2013 Calcu Cabernet Franc Colchagua Valley

I had never tasted the Cab Franc, but they started in 2009. My first encounter was with the 2013 Cabernet Franc, which bears the subtitle Reserva Especial; it is a fresh and fruit-driven, quite varietal and spicy effort, with freshly cracked black peppercorns and contained ripeness. The wine is quite transparent and focused. None of these wines are corrected in terms of acidity or alcohol, as they also want to express the zone from which they come. There has to be a correlation between nose and palate, it's dry and the oak feels very integrated. The modus operandi for this line is fermentation in stainless steel and aging in well-seasoned oak barrels and some inner staves. The palate is soft with fine tannins, a polished texture and integrated acidity -- expressive and easy to drink. 23,000 bottles were filled in June 2015, as the wine matures in oak for some 12-14 months, and then it's blended and kept in tank for a while until bottling. (LG)