ODFJELL ARMADOR MERLOT
Screw Cap
Lovely Chilean red, with all the hallmarks of a very good quality Merlot dominant blend.
Maipo Valley, Chile
2020
13% ABV.
96% Merlot, 4% Carignan
75cl
£15.50
Price includes VAT
Tasting notes:
Intense garnet red in colour with a violet hue. The nose is ripe but fresh, with fruity notes recalling black cherries and plums along with a bit of menthol, while notes of spices such as nutmeg appear on the backdrop. The palate is juicy, and the tannins are robust and velvety, leading with notes of blackberries and chocolate on the lingering finish.
About the wine:
The grapes come from a historic vineyard in Padre Hurtado in the lower Maipo Valley at an altitude of 405 meters above sea level. The clay soils have a neutral pH and are of alluvial origin from the Maipo River basin. They are deep with good drainage, which helps control plant vigor for proper fruit load with small clusters and berries. The climate is Mediterranean with an average annual rainfall of 250–300 mm, and the daily temperature differential is 20°–25° C. All of these factors plus the coastal influence work together to enable proper fruit ripening. The vineyard is certified organic and biodynamic and managed accordingly.
The grapes were hand picked and were not crushed on reception at the winery; the clusters were only de-stemmed. The whole berries had four to five days of cold maceration at 14ºC prior to fermentation and eight to ten days of maceration at 25ºC after fermentation. Native and selected yeasts were used during the fermentation, which took place in small tanks of 40,000 Lts. Spontaneous malolactic fermentation took place in tanks.
About the producer:
Over 25 years ago, Dan Odfjell the Norwegian Armador (ship owner) fell in love with a small corner of the Maipo Valley. Serendipity would later show that he had found land in Chile’s premium red wine producing valley, where vitis vinifera has been cultivated for 400 years.
While most of the other top producers in Chile are working with relatively young vines, Odfjell have forged an unique reputation based on rediscovering the forgotten wealth of Chile´s winemaking past. At times this was considered a very eccentric move but now the interest in these old sites has grown exponentially, in no small part thanks to Odfjell.
Crafting wines that fully maximise the great potential of the region, this year having joined the new association of Vignadores de Carignan, Odfjell are committed to sustainable agriculture and green winemaking practices, the vineyards are all cultivated organically and are working towards certification.
Food Match:
Fennel sausage and mash, macaroni cheese, meatloaf.
