Château Los Boldos Gran Reserva Carménère 2023
£14.25
The wine
Deep red with violet hints. Intense, fruity blackberries and ripe plum on the nose.
Carmenère is Chile signature red, a Bordeaux variety believed extinct after phylloxera until DNA testing in 1994 found it growing across Chile, mistaken for Merlot. It ripens very late and needs a long, dry autumn. Château Los Boldos has 170 hectares at Requinoa in the Cachapoal Andes, on the upper reaches of the valley where cool air spilling off the mountains at night preserves acidity.
The producer
Château Los Boldos
View all Château Los Boldos winesChâteau Los Boldos lies in the Cachapoal Andes, a warm, high valley in Chile's Rapel region where the Andes cast their cooling shadow. Founded by a French family, the estate brings a Bordeaux sensibility to Chilean fruit. Its French name and château nod to that heritage.
The vineyards climb the Andean foothills, where altitude and cool mountain nights temper the summer heat. Cabernet Sauvignon, Carménère and Merlot thrive here, alongside Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. The alluvial and clay soils give the wines both power and freshness.
Winemaking marries New World ripeness with Old World restraint, from the everyday Tradición Reserva range to the flagship Grand Clos. Careful oak ageing lends structure to the reds without masking their generous fruit. Precision runs through the range.
Los Boldos offers the sun-filled character of Chile with a French accent. Ripe, polished and remarkably good value, these are wines that over-deliver at every level, from midweek pours to serious cellar bottles.
