Vina Vik Milla Cala 2014
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James
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Winemaker Notes
Milla Cala 2014 is an intense wine with a complex and elegant bouquet, exciting the senses in an unforgettable journey of aromas and flavors: fresh but ripped fruits such as strawberry, blackcurrant, strawberry, and blackberry, along with plums and almonds, complemented with a touch of black and white pepper, and subtle coffee notes from the French barrels. In the mouth, it stands out by its freshness and balanced acidity, which creates a nervous wine, tense with round and subtle tannins, but also with structure and firm body, leaving a pleasant and long end. The Cabernet Sauvignon captures the attention on this assembly, while Cabernet Franc brightens it finely. In turn, the Carménère touch provides volume to the mixture with black fruits and spices, balanced and framed by the floral notes of the Syrah.
Blend: 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Carmenere, 12% Syrah, 4% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Ripe, spicy and elegant from the start, this Cabernet blend captures the essence of what Vik is doing in the Cachapoal Valley. Blackberry, prune, cedar, cigar tobacco and chocolate flavors are all noted, while this finishes with good clarity and body along with latent coffee, tobacco and oak flavors. Drink through 2024.
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James Suckling
The aromas are full of ripe and dried fruit and leather with hints of olives and blackberries. Full body, round and velvety tannins. Dense and rich with lots of fruit and a chewy finish. A blend of cabernet sauvignon, carmenere and cabernet franc, merlot and syrah. Very pretty now but better in 2018.
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Decanter
Despite its age it still shows exuberance of ripe dark fruits, and includes notes of roasted peppers, chocolate and sweet spices. The palate is very promising, layered and juicy, complex and refined.
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In 2004, Alexander Vik, a Norwegian entrepreneur, proposed the creation of a world-class vineyard to produce a unique wine. A holistic vineyard creating world class wines, located on 11.000 acres of Chilean nature, and featuring an architecturally exceptional winery, restaurant and retreat. “Science and knowledge are our foundation, passion is our engine and the wine is the expression of our Art” The viti-vinicultural concept at VIK is based on the technique of optimizing each stage of grape growing and wine production, with an important focus on science and technology, all of which is adapted to each of our valleys in order to achieve the optimum maturity levels in our fruit and to create the best wine.
With hundreds of red grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended red wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged resulting in a wide variety of red wine styles. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a red wine blend variety that creates a fruity and full-bodied wine would do well combined with one that is naturally high in acidity and tannins. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
How to Serve Red Wine
A common piece of advice is to serve red wine at “room temperature,” but this suggestion is imprecise. After all, room temperature in January is likely to be quite different than in August, even considering the possible effect of central heating and air conditioning systems. The proper temperature to aim for is 55° F to 60° F for lighter-bodied reds and 60° F to 65° F for fuller-bodied wines.
How Long Does Red Wine Last?
Once opened and re-corked, a bottle stored in a cool, dark environment (like your fridge) will stay fresh and nicely drinkable for a day or two. There are products available that can extend that period by a couple of days. As for unopened bottles, optimal storage means keeping them on their sides in a moderately humid environment at about 57° F. Red wines stored in this manner will stay good – and possibly improve – for anywhere from one year to multiple decades. Assessing how long to hold on to a bottle is a complicated science. If you are planning long-term storage of your reds, seek the advice of a wine professional.
Dramatic geographic and climatic changes from west to east make Chile an exciting frontier for wines of all styles. Chile’s entire western border is Pacific coastline, its center is composed of warm valleys and on its eastern border, are the soaring Andes Mountains.
Chile’s central valleys, sheltered by the costal ranges, and in some parts climbing the eastern slopes of the Andes, remain relatively warm and dry. The conditions are ideal for producing concentrated, full-bodied, aromatic reds rich in black and red fruits. The eponymous Aconcagua Valley—hot and dry—is home to intense red wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot.
The Maipo, Rapel, Curicó and Maule Valleys specialize in Cabernet and Bordeaux Blends as well as Carmenère, Chile’s unofficial signature grape.
Chilly breezes from the Antarctic Humboldt Current allow the coastal regions of Casablanca Valley and San Antonio Valley to focus on the cool climate loving varieties, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.
Chile’s Coquimbo region in the far north, containing the Elqui and Limari Valleys, historically focused solely on Pisco production. But here the minimal rainfall, intense sunlight and chilly ocean breezes allow success with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The up-and-coming southern regions of Bio Bio and Itata in the south make excellent Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
Spanish settlers, Juan Jufre and Diego Garcia de Cáceres, most likely brought Vitis vinifera (Europe’s wine producing vine species) to the Central Valley of Chile sometime in the 1550s. One fun fact about Chile is that its natural geographical borders have allowed it to avoid phylloxera and as a result, vines are often planted on their own rootstock rather than grafted.