Sol De Andes Carmenère Gran Reserva
Sol De Andes Gran Reserva Carmènere has a deep purple-red colour. An enticingly complex nose gives notes of ripe black fruits, spicy black pepper, leafy tobacco aromas and a soft, smokey/coffee oakiness. The palate is rich, savoury and concentrated with supple dark fruit, rounded tannins, good acidity, and a smooth finish thanks to 8-10 months in French oak.
- Country: Chile
- Region: Central Valley
- Subregion: Maule Valley
- Vintage: 2019
- Colour: Red
- Grape Variety: Carmenère
- ABV: 13.5%
- Bottle Size: 75cl
- Closure: Natural cork
- Style: Dark and rich
- Drink With: Beef goulash
The Sol De Andes Gran Reserva range of wines is stylish and finely structured, coming from specifically identified parcels of vines where each grape variety expresses the best of its terroir. The grapes for this Gran Reserva Carmenère come from the Maule Valley, near the town of San Clemente, close to the foothills of the Andes. The vines are grown in clay soils of volcanic origin and, with an average age of 25, they are amongst Sol De Andes' oldest.
Carmenère is a Bordeaux grape variety that has certainly made a name for itself in Chile. Most of the Chilean plantings of Carmenère were mistakenly believed to be Merlot, but its unique style always prompted questions and, since its true identity was uncovered in 1994, it has won many new fans around the world. If you haven't tried a Carmenère before, the best way we can describe its personality is somewhere between that of Cabernet Sauvignon and of Merlot.
About the grower
In 1993, the founders of Sol De Andes embraced their dreams of taking full advantage of Chile's natural bounty to make great wines and founded their estate in the Maule Valley. The philosophy of Sol De Andes is to produce elegant and enjoyable wines that highlight the distinct characteristics of each grape variety by combining cutting-edge technology with traditional winemaking skills.
Poor soils, excellent exposure to sunshine and the absence of rain at harvest time are unique and invaluable conditions for the production of quality wines in Chile. On its daily journey over the Andes to the Pacific, the sun illuminates the vineyards and this was the inspiration for the Sol De Andes ("Sun From The Andes") name. The 450 hectares of Sol De Andes vineyards are located in the foothills of the Andes in the Maule, Casablanca and Colchagua Valleys where the influence of the Pacific moderates the climate and where the diurnal temperature fluctuation preserves the balance and freshness of the wines.
The Sol De Andes winery sits next to its oldest vineyards in San Clemente in the Maule Valley, where cutting-edge technology and traditional winemaking skills are combined to enable them to make the best possible wines.