2009 Carménère Viñedo Escorial, Antiyal

Inky garnet with brick reflections, this mature Carménère from biodynamic pioneer Alvaro Espinoza is a masterclass in depth and restraint. The nose is complex and hauntingly aromatic with black cherry, plum, cocoa, and tobacco leaf layered with dried herbs, cedar, and a whisper of graphite. The palate unfolds slowly: velvety dark fruit framed by fine, resolved tannins and a thread of savoury spice. Rich yet graceful, it finishes long, warm, and quietly powerful, lingering with notes of espresso and earth.

For when: conversation turns philosophical and the fire’s burned low.
Pairs with: slow-cooked lamb, venison, or dark chocolate.
If this wine were a writer, it’d be Neruda - expressive, romantic, and deeply Chilean.

Antiyal, founded in 1996 by Alvaro and Marina Espinoza, is one of Chile’s most respected small biodynamic estates - a project built on authenticity, energy, and respect for the land. Their Carménère, sourced from organically farmed vines in the Maipo Alto region, was one of Chile’s earliest premium expressions of the variety. Hand-harvested and aged in French oak, the 2009 vintage shows the grape at its finest - ripe, structured, and gracefully evolved after more than a decade in bottle.