2002 Casa Julia, Casa Julia Estate

Maipo, Chile

Color: Red
Name: Casa Julia
Vineyard: Casa Julia Estate
Type: Carmenere
Origin: Maipo, Chile
Year: 2002
Price: $11.00
Rating: 5.1
Pocho's Pick
Review: The grapes for this Reserve Merlot are sourced from 50 year old vines in the Maipo Valley. These older vines add a sophisticated aromatic complexity and richness to this hand crafted wine. The wine is harvested at 24 degree brix, fermented for 25 day sat cooler temperatures and racked to one and two year old American Oak casks for aging of a minimum of 6 months before bottling. All casa Julia wines are harvested and vinified with minimal handling and with slight or no fining or filtering. Aging potential 3-15 years.
Comments: Chile has come a long way in recent decades in producing fine, high-quality wines. The natural climates are a big part of Chile’s success in the wine world. Cool ocean breezes and bright sunny days are a prefect combination for growing grapes throughout a long season. This allows grapes that are planted to optimize these conditions to develop full flavors and ripeness. As more acres of land are planted with vines in Chile, grape growers are learning which varietals work best in the various “microclimates” throughout this long country, and are developing their own sense of “terroir.”

Casa Julia Estate wines are produced with this in mind. Start with high quality fruit from ideal regions, and vinify the grapes to get a fresh wine that reflects the individual characters. The Merlot comes from Rapel Valley. This large region is dominated by two rivers, which carry water from the Andes to Lake Rapel. Rapel’s soil consists mostly of clay, loam, lime, or sand, which makes it ideal for Merlot grapes. The Casablanca Valley is the home of the D.Bosler Pinot Noir grapes, and is located 80 kilometers west of Santiago. It is often compared to the cool California region of Carneros, with morning fog, ocean breezes, and sunny afternoons. The sunny days enrich the aroma of grapes and allow full ripening, while the evening cooling and morning fog ensures that the fruit keeps its acidity and maintains balance. The Curico Valley is the home of the Sauvignon Blanc vineyards for Casa Julia. It located about 200 km south of Santiago. The greatest concentration of vineyards is found in the sub-region of Molina, in the southern end of the valley. The soils generally are clay and loam, with volcanic material that provides a nice strain of mineral notes to the wines.

All the wines at the estate are temperature-controlled fermented in stainless steel to preserve the vibrant fruit and acidity of the wines. A touch of French oak adds depth and structure to the red wines while they are aged for a short time in barrels. The result: smooth, fruit forward wines with true varietal expression.

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2002 Casa Julia, Casa Julia Estate