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Country: | Chile |
Region: | Colchagua Valley |
Winery: | La Despensa |
Grape Type: | Grenache |
Organic: | Yes |
Vintage: | 2021 |
Bottle Size: | 750 ml |
La Despensa Boutique Field Blend is made from 45% Grenache, 35% Syrah, 15% Mourvedre and 5% Roussanne.
This is La Despensa's flagship Rhône-blend, produced from grapes from their own, organic vineyard in Colchagua. Their passion is to produce very high-quality grapes - it’s the vineyard work that they love the most. So this blend is always a little different year after year, as they make whatever the vineyard gives them. In 2020 they incorporated a little Roussanne to the blend, which adds some mouthfeel and a tiny background note of tropical fruit, to accompany the fresh fruit and structure that the other varieties bring out.
At La Despensa, the team is proudly Colchagüino. All the wines are produced from grapes grown in the Colchagua Valley. They say they'll never make wines from another valley!
They get their classic Rhône-blend grapes from their own organic vineyard in Santa Ana.
La Despensa Boutique Pool Blend 75% Cinsault, 15% Pais, 5% Marsanne and 5% Roussanne.
A genuinely unique wine - La Despensa is the only producer of Cinsault in Colchagua and Pais from this valley is also extremely rare! The Cinsault and the 2 whites come from a new vineyard planted in 2017 and the Pais from a 150 year old, dry-farmed vineyard in Pumanque about 20 minutes from the winery that they run themselves organically. The Cinsault and Pais give notes of raspberry and strawberry and the white Roussanne and Marsanne a little mouthfeel and a hint of tropical fruit.
Organically grown grapes (not certified) from our own vineyard in Santa Ana, and Pumanque in the Colchagua Valley. Irrigated as sparingly as possible via drip irrigation (dry-farming for the 150 year old Pais). Hand harvested and sorted personally by me in the vineyard (I personally check every single bunch), then destemmed with the crusher removed from the destemmer. Grapes are fermented in open top bins and concrete tank and blended immediately after pressing. MLF occurs with the wine already blended. Wines are racked in November and again in January before being bottled after about 10 months ageing in 50% neutral oak barrels and 50% Flextank.
Versatile, goes well with beef, chicken, pasta, great for Summer BBQs
Review:
"The red blend 2021 Wines Pool Blend was produced with an unusual blend, especially for a wine from Colchagua, of 75% Cinsault, 15% País and 5% each Marsanne and Roussanne. It has kept a moderate 13.5% alcohol and retained good freshness (pH 3.44) after maturing exclusively in Flextank and being bottled unoaked. This is fruit-driven and straightforward, with a medium-bodied palate and fine tannins. 2,400 bottles produced. It was bottled in March 2022. - Luis Gutiérrez"
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (April 2023), 90 pts
La Despensa Boutique Pais is made from 90% Pais and 10% Cinsault.
La Despensa Boutique Colchagua Grenache is made from 100 percent Grenache.
Clean and fresh, like all our wines, with varietal typical notes of fresh summer fruit but with slightly grippy tannins that will enable the wine to age. Translucent in color, typical of newer vine Grenache.
Very versatile and pairs well with almost any type of food. Would go great with pulled pork and rich tomato based pasta sauces
La Despensa Boutique Cinsault is made from 100% Cinsault.
A genuinely unique wine - they are the only producers of Cinsault in Colchagua! From a new vineyard planted in 2017, the team at La Despensa thinks they’ve hit the jackpot with this variety in this valley. Much more structure, color and intensity than the typical Chilean Cinsaults from further south, this is an easy drinking but serious version of this wonderfully fruity variety!
Review:
"Apparently the first and only Cinsault from Colchagua, the 2021 Boutique Cinsault was produced with vines planted in 2017 and worked organically (but is not certified), and it's much darker and more structured than the examples from the south. It fermented in concrete with selected yeasts and went through malolactic in stainless steel and then 60% of the volume matured in used barriques for six months. It has 13.5% alcohol and kept good freshness, and it's varietal, balanced and easy to drink but not banal. 1,200 bottles were filled in March 2022. - Luis Gutiérrez"
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (April 2023), 91 pts
La Despensa Boutique Colchagua Cabernet Sauvignon-Marselan is made from 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Marselan
A different take on Chilean Cabernet, with grapes from a high-alitude vineyard in the foothills of the Andes, where Summer temperatures never exceed 30C/85F. The grapes ripen over a longer growing season and the higher levels of UV help fix color and flavor profile. This is a fresher take on Cabernet Sauvignon when compared to the typical highly concentrated Cabs that are considered the standard from Chile. The Marselan (from our own vineyard in Santa Ana) adds structure and tension to the wine and also an even more intense color. Expect fresh and recently ripened blackberries and red currants.
