Carignan Truquilemu 2020

The Masintin estate's Truquilemu Carignan comes from the Truquilemu area, in the heart of the Maule Valley in central Chile, one of the country's historic wine regions. This vineyard is located near the town of Cauquenes, in an area with a Mediterranean climate tempered by the Pacific Ocean and coastal breezes. The soils are primarily composed of sand, clay, and decomposed granite, providing an ideal environment for Carignan to express itself fully, with moderate yields and slow ripening.

Detailed winemaking information for Masintin Carignan Truquilemu 2020 is not specified by the estate; this Chilean red wine is made from old Carignan vines in the Truquilemu area, hand-harvested, then vinified in a traditional way to preserve the fruit and expression of the terroir, with cellar aging aimed at preserving the freshness and structure typical of the grape variety.

This wine reveals notes of ripe red and black fruits , and sometimes blue fruits , complemented by delicate floral touches and spicy nuances reminiscent of licorice and pepper. Subtle oak accents and a light mineral backbone structure the whole without overpowering the fruit. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied with a generous texture, a lively acidity typical of Carignan, firm yet polished tannins , and a persistent finish that retains freshness and tension.

It was Hernán Cortés who ordered the cultivation of vines upon the conquest of Mexico in 1524. It gradually spread from Mexico southward, reaching Chile in 1555. During the first three centuries of colonization, only país, a characterless and very productive black grape variety, was cultivated in Chile. It was not until the mid-19th century that noble varieties were introduced: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay, mainly. Twenty years later, winemaking was modernized under the impetus of wealthy landowners and French experts who had been forced out of work by phylloxera in Europe. Chile stretches 4,300 kilometers from north to south. It is sandwiched between the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Andes Mountains to the east, the Atacama Desert to the north, and the Patagonian plains and glaciers to the south. These natural barriers prevented phylloxera from entering the country. Although the country is only 160 kilometers wide, it enjoys ideal conditions for growing grape varieties from warm, intermediate, and cool regions, so much so that it is often described as a vineyard paradise. With nearly 300 estates producing bottled wines, Chile ranks between 6th and 8th in the world.