WTN: Casillero dei Diablo Carmenere 2005

From Concha y Toro. Central Valley.

Almost black in the glass.

Sweet, rich and spicy nose, with a bit of chocolate thrown in.

Quite rich and fat, thick (coating the inside of the glass), lots of Christmas cake spices, fleshy black cherry, blackcurrants, somewhat sweet, black licorice, tobacco, smoky, chocolate.

Tobacco, black licorice, rich fruit and some acidity on the moderately long finish.

The wasps seemed to like it as a few kept buzzing around my glass as I sat on the front porch enjoying my wine and watching life pass by.

A very big and rich wine for $11.95 Canadian. Needs a big and rich meal matched with it.

Nice note, Bruce. Very similar to my limited experience with Carmenere. I will say that when I've spent a little more ($15 US, say, on the Arboleda bottling), I've found a little more finesse, but pretty much the same profile you describe.

Yup, Bruce is spot on with these notes (again). I remember a terrific Syrah from these guys a few years back?
Good price there Bruce, wish I could buy for that $ here!

I remember a terrific Syrah from these guys a few years back?

Thanks Bob. In Ontario, the Casillero line includes Shiraz, Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz Rose, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

I had one of these some time back, and loved it. I have another, just waiting for the right time/meal.

Hey Bruce - this sounds good. Must look out for it here.
Tried a bunch of Chilean Wines last week and some were very impressive, but unfortunately most of the Carmeneres left a bad taste. They had a dirty leather, bandaid, character (i.e. Brett) and the importer said he found it a common occurrence with Carmenere.
All the other wines I tasted were clean, though, including a dead-ringer (almost) Marlborough-style sauvignon blanc and a Rhonish syrah from Montes and a delicious pinot noir and a succulent juicy malbec from Cono Sur.

Bruce, You had better talk those NAFTA guys. Here in CA I found this wine for $6.99 at Trader Joe's in Concord and $7.99 at Wine Thieves Lafayette.

I went to a Concha y Toro two-hour presentation last year and, besides getting a lot of information on Chile and the partying habits of Banfi wine educators, I got to taste this particular wine in a somewhat older vintage and several others. I found it an excellent value for the prices for which I can obtain it here.

Bruce, You had better talk those NAFTA guys. Here in CA I found this wine for $6.99 at Trader Joe's in Concord and $7.99 at Wine Thieves Lafayette.

Don't get me started. I don't visit the US very often but, when I do, I usually spend my time wandering up and down wine store aisles weeping.

On the whole, wine prices in Ontario compare not too badly with their US counterparts (if you factor in exchange and duty and all the other stuff they ding you with at the border), but I am quite aware there are a number of notable exceptions.

Ah well, life is too short.

Cheers.