Terra Noble Wines Reviewed

Terra Noble wines are selected and imported by Winebow Imports in NYC and in this article, you’ll be getting a 2 for 1 review!

I’ll first be reviewing Terra Noble Carignan and then Terra Noble Carmenere.

Both wines are products of Chile and Terra Noble was founded in 1993, with Marcelo Garcia as the current winemaker.

Grapes for these wines are grown in the Maule region of Chile on multiple vineyards in the Casablanca, Colchagua and Maule valleys.

Samples received for review purposes.

Terra Noble Carignan Wine Review

Terra Noble Carignan is born from “old 60-100 year-old vines, intending to transmit the terroir and the authenticity of this varietal in each bottle” according to the wine’s tasting notes.

From the bottle:

In the coastal range of Maule a witness of history is reborn: grown by small farmers in ancient dry farmed vineyards that preserve the tradition and culture of their origin; Carignan expresses its character with strength, freshness and intensity.

I tasted the 2019 vintage of Terra Noble Carignan and it was my first time tasting a wine that is 100% Carignan (varietal).

Appearance

The wine appeared deep purple in the glass.

A tip and spin of the glass resulted in the wine really clinging to the glass, with slow falling legs appearing as time went on.

Aroma

I noted red fruits, spice and a nice pungency of red licorice and clove.

Terra Noble Carignan alcohol content 13.5% by volume, per the bottle.

Taste

The taste caught me off guard a bit.

It gave me an immediate impression of bright red juicy fruit gum, with nothing to follow.

Given that, I found the wine’s flavor to be pretty one-dimensional and non-complex.

Mouthfeel and Tannins

I would describe the wine’s mouthfeel as a light juiciness, similar to white grape juice, perhaps.

Tannins were forward and lingering all over the palate, with no bitterness noted.

Finish

The wine had a long finish carried by both the bright flavor and the tannins.

Overall Opinion of Terra Noble Carignan

In the end, I wasn’t too fond of this wine.

It gives you a burst of red fruits that tickle your palate, but do settle just a bit with air.

But that’s pretty much it.

Terra Noble Carmenere Wine Review

Terra Noble Carmenere comes from 25 year old vines in the Maule Valley, near the town of San Clemente.

The grapes were hand picked and the wine was aged in oak barrels and stainless steel tanks for 12 months.

From the bottle:

Art, passion and poetry gave birth to TerraNoble Gran Reserva Carmenere.  A superb combination of intense bouquet, deep colour and delicious fruity flavors.

I tasted the 2018 vintage of Terra Noble Carmenere.

Appearance

This wine was dark red in the color with a garnet colored meniscus.

Similarly to the Carignan, the wine was quite leggy and really clung to the glass.

Aroma

Also bold, with notes of black fruits, spice and caramel cream mousse.  Quite complex.

Terra Noble Carmenere alcohol content 14.0% by volume, per the bottle.

Taste

Also gives you fresh red fruits at the initial sip, but not as exuberant as the Carignan.

I noted a balanced acidity to the wine and also a touch of citrus zest.

At first I found the taste to also be pretty one-dimensional.

But, after allowing the wine to breathe, it softened quite a bit and a light mocha hint appeared.

Mouthfeel and Tannins

The wine had a juicy mouthfeel with soft tannins that don’t overwhelm your palate.

Finish

The wine’s finish was long and primarily dominated by the tannins.

There was a little bit of bitterness in the finish, but better texture from the tannins as compared to the Carignan.

Overall Opinion of Terra Noble Carmenere

I have to say, I didn’t really love the Carmenere’s flavor at first.  I was looking for a bit more complexity and less bitterness.

However, I did enjoy the wine’s aroma, with its complexity and caramel mousse notes.

With that said, after it got a bit of air, the wine definitely softened up and I enjoyed the hint of mocha to offset the brighter fruits.

So, overall not bad, just let it breathe for a bit before making your final judgement.

For more about Terra Noble, check out the Winebow website.

Conclusion

So there you have it!

Two wines from Chile with some similarities and some differences.

I ended up liking the Carmenere better at the end of the day.

I found it to have a better aroma and (after letting it breathe) a softer flavor that was more sippable than the Carignan.

How about you?  Have you tried these varietals or any other Terra Noble wines?

Let us know in the comments below…  Cheers!