# Massal 1945 Carménère

- **Producer:** Clos de Luz
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Carménère
- **Region:** Rapel Valley, Chile
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 14.0%
- **Average price:** €22
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 16–18 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** cherry, plum, blackberry, blueberry, bell pepper, black pepper, vanilla, cloves, chocolate

## About this wine

Clos de Luz is a boutique estate situated in Chile's Almahue Valley, widely regarded as the historical cradle of Chilean Carménère. The property was originally acquired in 1892 by the great-grandfather of current proprietor Gabriel Edwards. In 1945, Gabriel's grandmother, Luz Pereira, planted the vineyard blocks using ungrafted massal selection vines. For decades, fruit from these historical plantings was sold to major wine houses. After completing his wine business studies in Burgundy, Gabriel returned to Chile to found Clos de Luz in 2015, seeking to preserve and highlight these pre-phylloxera heritage vines through site-expressive, low-intervention viticulture.

## Interesting facts

- The wine is produced from ungrafted Carménère vines planted in 1945 by Luz Pereira in Chile's historic Almahue Valley.
- Gabriel Edwards collaborated with terroir expert Pedro Parra to craft a fresh, elegance-focused expression of Chilean Carménère.
- Grapes are harvested up to four weeks earlier than neighboring estates to retain natural acidity and fresh fruit character.

## Food pairing

This Carménère benefits from high natural acidity, polished tannins, and moderate herbal complexity. Rich, savory meats like beef, lamb, and game match its weight, while herbal and berry reductions complement its natural peppery and dark fruit profile. The wine's vibrant acidity effortlessly cuts through fatty cuts of meat and savory crusts.

## Wine making process

Grapes are hand-harvested from old ungrafted vine blocks planted in 1945, picked three to four weeks earlier than typical regional harvests to preserve natural freshness. Viticulture follows practicing organic methods, incorporating sheep grazing for weed control. In the cellar, wild indigenous yeasts drive fermentation. The wine undergoes 12 months of maturation, divided between large 4,000-liter French oak foudres (50%), neutral French oak barrels (44%), and a small proportion of new French oak barrels (6%), preserving fruit precision and site expression.