red; nose, vague fruit; palate, sweet fruit, acid, polished, tannins. Sweet/acid/dry aftertaste. Too polished but pleasant. 81

1865 Carmenère Reserva 2000 Maule Valley
Colour, fullish mid red, some age; nose, sweetish fruit, leathery, fresh; palate, sweet bramble fruit, dry – nice sweet bramble and cassis fruit finish; aftertaste nice ripe dry (rich) fruit (oak). Some style and concentration. 89

Concha Y Toro Terrunyo Carmenère 2001 Pelimo Valley
Colour, full ruby; nose, vague fruit; palate, ripe bramble fruit, gd acid, ripe tannin, balance, concentration, structure; aftertaste nice sapid ripe cassis fruit and oak. Attractive wine with structure and style. 89.5

Castillero del Diablo Carmenère 2002 Rapel Valley
Colour, deep purple ruby; nose, vague medicinal aroma; palate, leathery attack with some fruit and acid – ripe tannin on finish but not much else; aftertaste ripe tannin with some cassis and oak. 83.5

Errazuriz Estate Carmenère 2001 Aconcagua Valley
Colour, deep purple; nose, brooding leatathery rich ripe fruit and oak; palate, sweet cassis/bramble fruit, evident oak, ripe tainnin, acid, balance – sweet oak and sweet fruit and acid balanced finish; aftertaste sweet fruit/oak/bramble alcoholic. Big but ungainly at present. 89.5


Others

Terramater Shiraz Cabernet 2002 Central Valley
Colour, deep purple; nose, ripe raisiny fruit, fresh, oak, bramble; palate, plenty of fruit, acid and tannin with some oak and alcohol – nice bramble leathery, finish with firm acidity; aftertaste leathery, big slightly unbalanced, slightly raw. 85

Terramater Zinfandel Shiraz 2001 Central Valley
Colour, slightly pale mid red; nose, juicy fresh clean: palate, juicy, dry tart – acid, leather, finish, lack fruit aftertaste tart/dry. 77

Alto de Terra Andina Cabernet Franc Merlot Reserva 2001 Rapel Valley
Colour, fullishmid red; nose, vague juicy fruit; palate, dry, juicy, leafy, acid attack – very dry, fruit, acid with sweet finish aftertaste sweet, leathery, dry tart. Bit simple, slightly confected. 81

Alto de Terra Andina Syrah Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2001 Maipo Valley
Colour, fullish ruby; nose, aromatic, perfumed, ersatz, dry; palate, dry, leafy, perfumed, aromatic, ersatz wih oak; aftertaste dry, leafy sweet, acid. Bubblegum and alcohol. 77

Valdivieso Malbec 2001 Central Valley
Colour, paleish purple; nose, confected, perfumed, bubblegum; palate, acid, fruit, dry, bubblegum – confected, sweet acid, easy, dry finish. 80