Vina Ventisquero Vertice Carmenere Syrah Colchagua Valley 2022

Ventisquero Vertice is one of the first attempts by the winery to make a premium wine for the world stage. It is sourced from the highest vineyard they own in Apalta Valley. Color: Deep red with violet hues. Aromas: The nose reveals black fruit, such as blackberries, intermingled with gentle spices, such as black pepper, damp earth, notes of native forest and a hint of graphite and soft spices. Palate: This wine has a firm structure and silky tannins. Its black fruit and spicy flavours, together with medium to high acidity, lend it balance in the mouth and persistence in the finish. Ventisquero means glacier in Spanish. The winery was founded in 1990 and is based in the coastal Maipo Valley. They own vineyards in most major regions of Chile, and all the grapes they use to make wine are estate-grown. Felipe Tosso is the head winemaker and has experience working in Bordeaux and at Cocha y Toro.  Former Grange custodian John Duval is a consultant who helped shape the estate's premium wines. These are bold wines that have a depth of character that makes them compelling to drink. Carmenere Carmenere is a red grape originally from Bordeaux, but has almost been removed from the vineyards entirely. Luckily for the grape, it has found a home in Chile. Deep colour, red fruits, spices, softer tannins than Cabernet and a medium body. It is often made into a rich wine, tasting of currants or raisins. This distinctive nose makes it perceptible in blends too. Shiraz/Syrah A bit of a chameleon, Shiraz can change how it looks depending on terroir and/or wine maker influence. The Syrah based wines of Northern Rhone are dry and austere while the Shiraz of Barossa is rich and fleshy. A variety that lends itself to long aging but can be drunk at any time of its evolution. Chile Wine Chile has had vines since the 1500s. But it wasn’t until the 1990s that they became a real player in the international wine market. The climate here is near ideal, with consistently warm, dry weather. The Andes provides irrigation via snow melts. Proof of the idyllic terroir is the amount of French investment and know-how that has made it into Chile. The top wines are generally Cabernet Sauvignon or Cabernet blends, and they are on par with great Bordeaux. But there is a whole range of magnificent wines to taste from the international varieties. They have made Carmenere a particular flagship after finding that about half of their Merlot was actually Carmenere. Vina Ventisquero Vertice Syrah Carmenere 2022