Santa Rita : Pewën de Apalta Carmenère 2022

Tasting Notes and Serving Tips for the Pewën de Apalta Carmenère 2022 from Santa Rita

Tasting

Appearance

The color reveals a deep, bright and dense crimson-purple hue.

Nose

Complex, the nose opens with aromas of graphite and black cherry, alongside notes of tobacco, sweet spices and mineral nuances.

Palate

On the palate, this wine charms with its concentration and precision. Juicy, rounded tannins provide a velvety texture, unveiling flavors of blackberries and ripe plums. The finish, balanced by lovely freshness, lingers with persistence.

Food and wine pairings

This Pewën de Apalta Carmenère 2022 is an ideal match for generous red meats such as a grilled steak, as well as game meats like deer and venison.

Serving and cellaring

To fully enjoy the Pewën de Apalta Carmenère 2022, it is recommended to serve it at a temperature between 16 and 18°C.

An outstanding Carmenère from Apalta’s historic terroirs

The estate

Founded in 1880, Santa Rita is among the emblematic wine estates of Chile’s Central Valley Chilean. The estate now cultivates more than 4,000 hectares of vineyards spread across the country’s main valleys. It stands out for preserving exceptional historic plots, notably in Apalta, where Carmenère vines planted in 1938 still remain, dry-farmed on poor granitic soils. Santa Rita produces wines of remarkable concentration, combining tradition with modern expertise.

The vineyard

The vines behind this Central Valley wine were planted in 1938 on the foothills of Apalta. They thrive on weathered granitic soils, characterized by excellent porosity and very low fertility. Dry-farmed in a sub-humid Mediterranean climate, these vines benefit from concentrated winter rainfall (an average of 482 mm) and a heat summation of 1,836 degree-days. This Apalta terroir offers ideal conditions for full Carmenère ripeness.

Winemaking and aging

After a hand harvest in small crates, the Pewën de Apalta Carmenère 2022 underwent a 5-day pre-fermentation maceration (including 3% whole berries), followed by spontaneous fermentation in concrete and stainless-steel tanks at temperatures between 24 and 26°C. Extraction was carried out through daily pump-overs and rack-and-return. After vertical pressing, the wine was aged for 18 months in French oak barrels (40% new, 60% second-fill). A 6-day post-fermentation maceration completed the process.

Grape variety

100% Carmenère