Here is our second, really our third, exploration of the well crafted wines of the Santa Rita estate. Strolling up from the easy everyday pleasure of their “120” line, through the Gran Reserva, into the premium and ultra premium wines they produce.
The Wine: “Triple C” - Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Carménère
The Food: A Turkish feast with friends
The Place: Cinar Turkish Kitchen, in Cliffside Park, but we felt like we were in Istanbul. And of course the glorious Maipo Valley.
In considering what we have tasted so far I would say of Santa Rita wines the “120” is like a good juicy burger of fine grass-fed natural beef, the Medalla Real Carmenere a fine Rib Eye steak, and this, the “Triple C” a succulent Filet Mignon.
This wine is smooth, fulfilling, tender and rich. A beautiful array of tastes from a grape that I don’t usually enjoy in its French renditions. Cabernet Franc I generally find to be too barnyard earthy, here it is a luscious fruit adventure. And of course, what else would you expect from a new world wine from the verdurous Maipo Valley.
Carefully crafted by winemaker Andrés Ilabaca this wine is a delight.
Turkish cuisine excels in its fresh and mellow flavors. It is not bland, but not piquant in any way. It provides a perfect accompaniment, a handsome partner, for the rich flavor of a sexy wine like this.
The cuisine at Cinar is exceptional and well worth the trip to its relatively out of the way location.
More on the wine:
Wine Spectator
Highly Recommended - A powerful red with a surplus of dark plum, blackberry, and dark currant flavors that are pure and focused, wrapped in layers of vanilla and cream. The long finish is filled with dark chocolate and wild herb notes. Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Carmenere. Drink now through 2020. 3,100 cases made.
677 Palisade Ave Cliffside Park, NJ
(201) 941-5650
Chile
Enjoy
Things to do, places to see, with food and booze
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