estampa estate — cabernet sauvignon-petit verdot (vintage 2013, red)

Country: Chile  Region: Colchagua Valley  Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon & Petit Verdot

The Colchagua Valley is in Chile’s mountainous Central Region, between the Andes and the Coastal ranges, which form a basin and create a corridor for the winds that alternately blow from the Pacific Ocean and the Andes. These geographical features contribute to a Mediterranean climate encouraging a slow

and optimal grape ripening season. Absence of rain during the harvest allows for each variety to reach optimum maturity before the harvest. Soil types vary greatly.

Estampa is owned by the González-Ortiz family who built the first winery in Chile dedicated to Assemblage wines. (Assemblage is the blending of several wines, generally from different grape varieties and independently vinified.) In this recipe, 85% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from estate vineyards in Marchigüe and Palmilla are blended with 15% Petit Verdot harvested from the Marchigüe vineyard only, where the grapes provide complexity and concentration to the blend.

After being treated in French oak barrels, the wine rests in stainless steel before being blended, filtered and bottled. The outcome is a bright and deep ruby red wine bursting with aromas of ripe cherries, strawberries and plums. On the palate, it offers flavors of juicy cassis, dark chocolate and vibrant tannins, well balanced and round with a touch of toasted oak. It’s ready to enjoy now, at room temperature, with roasts, crown of lamb, rich pasta and medium cheeses.

Estampa Estate Cabernet Sauvignon-Petit Verdot:

CABERNET SAUVIGNON — Widely planted, this is a prolific grower, small, dark, thick skinned and late-maturing. Makes tannic wines with black currant/cassis aroma and flavor. 

PETIT VERDOT — This blendable red is a late ripener that brings acidity to the overall balance of a wine, producing wine that’s full of character, long-lived and tannic. Winemakers use it the way a chef uses seasonings. It lends dense fruit, dark color and powerful flavors.