Santa Rita Medalla Real Gran Reserva Carmenère 2021

The 2021 Carménère Gran Reserva Medalla Real includes a dash of Cabernet Sauvignon (5%) from Colchagua. It was aged for 12 months in used barrels. Purple in hue. The nose offers ash and jalapeño notes over a bed of blackberry jam. Unusually lean for a Carménère, this is an intense, nimble wine with finely grained tannins and taut, refreshing acidity. The finish combines fruit and ash. A Bordelaise style red. Drinking window: 2023-2036. Score – 92. (Joaquín Hidalgo, vinous.com, June 2023)