La Patagua, Vinos Inacayal 2022

From the importer: Metic is Luca Hodgkinson in Colchagua. Luca consults for many wineries in Chile and has his own business sourcing grapes from sustainable and in many cases organic vineyards. He makes the wines with less manipulation than one would expect at this level. This is 90% Carmenere, 10% Petit Verdot. Soil is perfect for Carmenere, comprising of pure clay sitting on a gravel old river bed. The vines are 30 years old planted on non-grafted rootstocks. The grapes are hand harvested, then destemmed with wild yeast fermentation in concrete vats and a maceration of 35 days, before being aged in concrete tanks. Light filtration and very limited sulphur. Ripe dark fruit flavours, very soft palate, an easy drinking Carmenere. Drink with meat empanadas (small Chilean Cornish pasties!) and lamb chops. The Cabernet Sauvignon is an absolute belter being from 120-year-old ungrafted vines. Naturally fermented in cement tanks and aged in same this has varietal Cab curranty character with that bit extra. Metic was the term used in Ancient Greece for a foreigner living in Athens that contributed to the cultural and economic life but did not have the same rights as a true citizen. This wine was inspired by famous song ‘Le Métèque’ by Georges Moustaki and led Luca to call this wine Metic.