There’s a Canadian connection to this newly released Carménère, with the Hartwig family having lived in Toronto and Montreal throughout most of the 1970s. Alejandro Hartwig (senior) took wine courses here and was sufficiently inspired that he decided to make winemaking his retirement project with wife Laura, planting vines in 1978 in Chile’s Colchagua Valley.

Although not certified, the family continues to practice sustainable, low-impact viticulture.

If you’re planning to vacation down that way, in 1996, along with five other wineries in the region, Laura Hartwig formed the Colchagua Valley Wine Route to promote eco-tourism. In 1999, the Route was rolled into Viñas de Colchagua, which now counts 20 wineries.

Laura Hartwig Single Vineyard Carménère 2018 — Colchagua Valley, Chile ($15.95)
Releasing in Vintages today, this Single Vineyard range shows a slightly less intense side of Carménère for the region, with limited barrel use (12 months in French oak) adding complexity but still allowing the fruit (sort of a cherry/blackcurrant blend) to sing out loud.

An intense carmine red in the glass, “its pepper and spicy features make it truly unique,” suggests winegrower Alejandro Hartwig Jr. “Its smoothness in the mouth, with elegant, soft tannins, makes it a very friendly variety that goes well with a variety of dishes.”

The 13.5% alcohol seems to burn brighter than that number would suggest, while the red pepper bite of the wine itself adds further heat to this Carménère. So feel free to decant it to burn off some of the alcohol and release the silky textured fruit that lies beneath. And keep it below room temperature before serving. 89