Andes Peaks Carmenere
⏳ Drinking Window
2021 - 2024
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Grilled lamb chops, roasted pork loin, or classic beef empanadas.
✨ Technical Specifications
While Andes Peaks is a specialized label from the pioneering Emiliana estate, it embodies the winery's deep connection to Chile's Central Valley and the dramatic geography of the Andes. Carmenere itself carries a legendary history; once a prominent blending grape in Bordeaux, it vanished from Europe during the phylloxera plague of the late 19th century and was presumed extinct. In a dramatic twist of viticultural history, it was rediscovered in Chile in 1994, thriving under the guise of late-ripening Merlot. Emiliana's Central Valley Carmenere style showcases this lost child of Bordeaux in its purest form, utilizing organic practices to coax out the grape's signature dark fruit and herbal complexity. The grapes benefit from the region's warm, sun-drenched days and cool nights influenced by alpine breezes, resulting in a wine that balances rich texture with vibrant acidity.
🍾 About the Producer
Founded in 1986 by the Guilisasti family, Emiliana has grown to become the world's leading producer of organic and biodynamic wines. In the late 1990s, visionary director Rafael Guilisasti partnered with renowned consulting winemaker Álvaro Espinoza to pioneer ecological viticulture across Chile's most prestigious wine regions, including the Casablanca, Maipo, Colchagua, and Cachapoal Valleys. Guided by Demeter-certified biodynamic farming principles, Emiliana eliminates synthetic inputs in favor of natural preparations and native biodiversity to authentically reflect terroir. The estate is widely celebrated for its flagship biodynamic red blends, notably Coyam and Gê, as well as expressive single-vineyard expressions of Carmenère, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah.