Primus Carménère 2018 Apalta, Colchagua Valley, Chile 75cl

Primus is the premium label of Vinedos Veramonte, its name Latin for ‘the first’. The Carménère comes from the celebrated Apalta zone of the Colchagua Valley, where the vines sit on old river terraces below the coastal hills, surrounded by pockets of native forest.

Carménère is Chile’s adopted signature grape, once confused with Merlot before it was correctly identified in the 1990s, and Apalta is one of the best places to grow it. The clay soils here suit the variety, and the fruit for this wine is farmed organically. A gentle ageing of around eight months in neutral oak keeps the focus on fruit rather than obvious wood.

The 2018 vintage produced fresh, well-balanced Carménère across Colchagua, and this bottle reflects that: ripe but lively, with the grape’s herbal side kept in check by ripe, generous fruit. It is a wine that rewards being served with food rather than sipped on its own.

Expect red and dark cherry on the nose, framed by cedar and a savoury, peppery, herbal lift. The palate is fresh and juicy, medium to full, with fine tannins and a spiced, moreish finish. It is expressive now but has the balance to hold for a few years, and a short decant helps it show at its best.

For anyone exploring Chilean Carménère beyond the entry level, this is a rewarding step up. It is a natural match for grilled lamb, chorizo, spiced stews or roast vegetables. If you enjoy plush, peppery reds such as good Malbec or Syrah, Carménère from Apalta is well worth a look.