Carmen Winery was founded in 1850 by Christian Lanz, who named it after his wife Carmen. Carmen is the oldest winery in Chile. Today, they utilize the latest winemaking techniques and are one of the largest players in both quality and quantity of Chilean origin. All grapes come from their own vineyards, prioritizing quality over quantity. To achieve this, Carmen Vineyards has restricted yields. This results in wines that are more powerful and full-bodied than many Chilean wines. Moreover, the wines truly taste like the grapes they are made from; they are uniquely authentic. Anyone who tastes them will be immediately impressed by the vast potential of this promising wine country.
Normally, Cabernet Sauvignon quickly develops acidity and hardness, but this Carmen Insigne variant is fruity and smooth, yet retains the characteristic Cabernet Sauvignon character. A wine with character, indeed. To achieve this result, the grapes are harvested when they are perfectly ripe, but not overripe. Harvesting is manual to prevent any damage to the grapes, which would otherwise compromise the fruit. Because the grapes are perfectly healthy, they are allowed to undergo up to eight days of cold maceration on the skins. The temperature during this process is around five degrees Celsius. This gives this red wine its delicious fruit, without absorbing the hardness from the skins and seeds. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel, after which forty percent of the wine is aged in oak barrels from France and America. This beautifully rounds it out into a smooth and soft Cabernet. The Cabernet Sauvignon is immediately noticeable on the nose, with aromas of cherries and berries, a touch of mint, and warm spices. In terms of taste, this Carmen Insigne Cabernet Sauvignon is very complete, ripe and round with thick flavours of black fruit, herbs and a little pepper.
