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15¾/20
Black Hills Carmenere 2005
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, CanadaB.C.'s first carmenère is a pleasant surprise. It's leafy (almost vegetative) but like cabernet franc it can get away with a bit of that character if the fruit is ripe. Carmenère is tricky to grow, at least that's what the Chileans tell me - with its naturally low acidity and need to ripen very late if you wait to long it can be flabby but if you pick to soon it's too peppery and herbaceous. In this case Black Hills has come close to hitting the mark with the leafy rubbery earthy fruit mixing with some sweet black fruit tones in the back end. The finish is soft and fiery. It doesn't have the real chocolate flavours you can get in ripe carmenère but these are young vines and it is a first crop. As the vines mature and the cardamom, tobacco, chocolate flavours come to the forefront it should be a varietal to watch.Tasted: 12 May 2007Tasted by: Anthony Gismondi and Stuart TobePrices:| BC | $28.90 | 750ml | winery direct and private wine shops |
Grape: CarménèreCSPC: 380063UPC: 8336665004058
