2022 Escudo Rojo (Rothschild) - Carmenere Valle de Colchagua Gran Reserva (750ml)

Escudo Rojo was created in 1999 by Baron Philippe de Rothschild's Chilean estate, pairing Bordeaux winemaking expertise with the country's distinctive terroir. The brand takes its name, Spanish for Red Shield, from the Rothschild family crest, and its home winery sits in Buin, in the Maipo Valley south of Santiago, where cutting edge equipment operates alongside long standing Bordeaux traditions. Beyond its flagship red blend, Escudo Rojo produces a range of single varietal wines, including this Carmenere, each meant to express the character of its specific vineyard source.

This bottling comes from the Colchagua Valley, a warm, dry sub-region of Chile's Rapel Valley known for producing some of the country's most concentrated reds. The vines grow across two distinct soil types, deep clay that lends power and concentration, and gravelly maicillo soils that bring elegance and minerality, a combination well suited to Carmenere's character. Grapes are hand-picked and vinified in the Bordeaux style to favor fruit extraction and supple tannins, then aged for six to eight months in oak barrels, a portion of them new, before bottling.

The nose offers ripe blackberry and cassis with herbal notes of boldo and wild mint, joined by roasted coffee and black pepper as the wine opens. The palate is full and structured, with dark cocoa tannins providing ample backbone balanced by bright acidity. This spice driven richness pairs well with grilled steak, roasted lamb, or a hearty stew.