Medium purple-red color; red fruits, blackcurrant, raspberry on the nose; raspberry, strawberry, cherry, blackcurrant, earth, black pepper on the palate.
Dry; light-medium body; grippy tannins; superb balancing acidity (3.28 pH). This is traditional Mediterranean GCM blend of 60% garnacha, 20% cariñena, 20% mataro. The garnacha grapes were picked in late March and the cariñena and mataro in early April. The grapes grow in the same vineyard block in the Apalta Valley in Colchagua, Chile, south of Santiago. Low temperature fermentation with pump-overs every two or three days, followed by post-fermentation maceration to balance the tannins. It then wine spent six month in fifth-use, ultra-fine French oak barrels, so there is very restrained oak in this effort.
Vina Ventisquero began in 1998 with a commitment to avant-garde, high-quality wines with emphasis on single block efforts from Chile’s major production efforts—Coastal Maipo, Casablanca, Colchagua, Leyda, and Huasco. They emphasize respect for the land, sustainability, efficient use of water, root development of vines suitable to single blocks, vine management, and precision agriculture.
Vina Ventisquero Grey Glacier Roblería Vineyard Single Block 2017 has nice complexity, tasty fruits. It is a very drinkable wine with the backbone to pair with rich meats. All in all, an admirable Chilean effort. Excellent acidity sets this up as very versatile food wine. Works as an aperitif; pair with wild game meats—venison, wild boar; cold cuts; Serrano ham; sausage; lamb, pork. $19-22
