We liked the 2009 Santa Carolina Carmenere Reserva so much that we decided to try their 2008 Reserva de Familia which sells for a few dollars more.
This wine is deep and more flavor filled, but be aware that it really needs to open, and even decanted, for a few hours before drinking to get the full impact of this wine. It has deeper fruit flavor, with an underlying woodiness that adds nicely to the experience.
This wine paired beautifully with a nice grilled rib eye rubbed with garlic and rosemary, and a Sesame-Miso Cucumber Salad I made.
Interestingly the wine maker says that "this Carménère has a deep purple with red hues colour. Its aroma is of red and black fruit, coupled with a spicy character and a hint of soy sauce." I can see this wine going very well with a number of Asian dishes, even curry.
For this dinner I got a nice looking Rib Eye steak from King's, about an inch thick. I salted and peppered it and then rubbed with fresh garlic and dried rosemary and let it sit for an hour. I got my grill up to 500 and cooked the steak for 3 minutes on each side. Let it sit for another 10 minutes off the grill and then we devoured it.
The garlic and rosemary flavors went well with the complex, yet balanced and well integrated fruit and oak of this wine.
The Sesame-Miso Cucumber Salad created a nice contrast to the deep flavors of the meat and wine. Here is the recipe from Cooking Light magazine which we decided is going to be a staple this summer.
1 1/2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
2 tablespoons white miso (soybean paste) or lower-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon hot water
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
4 cups thinly sliced seeded cucumber
Preparation
1. Combine first 7 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add cucumber; toss to coat.
Such an easy meal to make and cleanup.
Critics Say:
Wine Enthusiast
Santa Carolina’s Reserva de Familia red wines from 2007 are vastly improved from what the winery has done for the past two decades. This wine—along with the RdF Cabernet Sauvignon—show immense color and fruit, but also balance, structure and a friendliness that can’t be mass produced. This wine is loaded with cassis, cherry, cola, mint, toast and bacon. And for $15 you’d be hard-pressed to find a better, more complete red from anywhere in the world. Score: 91. —Michael Schachner, May 01, 2009.
Wine Spectator
Offers nice polish, with the tobacco note moving to the background while dark plum and cherry fruit takes over. A roasted vanilla streak weaves in and out. Nice fleshy feel. Drink now. Score: 88. —James Molesworth, February 28, 2010.
