Santa Rita ′Medalla Real′ Carménère 2019/21, Colchagua Valley

Carménère may be Chile’s flagship red grape. But did you know that its history stretches back to Bordeaux? When the tiny phylloxera bugs ravaged Europe in the nineteenth century, Bordeaux’s Carménère vines were a casualty. It had been a key component of some of the greatest claret at the time – but the vine was only saved by cuttings which had been taken to Chile. So it’s no wonder that Santa Rita use Carménère to make this fantastically structured Gran Reserva, which is styled like a classic Bordeaux. It’s a plush, velvety-smooth wine, packed with intense flavours of blueberry, plum and cassis. The firm tannins make it ideal with red meat.