Cono Sur Visión Merlot – More Great Wine from Chile

I logged on tonight planning to post a summary of all the Merlot reviews I’ve done recently, in order to show how they all stack up to each other and help you pick the best bargains.  When I pulled up my tasting notes database I saw that I had neglected to post a review of one of the best Merlots I’ve had recently, the Cono Sur Visión from Chile.

I’ve had a few different wines from Cono Sur recently, including an organic Pinot Noir that I recently reviewed, and I have yet to be disappointed.  They seem to be consistently producing great wines at reasonable prices. And there are plenty of wines to try from Cono Sur as their wine portfolio is massive!

Chilean wine keeps coming up as a theme on this site as well.  A testament to the great value wines coming from that region as a whole.  Tomorrow night I’ll be attending a “virtual wine tasting” with a number of Chilean wine producers and other wine bloggers to sample and learn about some more Chilean wines.  I doubt I’ll have anything posted on the blog about it as quickly as tomorrow night, but I’ll be feverishly taking notes for a review or two in the next few days.

Getting down to details on this specific Merlot, it comes from the Colchagua Valley in Chile.  Mostly red wines are produced in this region, due to the warm climate.  Cabernet Sauvignon is the most planted variety here, followed by Merlot.  Although it’s the second-most planted variety in the region, Merlot in Colchagua Valley has suffered from weak root systems, resulting in dehydration.  Careful site selection and proper rootstocks are key to successful Merlot from this area.

Despite the challenges of the region, Cono Sur got this one right.  This is one of the biggest, juiciest Merlots I’ve ever tasted.  The nose is very herbal with eucalyptus, smoke, plum and cherry.  The palate is rich and mouth filling, with plum, cherry, blackberry and cocoa.  It’s well structured and well balanced.  The tannins are smooth and not overpowering at all.  This is a very nice Merlot, especially for the price.

Wine: Cono Sur – Visión
Variety: Merlot
Vintage: 2005
Alcohol: 14%
Rating: 89
Price: $11.99

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