2022 Miguel Torres - Carmenere Cordillera (750ml)

Miguel Torres Chile was founded in 1979 in the Curicó Valley by the Torres family of Vilafranca del Penedès, Spain, making it the first foreign winery to establish operations in the country. The family brought a long European winemaking tradition to Chile and quickly earned a reputation as an innovator, introducing the country's first stainless steel fermentation tanks and French oak barrels in the 1980s. Over four decades the winery has expanded into several of Chile's most distinctive growing regions while helping lead a broader renaissance of the country's old vine heritage.

Cordillera is Miguel Torres Chile's line dedicated to finding the finest single varietal expression of a grape within a specific valley, and for Carmenere that site is the Peumo Valley, part of the Cachapoal Valley and long recognized for producing some of Chile's best examples of the grape. Fruit for this bottling comes from the La Ladera vineyard, a hillside site facing southeast just a few kilometers from the Cachapoal River. The wine is aged for eleven months in French oak, a judicious touch meant to build structure and aging potential while preserving the grape's natural spice and fruit character.

The glass shows an intense purple red color with aromas of forest fruit, eucalyptus, and leather, layered with toasted notes of bay leaf, clove, and black pepper. The palate is broad and velvety, dense with blackberry and black currant, closing on a long, mineral tinged finish. Its structure pairs naturally with grilled short ribs, venison stew, or a spiced lamb curry.