Deep ruby color; dark cherry, plum, fig, black olive, blackcurrant, blackberry, mint, eucalyptus, spicy oak, tobacco on the nose and palate.
Dry; svelte tannins that are less assertive than the previous vintage. Nonetheless, consider decanting. Reserved acidity (3.69 pH). Bold, rich, impressive fruit. Blend of 86% cabernet sauvignon, 5% merlot, 5% cabernet franc, 4% petit verdot. Slow, long extraction. After 32 days of maceration, wines racked into barrels. Aged 18 months in various French barrels of medium and light toast, 70% new—a bit less oak influence than previous vintage. Soft fining with egg whites, light filtration. 14.9% ABV
Grapes come from the upper Maipo Valley of Chile. The winery proudly notes: “Domus Aurea is the cream of our wines, the result of skillful winemakers and the best possible natural conditions. Neither its texture nor its flavor, round and pleasant tannins, will ever be forgotten. So much, so that the happy drinkers of this piece of art do feel they know the secrets of the Maipo Valley.”
Clos Quebrada de Macul is a single hillside, family-owned vineyard planted to cabernet sauvignon in 1970, long before the rest of Chile turned to lower-yielding hillside sites. The vineyard is 80% cabernet sauvignon and a 20% blend of merlot, cabernet franc, and petit verdot—the blend of this effort.
Owners Isabelle and Ricardo Peña first sold their fruit to winemakers. Later, they joined forces with winemaker Ignacio Recabarren and a U.S. investor to build their own winery. The result, in 1996, was Domus Aurea, a star in the site-specific, low yield, non-interventionist winemaking in Chile.
Viña Quebrada de Macul Domus Aurea Cabernet Sauvignon, Upper Maipo Valley, Chile 2020 delivers generous, voluptuous cab delights. Full, rich in the mouth without being overbearing. Elegant. Very tasty fruits from a quality Chilean maker. If you have patience, lay it down for a decade. Pair with red meats—grilled steaks; beef short ribs; slow-braised beef or venison; roast or grilled lamb; portabello mushrooms. Cheese—aged cheddar, gouda, blue cheese, gruyere. $75-85
