Chile, Say It Ain’t So!

Concha y Toro
Terrunyo
Block 17, Peuno Vineyard
2003 Carmenere
$24.99

Santa Ema
2004 Cabernet Sauvignon
$3.99
Shane's Notes

Concha y Toro brags on the label that the grapes for the Terrunyo come from one block in a particular vineyard. Thus, the wine is an experiment in terroir. Unfortunately, the wine was overoaked which negates any effects of the terroir. The aroma is jammy and spicy with a hint of vanilla. The palate is too generic – there just isn’t much taste underneath the vanilla. It is a bit woody on the finish. This one was very disappointing.

The 2004 version of our house red was also disappointing. This Santa Ema is not as tannic and not as flavorful as the 2003. We suspect that the flavor was sacrificed on the altar of tannin management.

We are becoming a bit wary of Chilean wines. We have now had about as many bad ones as good ones. We don’t have a new house red yet, but for our inexpensive wines, we are having good luck with Spanish wines.