Ventisquero Enclave Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

Clear and beautiful aromas with crushed blackberry, blueberry and mineral character. Full body, chewy tannins, and structured. Shows tannin and fruit tension. A little austere, but it will come around with bottle age. Made with John Duval of Australia. A blend of cabernet sauvignon, carmenere, petit verdot, and cabernet franc made in Pirque in Valle de Maipo

The 2012 Enclave Cabernet Sauvignon is Ventisquero's top of the range, a blend with a pinch of Carménère (5%), Petit Verdot (3%) and Cabernet Franc (2%) from two vineyards in Pirque in the Alto Maipo; situated at some 9000 meters altitude, this is a fresher zone in Maipo, which compensated the heat of the vintage. It had a classical vinification with a post fermentation maceration of three to five weeks with malolactic in barrel and an élevage of 18 months. The nose is classical and quite complex for such an early age, with aromas of tobacco, earth, cigar box and blackberries. The tannic structure is quite large and the telltale Cabernet tannins are there, with a dusty texture, a little rustic with good freshness. Powerful red for powerful food that would welcome some time in bottle.