Casa Silva Reserva Carmenère 2005

If there were still any doubt as to Mario Geise's reputation as the "King of Carmenère," the 2005 Casa Silva Reserva Carmenère should dispel any such notions. The 2005 Reserva Carmenère from Casa Silva is knockout stuff. The wine is deep purple with ruby highlights, but before the glass can even reach the mouth all kinds of deep woodsy scents are leaping from the glass. Lots of blackberry, graphite, leather, and spice form a seductive olfactory attack, which merely serves to prepare the palate for the pleasure to follow. In the mouth, herbal, woodsy flavors mingle with plenty of ripe, solid fruit to add complexity and intrigue — in typical Carmenère fashion. The essences of blackberry, blueberry, and cherry ride front and center, mingled with fine grained notes of coffee and dark chocolate. And to make matters even more attractive, all this goodness lay wrapped in a blanket of soft tannin and toasty oak. Layered, textured, and immediately appealing, the 2005 Casa Silva, Reserva Carmenère has just taken Chile's finest grape variety one notch up. Enjoy this expressive red at cool room temperature (64°-68° F), with our without aeration.

The 2005 Casa Silva Reserva Carmenère is the rare young red wine that is actually a pleasure to drink on its own. Unadorned, one has the full effect of all the subtle nuances of scent and savor that Carmenère has to offer. Nonetheless, wine is food, and well-chosen companions only complement and enhance a meal. With this in mind, we suggest pairing the 2005 Casa Silva Reserva Carmenère with such classics as Beef Wellington, Duck à l'Orange, or Grilled Loin Lamb Chops. In other words, treat this wine like first rate red Bordeaux. In another vein, Mediterranean fare such as Pork Shoulder with lentils or a thin crusted Three Cheese and Mushroom Pizza more than does justice to this first rate Carmenère, too, highlighting just how versatile good Carmenère can be. And if all else should fail, invite a friend over and open a bottle of "The King of Carmenère's" latest marvel and just revel in its royal presence. Enjoy!

Casa Silva continues to astound with the quality as well as the variety of the wines it produces. Indeed, this is a very clean, well run winery that is not afraid to ratchet up the quality with each successive vintage. Undoubtedly, Casa Silva is one of a hand full of South America's very finest wine estates. Located some two hundred kilometers south of Santiago, in the heart of Colchagua, an area many are now calling Chile's Napa Valley, Casa Silva has garnered more recognition and awards at international wine competitions than any other Chilean winery. Furthermore, Catad'Or Hyatt, Chile's most prestigious wine competition, has named Casa Silva "the Best Chilean Producer" three consecutive times. And that's not all, the International Wine & Spirit Competition recently named Casa Silva as "The best South American Producer." Kudos to the Silva family, father Mario and sons Mario Pablo, Gonzalo, and Francisco, and Mario Geise, the winery's outstanding consulting enologist, for taking this beautiful property to such lofty heights in just ten years time. Surprisingly, Casa Silva's present inception dates back to only 1997, the year this property began bottling premium wines under its own name. However, historical accounts tell us that the Silva family's predecessors were pioneers in Colchagua more than a century ago, when the Silvas brought the first grape varieties from France to their Angostura estate at the base of the towering Andes. Today, the Silvas remain pioneers: they are Colchagua's foremost experts on Carmenère, Chile's emblematic red grape variety, and they produce the finest Sauvignon Gris and Viognier in South America. Moreover, this great property is at the vanguard of South America's success with other traditional Bordeaux grape varieties, most notably Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Semillon. Can there be any doubt as to why the wines of Casa Silva are the most highly acclaimed in South America?