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Tasting Notes
This wine is full bodied with plus acidity and ample tannin which sets the tone. Complex flavors follow suit with blackberry, touch of red fruit, tobacco and lavender along with hints of truffle, mineral and black pepper on the lengthy finish.
COLOR
Red/Violet Tinge
BODY
TANNIN
ACIDITY
SWEET
ALCOH.
14%
GRAPE(S)
Carignan, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot
Body is the impression of a wines weight, density, or its ‘mouth-feel’. Some wines feel weighty, or full bodied, while others feel light bodied. Wine runs the gamut from light to full, with most falling somewhere in between.
TANNIN
Low
Subtle
Balanced
Pronounced
High
Tannin can range greatly in wine, but it is necessary to some degree, and a necessary constituent for red wines to age well. In high amounts, it can cause a drying affect, which is sensed mostly on the gums and tongue. Tannin is a natural preservative extracted from grape skins, otherwise known as polyphenols that are micronutrients and antioxidants with potential health benefits.
ACIDITY
Soft
Subtle
Balanced
Pronounced
High
Acidity is a foundational component in wine. In fact, low acidity, or ‘flabby’ wine (as the term suggests) is a negative. You can sense acidity mainly on the sides of your tongue. Acidity generally ranges from balanced to high. Crisp acidity adds freshness, making your mouth water. Acidity is a necessary element and helps to balance other components.
SWEETNESS
Dry
Off Dry
Medium Dry
Medium Sweet
Very Sweet
Most wines are characterized as dry to off-dry, but there are some grape varietals, like Riesling, that run the gamut from dry to sweet. The tip of the tongue mainly detects sweetness, which is why it is often the primary characteristic detected. Sweetness is derived from residual sugar that did not ferment into alcohol.
ALCOHOL
14%
Alcohol is the by-product of fermentation. Differing grape varieties have differing potential alcohol levels, but regardless warmer areas result in riper grapes resulting in higher alcohol. Alcohol level is an objective number, but its affect on its palate impression is largely determined with how well integrated and balanced it is with other components.
GRAPE(S)
Carignan, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot
In the past, Carignan was responsible for a lot of bulk wine because of its high yielding potential, but in the right hands it can make quality with intense red fruit, spice, and structure. Often blended with other grape varietals, old vine Carignan can yield rich red fruit driven wines at bang for your buck price levels.
Cabernet Sauvignon
Ca-ber-NAY So-vee-NYON
Cabernet Sauvignon origins are from the Gironde in southwest France, but is now planted across the world in climates that accommodate this late ripening grape. It is the dominant grape in wines made in Bordeaux’s Médoc and Graves regions. This small, thick-skinned grape, produces darkly colored wine, high in tannin and relatively high in acidity with hallmark aromas of blackcurrant and can stylistically change from austere in its youth to lush depending on the region, and winemaking style.
Cabernet Franc
Ca-ber-NAY FRANK
Cabernet Franc is grown all over the world, but the best expressions are generally found in France, specifically in the Loire, South West, and Bordeaux as a key part of many blends. Medium bodied and more aromatic than Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc’s aromas can have an herbaceous tinge depending on the ripeness level.
Petit Verdot
Pe-TEET Ver-DO
Petit Verdot is a late-ripening variety grown around the world, but most famously in Bordeaux variety as a blending agent. When ripe, it can add concentration, color, tannin and flavor, particularly spice to blends along with good acidity.
After working for several larger wineries, Felipe Gracia started P.S. Garcia in 2006 with the goal of making true “Chilean” wine.
Inspired at first by old vine Carignan from Maule, he started with his first wine: Facundo. It is a blend of Carignan and Bordeaux varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. They are planted on low-yielding vines grown on granitic soils.
The Facundo is a powerful brooding wine, with ample complexity and depth of flavor.