2012 Casa Real

Blackcurrant, cassis, sweet fruit and a savoury bite to the finish. Very much standard Cabernet. Appetising enough. The fruit should last a decade, but I’m not sure how much more complexity will be forthcoming. (RH)

From Alto Maipo. Deep crimson. A little minty on the nose but not herbaceous. Intense, juicy and full in the mouth with a bit of heat on the finish. Polished, packed with fruit but well structured with smooth yet definite tannins. Still very youthful and showing little tertiary character so far. (JH)

I had an early tasting of the 2012 Casa Real Cabernet Sauvignon soon after bottling that I kept for this article. It was a warm, rich, concentrated and powerful but fine vintage. The nose has the exuberance of the 2010 with aromas of flowers, ripe black fruit, damsons, and cherries with spicy touches and a hint of mint. The palate is medium-bodied with ripe tannins and a slightly chalky texture. This is extremely young and unevolved. I tasted some older vintages, down to 1998, which was a cool vintage with a nose of leather and cured meat; and 2008, which, ten years later, still kept the same character. This is one of those wines that are never out of fashion, but it’s not really fashionable either. It’s a true classic. It’s the prototype of Cabernet Sauvignon from Maipo.