Concha y Toro Terrunyo Carmenere 2016

Concha y Toro Terrunyo Carmenere 2016 is a 750ml, 13.1% ABV single-vineyard Carménère from Peumo in Chile's Cachapoal Valley. This vintage earned 95 points from Patricio Tapia in Descorchados, underscoring the remarkable depth this specific terroir extracts from one of Chile's signature red varieties.

Quick Facts: ABV: 13.1%  |  Origin: Peumo, Cachapoal Valley, Chile  |  Vintage: 2016  |  Producer: Concha y Toro

Production & Heritage

Concha y Toro, founded in 1883, is Chile's most recognized wine producer. The Terrunyo line is built around the principle of matching each variety to its ideal terroir. For Carménère, the winemaking team identified a nine-hectare parcel in the lowlands of Peumo roughly two decades ago, selecting fruit specifically from three hectares of vines planted in 1990. The clay-rich soils here retain moisture and provide consistently favorable ripening conditions for Carménère, a variety notoriously sensitive to site selection. The 2016 was fermented in stainless steel, underwent full malolactic fermentation, and then spent nine months aging in oak barrels. The blend is 99% Carménère with 1% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with blackberry and blueberry, followed by violet, tomato leaf, and a thread of vanilla. Beneath the fruit sits a subtle layer of graphite and cocoa nibs, with well-managed pyrazine notes keeping the herbal character restrained and precise.

Taste: On entry, the palate is juicy and fruit-forward, with wild berries and ripe plum. At mid-palate, tobacco and dried herb flavors emerge — reminiscent of Cabernet Franc in their leafy complexity. The acidity is vibrant and well-integrated, framing sweet, fine-grained tannins that give the wine structure without heaviness.

Finish: The finish is medium-long and layered, trailing off with cedar, a hint of spice, and lingering dark fruit. A delicate cocoa note resurfaces at the very end, adding a savory dimension.

How to Drink Terrunyo Carmenere

Serve at 16–18°C (61–64°F). This wine benefits from 30 minutes of decanting, which opens up the herbal and floral aromatics while softening the tannin structure. Terrunyo Carmenere is primarily a food wine, but it stands on its own for contemplative sipping as well.

Best For

• Gifting a wine enthusiast who appreciates South American reds
• Pairing with a grilled steak dinner or weekend asado
• Exploring Chilean Carménère at a serious, single-vineyard level
• Adding a 95-point Chilean red to a curated cellar collection

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Terrunyo Carmenere taste like? The 2016 vintage delivers dark berry fruit layered with tobacco, dried herbs, and graphite, supported by sweet tannins and bright acidity. It has a savory, almost Cabernet Franc-like character that distinguishes it from fruitier Carménère bottlings.

How does Terrunyo Carmenere compare to Carmin de Peumo? Both wines come from Concha y Toro's Peumo vineyards and feature Carménère, but Carmin de Peumo is the estate's flagship Gran Reserva-level blend with a higher proportion of complementary varieties and extended aging. Terrunyo is a more terroir-focused, single-vineyard expression that highlights the variety in a purer, more site-specific style.

Is Terrunyo Carmenere good for sipping neat? Yes — with its layered aromatics and balanced tannins, it is well-suited for drinking on its own, especially after brief decanting to let the herbal and floral complexity emerge.

Where is Terrunyo Carmenere made? It is produced by Concha y Toro from a specific vineyard parcel in Peumo, a warm sub-region within the Cachapoal Valley in central Chile known for producing Chile's finest Carménère.

What foods pair well with Terrunyo Carmenere? Grilled lamb chops work well with the wine's herbal notes. Beef empanadas echo its savory, earthy side. Roasted bell peppers and ratatouille complement the subtle pyrazine character. Semi-hard cheeses like aged Gouda or Manchego match the wine's tannin structure. Dark chocolate with a high cacao percentage mirrors the cocoa-nib undertones.

What sizes does Terrunyo Carmenere come in? The standard release is a 750ml bottle.

Is Terrunyo Carmenere worth the price? Terrunyo positions as a premium single-vineyard Chilean red, sitting above Concha y Toro's reserva tiers but below ultra-premium bottlings like Carmin de Peumo. At its price point, the 95-point Descorchados score and old-vine vineyard sourcing represent strong value within the serious Carménère category.

Why Terrunyo Carmenere?

Few Carménère bottlings tie their identity so directly to a single site. The three-hectare parcel of vines planted in 1990 on Peumo's moisture-retaining clay soils gives this wine a consistency and depth that broader regional blends rarely achieve. The 2016 vintage earned 95 points from Descorchados critic Patricio Tapia, placing it among Chile's most critically acclaimed Carménères that year. For drinkers looking to understand what Carménère can be when given a world-class vineyard and restrained winemaking, this remains a benchmark expression.