La Despensa Boutique Field Blend is made from 45% Grenache, 35% Syrah, 15% Mourvedre and 5% Roussanne.
This is La Despensa's flagship Rhône-blend, produced from grapes from their own, organic vineyard in Colchagua. Their passion is to produce very high-quality grapes - it’s the vineyard work that they love the most. So this blend is always a little different year after year, as they make whatever the vineyard gives them. In 2020 they incorporated a little Roussanne to the blend, which adds some mouthfeel and a tiny background note of tropical fruit, to accompany the fresh fruit and structure that the other varieties bring out.
Review:
"A very vivid and bright nose with lots of red fruit and flowers. Some sweet currants, raspberries and pomegranate in the forefront followed by a nice touch of bay leaf, graphite and flowers. Juicy and bright on the palate with a medium body and firm and fresh tannins. Very drinkable. 45% grenache, 35% syrah, 15% mourvedre and 5% roussanne. Co-fermented. Enjoy now."
- James Suckling (February 2023), 92 pts
La Despensa Boutique Pool Blend 75% Cinsault, 15% Pais, 5% Marsanne and 5% Roussanne.
A genuinely unique wine - La Despensa is the only producer of Cinsault in Colchagua and Pais from this valley is also extremely rare! The Cinsault and the 2 whites come from a new vineyard planted in 2017 and the Pais from a 150 year old, dry-farmed vineyard in Pumanque about 20 minutes from the winery that they run themselves organically. The Cinsault and Pais give notes of raspberry and strawberry and the white Roussanne and Marsanne a little mouthfeel and a hint of tropical fruit.
Organically grown grapes (not certified) from our own vineyard in Santa Ana, and Pumanque in the Colchagua Valley. Irrigated as sparingly as possible via drip irrigation (dry-farming for the 150 year old Pais). Hand harvested and sorted personally by me in the vineyard (I personally check every single bunch), then destemmed with the crusher removed from the destemmer. Grapes are fermented in open top bins and concrete tank and blended immediately after pressing. MLF occurs with the wine already blended. Wines are racked in November and again in January before being bottled after about 10 months ageing in 50% neutral oak barrels and 50% Flextank.
Versatile, goes well with beef, chicken, pasta, great for Summer BBQs
Review:
"The red blend 2021 Wines Pool Blend was produced with an unusual blend, especially for a wine from Colchagua, of 75% Cinsault, 15% País and 5% each Marsanne and Roussanne. It has kept a moderate 13.5% alcohol and retained good freshness (pH 3.44) after maturing exclusively in Flextank and being bottled unoaked. This is fruit-driven and straightforward, with a medium-bodied palate and fine tannins. 2,400 bottles produced. It was bottled in March 2022. - Luis Gutiérrez"
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (April 2023), 90 pts
La Despensa Boutique Cinsault is made from 100% Cinsault.
A genuinely unique wine - they are the only producers of Cinsault in Colchagua! From a new vineyard planted in 2017, the team at La Despensa thinks they’ve hit the jackpot with this variety in this valley. Much more structure, color and intensity than the typical Chilean Cinsaults from further south, this is an easy drinking but serious version of this wonderfully fruity variety!
Review:
"Apparently the first and only Cinsault from Colchagua, the 2021 Boutique Cinsault was produced with vines planted in 2017 and worked organically (but is not certified), and it's much darker and more structured than the examples from the south. It fermented in concrete with selected yeasts and went through malolactic in stainless steel and then 60% of the volume matured in used barriques for six months. It has 13.5% alcohol and kept good freshness, and it's varietal, balanced and easy to drink but not banal. 1,200 bottles were filled in March 2022. - Luis Gutiérrez"
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (April 2023), 91 pts
La Despensa Boutique Cinsault is made from 100% Cinsault.
