Carta Vieja Carmenere

What began as a dream has been kept alive for over 200 years. Alberto del Pedragal learned to make wine from his father. The story goes that his father left a letter detailing his vision for the first series of wines. This gave the family's first wine the name Carta Vieja.

The vineyards of Carta Vieja

Production is entirely in the hands of the family-owned Carta Vieja winery. Founded in 1825, the winery only began marketing its own wines in 1985. Before that, they supplied their grapes to other leading Chilean wineries. Today, the seventh generation is at the helm. Alberto del Pedregal manages the hundreds of hectares of vineyards and the associated modern winery. One of the oldest estates owned by the family is Valle del Loncomilla. The Carmenere grapes for this wine have been planted there for many years. The vineyards are located on the eastern bank of the river, enjoying a perfect climate thanks to their location. This allows the grapes to develop unique aromas. The Carmenere grapes are planted on loamy soil, which makes this wine wonderfully fresh and beautifully balanced.

The vinification process of Carta Vieja Carmenere

The Carmenere grapes are harvested in mid-April. They are then taken directly to the winery for a rigorous selection process. Only the very best are good enough. This is followed by a three-day cold maceration. Fermentation follows at a temperature between 20 and 25 degrees Celsius, with pumping over every three days. The wine remains in contact with the skins for a total of 15 days, which gives it its beautiful, attractive red color. With a bright red color, the Carta Vieja Carmenere radiates in the glass. A close look reveals a bluish background. This reveals a wealth of aromas, with notes of wild black fruit accompanied by a slightly spicy touch. The wine is silky with a creamy texture. The taste also reveals wild fruit notes, merging with flavors of toffee and cinnamon.