Marques de Casa Concha Wine from Chile’s Maipo Valley

2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Chilean Wine Review

We’ve all heard of Concha Y Toro, right? Hard not to—it’s been around for some time and for some of us (well, me) it represents good value varietals from Chile. Concho Y Toro is always a safe bet at restaurants when the list is not that impressive. You will know that you are getting a good bottle of varietal wine from Chile. To be honest, this may be a key reason my impression of Chilean wine goes back to the serviceable, good value issue.

Chile Wine That is Unlike Other Chilean Red Wines

Chilean wine is a contentious topic.  The problem is I haven’t had any — or I should say, many – really good wines from Chile. I know good Chilean red wine exists, but I usually go elsewhere, preferably a safe, well-known route. Well, the 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Marques de Casa Concha from the Conchy Y Toro family destroyed this myth. I mean, it shot it right out of the water.

Marques de Casa Concha’s grapes come from the Puento Alto Vineyard in the Maipo Valley, one of the most famous wine regions in Chile. It is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon wine aged 14 months in French oak.  The back label on this Chile wine says “limited production”, which in American I guess is “reserve” (although that term seems to be used for almost anything!)

Why is Marques de Casa Concha Different?

What one notices upon opening a bottle of Marques de Casa Concha is a real intense black cherry and a deep red color. Just like Cabernet Sauvignon wine is suppose to be. There are some hints of coffee and vanilla, but mostly it is just good Cabernet fruit!

What is most impressive about this Chilean red wine, at least for me, was the mouthfeel. It had a lushness and silkiness. The Marque de Casa Concha was soft but there were certainly tannins to support the fruit. Initially it was a little hot (alcohol was 14%) but this wine was exceptionally balanced. Mouthfeel and balance, solid Cabernet fruit. What’s not to like about this Maipo Valley wine?

This was not anything like the other Chilean red wines I have been buying for daily consumption. There is a huge difference between Chile “regular” wine and their “reserve” bottling. I’m not sure of the price difference (the Marques de Casa Concha sells for upper teens I think). But whatever it is, this Cabernet Sauvignon red wine is well worth the extra investment. Marques de Casa Concha is an excellent wine.

Tags: cabernet sauvignon 2006, cabernet sauvignon red wine, Cabernet Sauvignon Wine Chile, Chile wine, chilean cabernet sauvignon, Chilean red wine, concha y toro cabernet sauvignon, concho y toro, maipo valley chile, Marques de Casa Concha wine

This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 18th, 2009 at 6:10 pm and is filed under Cabernet Sauvignon Reviews, Chilean Wines, Wine Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.  Email This Post