Enjoy learning more about wine with us

Wine Details

La Playa Estate Series Reserve Carmenere Colchagua Chile 2019 This oak aged reserve block selection is a very intense dark red. The nose shows blackberry jam and rich dark chocolate. The palate is velvety smooth with an abundance of black fruits, cloves, tobacco and sweet spice. £12.99

Producer

Vina La Playa is located on the western side of Chile’s Tinguiririca River in the Colchagua Valley. The La Playa brand, named after Chile’s Pacific coastline, was launched in 1989 by the Axelsen family of California and is a partnership between them and two prominent Chilean winemaking families: Sutil and Errazuriz.

The estate – of some 242 hectares - is in a perfect position for the vineyards to receive the benign influence of the afternoon breezes that sweep from the Pacific around the coastal mountain range into the Valley, across the lake and along the river inland, tempering the hot summer sun. The property has a $10million state-of-the-art winery, built in 2002, with stainless-steel equipment, French presses, destemmers and must pumps for gentle processing of the fruit and French and American oak barrels for aging the wines. The oenological team is directed by winemaker Diego Garcia de la Huerta Sutil, who has been involved in the development of the vineyards and winery since their inception.

There is also a hotel on the property where guests can sleep under the same roof as Vina La Playa’s premium wines. Grape varieties grown include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Carmenere, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.

Grape varieties

Carmenere

Region

Colchagua Valley is a subregion of Rapel in Chile’s Central Valley. It enjoys a long-growing season with its dry, balmy, Mediterranean climate, clear air and abundant sunshine. It is planted with about 18,000 hectares of vineyards and the prominent varietals include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Carmenere, Syrah and Malbec, as well as some Chardonnay, Semillon, and Sauvignon Blanc. Within Colchagua is the Apalta Valley, which produces some of Chile’s best Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah reds.

Style

Full-bodied with good chunky tannins that go down well with a rich hearty meal. You can tell these wines have seen oak by the toasty, vanilla aromas as opposed to full-on fruit. You’ll find Rioja and similar styles within this section.

Similar Style Wines

Azabache Tunante Tempranillo Rioja Tinto Spain 2021 A vibrant, unoaked red with typical Tempranillo character of red fruits such as cherry, raspberry and plum with notes of liquorice and finishes soft and rounded.	£9.99
Familia Schroeder Saurus Select Malbec Patagonia Argentina 2022 Dried fruits, blackcurrants and plum and with a hint of spice, it is supple and has a full, fruity mouth feel. Soft tannins give a long sweet finish.	£18.49
Fattoria di Basciano Chianti Rufina DOCG Italy 2020 Cherry and violet aromas entice, but with firm tannins and acidity it makes for a wine ready to go with food.	£12.99
Erdinger Weissbier Creamy and dense with some citrus notes this bottle conditioned, cloudy and hazy beer is an archetypal Bavarian example. Deliciously crisp and refreshing with the yeast remaining in the bottle.	£4.20
Castello Vicchiomaggio La Lellera Chianti Classico DOCG Italy 2022 Full bodied, with good fresh fruit, a touch of spice and vanilla from the oak with fine grained tannins and a bittersweet finish.	£19.99
Castillo de Clavijo Crianza Rioja Spain 2018 Aged for 12 months in American & French oak casks, it shows bright red berry fruit, balanced with vanilla and spice to add richness and body.	£9.99
Doppio Passo Primitivo di Salento Puglia Italy 2023 Soft, round and full-bodied with an amazing concentration of plum, blackberry, cherry and chocolate flavours and an appealing structure with soft tannin and acidity.	£13.99
Azabache Rioja Crianza DO Spain 2021 A young Rioja with a ripe fruit bouquet with light vanilla oak and dark berry fruit on the palate with developing tannins.	£12.99
Tenute Neirano Barolo Italy 2020	£26.00
Azabache Tunante Tempranillo Rioja Tinto Spain 2023 A vibrant, unoaked red with typical Tempranillo character of red fruits such as cherry, raspberry and plum with notes of liquorice and finishes soft and rounded.	£10.99
Longridge Pinotage Stellenbosch South Africa 2021	£24.00
Celeste Crianza Ribera de Duero DO Spain 2021 Made from vines growing at 895 metres altitude, Celeste is the Torres family’s first Ribera del Duero. Aromas of ripe black fruit (blueberries) with fine roasted coffee and dried fruit (dried plum) notes.	£9.99
Rioja Vega Crianza DO Spain 2021 A young Rioja with a ripe fruit bouquet with light vanilla oak and dark berry fruit on the palate with developing tannins.	£12.99