Ventisquero 2013 “Grey Glacier” Cabernet Sauvignon, Maipo Valley

Overview of Vina Ventisquero

Vina Ventisquero may not be one of the best-known Chilean wineries, but it does have a significant market share under its Root: 1 brand.   Under the guidance of winemaker Felipe Tosso, a well-funded winery began in 1998 and released its first wine in 2001. Since then, they have been buying top vineyards across Chile,  including significant holdings in the Maipo Valley.

While they produce value brands geared toward the under $10 market, the wines produced under the “Ventisquero” name are important to know.  Its Enclave bottling is a marque Cabernet Sauvignon that fetches over $75/bottle. They also produce the “Grey” series of wines sourced from single blocks of their Trinidad Vineyard in the Maipo Valley.

In 2013, rains came early to the region, and the winery opted not to bottle the Enclave Cabernet. Instead, the grapes usually earmarked for the luxury bottling were diverted into the much-lest-expensive Gray Cabernet Sauvignon.

The Wine Review

This is an atypical style for today’s New World Cabernet Sauvignon:  It isn’t a brooding tannic monster. Rather, it’s closer in style to the more reserved Cabernets of Napa Valley circa 1984.

Fresh laurel, cardamom, and turmeric on the nose. Medium-bodied with crystal-clear blackberry notes and a layer of chocolate, a layer of burnt mint, a layer of allspice, and a layer of graphite. It’s sewn up with round flesh, black fruit, and mocha-infused licorice—an excellent bottle and unique in the world of cabs.