Primus Casablanca Valley 2005 Chile

Made from a blend of 51% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 17% Carmenere, this wine is a robust, powerful (14.5% alcohol) red from Chile. The color is a deep garnet with the opacity of ink, full body, and on the nose there are red fruits and a barnyard funk. On the palate is bitter cherry, with bold tannins and a licorice and tobacco finish that is long and intense. The Carmenere is the legendary lost grape once used in Bordeaux production in the early 19th century and is now on the verge of an international reemergence. It is used mostly as a blending grape but can occasionally be found as a single varietal (see Santa Carolina).