Color - Garnet Red
Nose - Blackberry, green bell pepper, leaves, coffee
Taste - This wine is dry with a nice burst of blackberry that fades to something herbaceous, I just can't pin down the particulars. Given the right food the very subtle tannins come to life coating my mouth in somewhat warm, creamed coffee feeling and slight taste. I went out on a limb and had this with three different dishes.
1. Six-Cheese Pizza - The wine is fruity with a nice bite. The herbaceous notes in the nose don't come through. There are definite spice hints almost like black pepper and maybe very minimal clove touches.
2. Sushi - I know wine and sushi don't mix, especially red win, but it wasn't bad. It fared best when the sushi had been given a dip in wasabi, then the heat and spice of the wine complemented the wasabi but the fruits also pull forward making this wine almost seem sweet.
3. Pesto-Alfredo Cheese Ravioli with Shrimp - There are wondrous creamy tannins and lovely herbaceous flavors of grass and green bell pepper. The wine has adopted a decent mouthfeel, still medium-bodied and somewhat tart, it still warms the tongue. It reminds me of a few rather spicy Cabernet Sauvignon's I've had, but not as full-bodied.
Overall, this is medium-bodied with a long finish. it's also quite good without food, which I didn't expect. Hands down, this is the best Carmenere I've tasted so far. It's complex and inviting. I would reach for this when I wanted something lighter than a Cab and not as sweet as a Malbec. It has an exceptional QPR right now since it's on sale at Cost Plus World Market for 7.99. On a side note, The Wine Advocate rates this wine 90 points, and I would highly agree if I used a point system, since I don't I will rate it like this...Go buy some now, and if you have the money buy a whole case, you won't be disappointed.
Santa Alicia Winery
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