Viña Von Siebenthal Carabantes 2018

Von Siebenthal Carabantes 2018 is a very fragrant and fruity red wine from Chile. It is mainly Syrah which is an intensely perfumed grape and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon is added to provide acidity and backbone to the wine. If you like Syrah or Shiraz with a velvety texture and sweet ripe fruits, then you will love this full-bodied wine. When you first try it, there is an initial blueberry and blackcurrant explosion on the nose and palate. Named in honour of the Spanish priest, Francisco de Carabantes, who brought Chile’s first wine to the country in 1554, the beautiful Von Siebenthal Carabantes 2018 opens up to reveal so much more than black fruits. The wine’s intense aromas and flavours include blackcurrant and blackcurrant leaf, sweet blackberries and blueberries with hints of white pepper, mint, leather and violets. On the palate mulberries add to the fruity characteristics and richness of the wine. There is also a little creaminess from the oak which lifts to leave some cinnamon spice and a hint of smoke on the finish. The texture of this wine is really velvety. There is a great balance of hardly noticeable tannins, relatively high but well-integrated alcohol and that lovely fruit which also means that Von Siebenthal Carabantes 2018 will keep a few years if you have very strong willpower.

Von Siebenthal Carabantes 2018 originates from Panquehue, a very small but prestigious sub-appellation of the Aconcagua Valley in Chile and one of the warmer parts of the region. Cooling Pacific Ocean breezes and low rainfall account for the intense black fruit characteristics of Von Siebenthal Carabantes 2018. Whilst the vineyards are not certified as organic, the vines are cultivated using organic farming principles and with careful respect for the environment. The yield is drastically reduced to further intensify the aromas and flavours of the grapes used for this lovely wine.

For another superb wine from the same producers, try the Carmenere.