Undurraga - 'Terroir Hunter' Rarities Garnacha - Carinena - Monastrell, 2013
Undurraga is one of the oldest and most prominent names in the Chilean wine scene. Vina Undurraga was officially founded in 1885, when Don Francisco Undurraga Vicuna brought several European grape cuttings to Chile to start his own wine business. Since then, Undurraga has grown and prospered. In 2006, business millionaire José Yuraszeck took ownership of the winery. As a result, Undurraga underwent further improvements and modernisation. One such measure was the creation of the ‘Terroir Hunter’ range (to which this wine belongs), a collection of wines which best display the combination of climate, soil and grape variety.
This wine is made from a blend of grenache, carignan and mourvedre. It is matured for one year in 225-litre barrels, and an additional year in larger foudres before release.
Dark ruby in the glass, the wine has a deep intensity of colour. To the nose, it exhibits a pronounced concentration of flavours. Succulent red and black fruit in the attack, ripe but not jammy. Notes of blackberry, red and black cherry and prunes alternate with an enticing spiciness. Dried tobacco, chocolate, cloves and dried fennel mingle with leather and animal fur and a touch of lavender and thyme. A complex nose, multi-layered and profound.
On the palate, the wine is medium to full in body. Warm and rich in the attack, with the intense flavours lifted by a wiry high acidity and plenty of ripe tannins. The bold fruitiness is counterbalanced by a rich spiciness, intense and delicate at the same time. The mouthfeel has weight and substance, with a long and smooth finish exuding balsamic suggestions. A great blend!