Born in the prestigious Maipo Valley, this is the second exponent of one of Cousiño Macul’s oldest lines.  This launch joins the Don Matías line, which was successfully repositioned in terms of image and winemaking style two years ago.

Don Matías Reserva is a classic which is never out of date. Don Matías Cabernet Sauvignon attracts consumers of all ages and its name is clearly positioned amongst lovers of good wine. Key to this success has been the achievement of a perfect equation between high quality and affordable price.

This first edition of Don Matías Merlot Reserva was produced using 80% grapes from Buín and 20% from Macul. Just like its predecessor, this wine is mainly targeted at the Chilean market, where it will be priced at around 4000 Chilean pesos in restaurants, specialist shops, supermarkets and at the Cousiño Macul winery itself (www.cousinomacul.com).

Don Matías Reserva Merlot is a pure, elegant wine.  Its quality begins with the selection of the vineyard plots and continues right through to bottling. The vines are subject to the same management as the Antiguas Reservas vines, with the difference that the per hectare yield is higher and harvesting is earlier so as not to lose its distinctive aromas and fruity flavours.

Pascal Marty, the winery’s Directeur Technique explained “our winemaking technique involves fermentation at low temperatures to obtain more fruit and a short post-fermentation maceration with the objective of extracting soft, rounded tannins. The 10 months the wine spends aging in French oak barrels then adds the structure that we want for this wine: fruit and fresh aromas intermingled with subtle notes of wood”, concluded the expert who leads the team which also includes the winemaker Rosario Palma.

The result is a dark red wine with an attractive, closed colour which become slightly violet at the edges of the glass. Its aromas are intense and pleasant, predominated by red cherries and raspberries. Tones of spice and wood also stand out, with notes of menthol and cedar, always marked by a young, lively character. On the palate it is impetuous, firm and flavourful with slightly sweet flavours, very fruity, with tones of ripe plums and a compensating acidity. This is a medium-bodied wine with fine tannins and a long, fine finish.

It can be enjoyed on its own or to accompany cheeses, especially buttery-flavoured ones, and also with salamis and boiled and/or Serrano hams. Its intense flavour means that this wine combines well with filled pastas with a variety of sauces and with meat casseroles, civet of hare, rabbit, pigeon and pheasant.

An updated classic
This is not the first time that Cousiño Macul has made important changes to the Don Matías line.  In mid 2006, in celebration of the winery’s 150th anniversary, the line’s style of winemaking was enhanced and its image updated, without losing its characteristic elegance.

The relaunch successfully re-positioned the wine’s image and gave good sales results, which is why the winery decided to launch this Merlot reserva. “Today’s consumers are more demanding and knowledgeable.  They can easily distinguish a superior quality wine from its competitors on the market.  This line has qualities which make it stand out from the rest. This new product is an excellent choice for those who love a true Merlot and also for those who already enjoy our Cabernet Sauvignon and are looking for other options”, concluded Matías Ovalle, Sales Director for Viña Cousiño Macul.