BEST REDS OF THE YEAR

BEST RED BLENDS OF THE YEAR: “Most of the reds from Cousiño Macul come from its winery in Buin, south of Macul, but its old cabernet and merlot wines that are still resisting the pressure from expanding housing developments in this eastern sector of Santiago are reserved for Lota, one of the great reds from Alto Maipo. This year is no exception. It’s full of spicy and menthol notes, smooth tannins, and fine acidity. The elegance of the great reds from Macul is clearly represented here.”

BEST VALLEY CHOICE ALTO MAIPO

“Lota is one of Chile’s emblematic cabernets. This version has spice, ripe red fruit, menthol, and an elegant texture.”

“Lota is a gorgeous wine with intense aromas and concentrated flavors of blackberry and cassis complemented by oak spice and a hint of balsamic. It’s vibrant on an elegant palate with fine tannins and a very long finish. A 85/15 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot from the Macul and Buin vineyards.”

“Lota is a gorgeous wine with intense aromas and concentrated flavors of blackberry and cassis complemented by oak spice and a hint of balsamic. It’s vibrant on an elegant palate with fine tannins and a very long finish. An 85/15 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot from the Macul and Buin vineyards.”

“This shows an attractive coffee and dried fruit character on the nose and palate. Medium to full body, fine tannins and a savory finish.”

“With brick-colored edges and gritty aromas of turned earth, raw oak, asphalt and berry fruits, this blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot feels tight, with rubbery tannins. Oak-infused flavors of herbal blackberry, mint and anise finish with notes of licorice and chocolate as well as a touch of heat.”

“The ultra-polished 2010 Lota might feel a little older than it is, with evolved aromas of forest floor and quite a lot of influence from the barrel with the minty Cabernet aromas from Maipo, not too expressive with something chemical that reminded me of diesel and melted tar in the background. But what worried me is the amount of drying tannins that I found in the palate of a wine that has been in bottle since November 2011, almost four years; I suspect the fruit might fade before the tannins get fully integrated. So have it sooner rather than later with some powerful dishes.”

“Fruit for Lota comes from the estate’s oldest vines; it’s hand-harvested in small crates and then pressed in small baskets. ‘This is a wine that I love to present because it shows the best style of Cabernet [85 percent] and Merlot [15 percent] in a wine,’ says Liloy. It has ‘complexity, dark fruit flavors, and soft cedar notes. I could go on and on!’ First released in 2006 to commemorate the winery’s 150th anniversary, Lota is Cousiño-Macul’s icon wine. Liloy adds that the wine is often mistaken for an Old World blend when it’s presented at blind tastings.”

“Aromas of ripe dark cherries, blackberries, black raspberries, currants, cassis, graphite, dried violets, green vegetal notes, sweet spice, licorice, dark cocoa; pronounced acidity, medium+ tannins that are dusty and create a warm mouth-feel, layers of flavors and textures continue to develop as wine opens, round and well-structured this full body wine offers a long, tart and earthy finish; incredible food wine.”