V9 Reserva Carménère 2025
Medium-to-full-bodied red wine · Viña Ventisquero
Vintage: 2025
Type
Medium-to-full-bodied red wine
Producer
Viña Ventisquero
Country
Chile
Vintage
2025
Region & Appellation
Valle de Rapel, D.O. Valle de Rapel, Chile
Grape Varieties
100% Carménère, featuring herbaceous tones and deep black fruit flavors well-suited to Chile's sunny, dry climate.
Color & Appearance
Deep ruby red with violet hues and medium-high intensity, showing youthful vibrancy and moderate viscosity.
Aroma Profile
Intense aromas of black cherry, blackberry, fresh green bell pepper, eucalyptus, and subtle notes of vanilla and sweet spice from oak aging.
Tasting Notes
A smooth entry on the palate leading into a balanced mid-palate of dark fruits, herbaceous accents, and gentle oak spices, finishing with soft tannins and pleasant length.
Flavor Profile
Ripe blackberry, plum, and blackcurrant intertwined with signature pyrazines of green bell pepper, black pepper, and a touch of dark chocolate and toast.
Body & Texture
Medium to full-bodied with a velvety, smooth texture, moderate extract, and a rounded, approachable mouthfeel.
Acidity & Tannins
Medium acidity offering a fresh backbone, accompanied by soft, mature, and fine-grained tannins that provide a gentle grip without astringency.
Sweetness Level
Dry, with less than 3 g/L of residual sugar.
Alcohol Content
13.5% ABV, providing a warming sensation that integrates well into the wine's balanced structure.
Aging & Oak
A portion aged in French and American oak barrels for several months to soften tannins and add delicate notes of vanilla, toast, and spice.
Food Pairings
Ideal for hearty winter dishes such as slow-braised beef shanks, grilled lamb chops, pepper steak, empanadas, and semi-hard cheeses like Gouda.
Serving Suggestions
Serve at 16-18°C in a standard Bordeaux glass. Decanting for 30 minutes is recommended to open up the complex herbal and fruit aromatics. Best enjoyed during the winter months.
Price Range
15 to 25 USD, representing excellent daily-drinking value.
Quality Assessment
Estimated score of 88-90 points, representing a very good, reliable, and food-friendly premium-tier wine that showcases classic Chilean Carménère characteristics.
Production Methods
Hand-harvested fruit, destemmed and crushed, temperature-controlled stainless steel fermentation with daily pump-overs, followed by partial oak maturation.
Terroir
Alluvial and colluvial soils derived from the Andes Mountains, featuring clay and gravel components, benefiting from a Mediterranean climate with warm days and cool evening breezes from the Andes and Pacific.
History & Heritage
Viña Ventisquero was founded in the late 1990s and has rapidly grown into a prominent, quality-driven Chilean wine producer committed to sustainable viticulture and expressing the distinct terroirs of Chile's best valleys.
Interesting Facts
Carménère was long mistaken for Merlot in Chile until DNA profiling in 1994 revealed its true identity, turning it into Chile's signature flagship grape variety.
Cellaring Potential
Ready to drink now and over the next 3 to 5 years, offering optimal fruit expression in its youth while maintaining structure for short-term cellaring.
Similar Wines
Concha y Toro Terrunyo Carménère, Montes Alpha Carménère, Carmen Gran Reserva Carménère.