2016 Viña Tarapacá Gran Reserva Organic Red Blend

Community Tasting Notes (3) Median Score: 87 points

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  5/6/2020 - mjwstickings Likes this wine: 88 Points

  I've long been a fan of Viña Tarapacá, especially the Carménère Gran Reserva, which is a benchmark for the country's signature red varietal. And this organic red blend is... something. It's actually unlike any wine I've ever tasted. Okay, that may be an exaggeration, but it's certainly peculiar. I can't quite put my finger on the aroma. There's dark berry fruit as well as some Syrah funky-meatiness, but mainly it's a combination of salty-briny, minerally, nutty, and flowery, an odd but intriguing mix, to be sure. Maybe it's like Carménère and Syrah mixed with fino sherry (green olives, brine, almonds). It's not quite as odd on the palate, but the flavours really do show replays of that green, salty fino element next to the fruit (lighter berries, plus something like bitter orange), quite fresh and leading through soft tannins and mild acidity to a dose of iron on the finish. Yes, there's a lot going on. It's not a Gran Reserva in any normal (or Spanish) sense, as it's vibrant and fresh, and there isn't any sense of long wood aging. But no matter what it's called, it's a pretty fascinating wine, not totally successful in its oddness but very good regardless.

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  2/23/2019 - forceberry wrote: 79 Points

  A blend of organically farmed Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Carmenère. Aged for 12 months in American and French oak barriques (80%) and stainless steel (20%). Tasted blind in VV.
  
  Somewhat translucent black cherry color. Inky, ripe and slightly vegetal nose with aromas of sweet blackberries, some leafy notes of currant leaves, light herbaceous bell pepper tones, a little bit of blackcurrant jam, a hint of plummy fruit and a touch of earthy spice. The wine is soft, round and mellow on the palate with ripe, dry-ish flavors of bell pepper, some blackcurrant jam, a little bit of blueberry, light savory oak tones, a hint of brambly blackberry and a touch of mocha. The wine feels pretty toothless with its medium-minus acidity and ample but also very ripe and soft tannins that contribute only to the texture, not to the structure. The finish is long, juicy and a bit more grippy with lush, soft and slightly sweet-toned flavors of plummy dark fruit, some blackcurrant jam, a little bit of bell pepper and a hint of mocha oak.
  
  A big, ripe and rather soft red wine. The tannins feel quite soft and ripe, but they do slowly pile up on the gums. However, they are not nearly enough to keep the wine is balance, as it lacks freshness, precision and intensity thanks to the quite modest acidity. Just too ripe, soft and flabby for my taste. Pricey for the modest quality at 15,98€.

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  12/25/2018 - Castello della Gatta wrote: 87 Points

  Fruity and oak sensations. Medium to full body. Short legs. Easy drink.

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