Escudo Rojo Carmenère Reserva 2019

93 points, “Extremely aromatic with dried flowers, as well as black-fruit and wet-earth character. Full-bodied and chewy, yet finely textured. Extremely characterful with cloves and other spices.” – James Suckling

Escudo Rojo is a name that hides a delicious secret.

It means ‘Red Shield’ in Spanish – the language spoken in Chile, from whence this wine came. Translated into German ‘Red Shield’ becomes ‘Rote Schild’, which is the root of the name Rothschild – the legendary dynasty that gave the world the First Growths Château Mouton Rothschild and Château Lafite Rothschild. That’s because this winery was launched more than two decades ago by Baroness Philippine de Rothschild, bringing together Chilean soil and Bordeaux soul. Uniting South America’s perfect terroir with an unparalleled winemaking know-how, the power of New World wines with the elegance of the Old World, the Escudo Rojo wines represent outstanding value for money, especially considering the family behind them.

This is a great introduction to Chile's signature grape. However, it's worth remembering that although Carmenère is considered a Chilean grape now, it's actually a forgotten favourite of Bordeaux. Crafted from fruit picked in the Rapel Valley, it displays oodles of dark chocolate, blackberry jam, red pepper, cassis, roasted coffee, fresh red berries and smoky spices. So comforting and warming we’d almost consider bathing in it. Serve it up alongside comfort food, meaty stews, smoky Mexican beans or roasted anything doused in romesco sauce.