A genuinely unique wine - they are the only producers of Cinsault in Colchagua! From a new vineyard planted in 2017, the team at La Despensa thinks they’ve hit the jackpot with this variety in this valley. Much more structure, color and intensity than the typical Chilean Cinsaults from further south, this is an easy drinking but serious version of this wonderfully fruity variety!
La Despensa Boutique Colchagua Cabernet Sauvignon-Marselan is made from 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Marselan
A different take on Chilean Cabernet, with grapes from a high-alitude vineyard in the foothills of the Andes, where Summer temperatures never exceed 30C/85F. The grapes ripen over a longer growing season and the higher levels of UV help fix color and flavor profile. This is a fresher take on Cabernet Sauvignon when compared to the typical highly concentrated Cabs that are considered the standard from Chile. The Marselan (from our own vineyard in Santa Ana) adds structure and tension to the wine and also an even more intense color. Expect fresh and recently ripened blackberries and red currants.
La Despensa Boutique Colchagua Grenache is made from 100 percent Grenache.
Clean and fresh, like all our wines, with varietal typical notes of fresh summer fruit but with slightly grippy tannins that will enable the wine to age. Translucent in color, typical of newer vine Grenache.
Very versatile and pairs well with almost any type of food. Would go great with pulled pork and rich tomato based pasta sauces
Alejandro Bulgheroni Lithology Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon.
Alejandro Bulgheroni Estate Lithology is a series of single vineyard and AVA-designated wines made from select sites within Napa Valley. Lithology Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard is produced solely from fruit grown in the historic Beckstoffer to Kalon Vineyard planted in 1865 by W.H. Crabb and represents Oakville's famous bench land.
Review:
The 2019 Cabernet Franc Lithology Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard just shines for its bouquet, which is classic To Kalon with its floral, incense, spicy, red and black-fruited aromatics. These all flow to a medium to full-bodied, utterly seamless Cabernet Franc that’s balanced, has laser-like precision, and a great finish. This isn’t the biggest or richest wine in the lineup, but it’s Cabernet Franc in all its glory, with soaring aromatics and complexity, ample richness and texture, and a beautiful sense of finesse and elegance. It’s going to keep for 15-20 years with no issues.
-Jeb Dunnuck 98 Points
Composed of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Cabernet Franc, the 2019 Lithology Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard is a barrel sample with a deep garnet-purple color. It needs a fair bit of coaxing to unlock scents of blackberry pie, warm blueberries and cassis plus suggestions of spice cake, underbrush, candied violets and chocolate box. The full-bodied palate brings forth loads of earthy layers to accent the rich, black fruits, framed by plush tannins and lovely freshness, finishing long and fragrant.
-Wine Advocate 97 to 99 points
The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Lithology Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard is one of the very finest wines I have tasted from Alejandro Bulgheroni's Napa Valley project. The 2019 To Kalon captures all the pedigree of this iconic Oakville vineyard, and yet also remains nuanced and wonderfully finessed for an intense wine. To Kalon Cabernets are rarely this elegant, but the Bulgheroni 2019 sure is.
-- Antonio Galloni 97 Points
Domaine de la Janasse Chateauneuf-du-Pape Cuvee Vieilles Vignes is made from 65% Grenache, 20% Mourvèdre, 10% Syrah, 5% divers.
In contrast to Chaupin, which is made from old-vine Grenache on sandy soils, the cuvée Vieilles Vignes is from old vines of Grenache, Mourvedre, Syrah along with smaller percentages of other permitted varieties that are grown in these old vineyards. The wine is sourced from 4 terroirs: pebbly clay, sand, gravelly red clay and sandy limestone. Vieilles Vignes is always the most powerful and concentrated Châteauneuf-du-Pape cuvée made at Domaine de la Janasse.
Review:
The advantages of old vines are perhaps most evident in the more difficult vintages (whether hot and dry or cool and rainy). The 2021 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes is a strong effort, delivering supple, velvety waves of ripe black cherries and black raspberries. Medium to full-bodied, it's rich and concentrated without seeming at all heavy or unbalanced, finishing long and juicy. It's approximately 75% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre, 5% Syrah and 5% other varieties, keeping in mind that up to 15% of the old Grenache vines are actually Clairette Rose.
-Wine Advocate 96 Points