A Perfect Pairing: Primus The Blend 2019 and Comfort Food on a Winter Night

On a cold and damp winter night, the kind that calls for warmth and comfort both in ambiance and on the plate, we whipped up some homemade tomato soup and grilled cheese and bacon and paired it with 2019 Primus - The Blend. The Blend was a perfect companion to this meal.

About Primus

    Agustin Huneeus, a man with a profound passion for wine and an unyielding determination, founded Primus about 20 years ago. His dream was to create wines that stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the best in the world. Huneeus, with his deep understanding of viticulture and winemaking, quickly recognized the potential of Chile's unique terroirs and set out to exploit them to their fullest potential.

 

   The winery was designed to harmonize with its surroundings, employing sustainable practices that ensure the health and vitality of the vineyards. The winery's philosophy revolves around producing wines that are a true reflection of their origin, capturing the essence of the terroir in each bottle.

Primus The Blend 2019 Vintage

    One of the crowning achievements of Primus Wines is the 2019 vintage of Primus The Blend. This exquisite wine is a testament to the winery's commitment to quality and its skill in blending different grape varieties to create a harmonious and complex wine.

Composition of the Grapes

The 2019 Primus The Blend is a “Blend” of 40% Carmenere, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Syrah, 10% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc. Each grape variety contributes its unique characteristics to the blend.

• Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from Alto Maipo, the site of the first vineyard to be planted in Chile in 1541. It is considered to produce the best Cabernet Sauvignon in Chile. This provides the backbone of the blend, offering structure, tannins, and dark fruit flavors.
• Carmenère adds depth and silkiness with its spicy and herbaceous notes.
• Syrah provides black fruit and spice
• Cabernet Franc adds elegance
• Petit Verdot adds intensity and color.

The wine is rich and complex with a lovely mix of red and black fruit, ripe blackberries, hints of spice vanilla and a touch of herbaceous notes.

The wine complemented the creamy, tangy flavors of the rich tomato soup. The smokiness of the bacon hit on the spicy notes in the wine.

  The 2019 Primus The Blend transforms a simple meal into a wonderful dining experience. It's a reminder of how the right wine can turn even the simplest of meals into a celebration of flavors and moments.

A Tasting of Primus Wine

If you're a fan of Chilean wines, you've probably heard of Primus. This small winery, has quickly gained a reputation for producing some of the finest wines in the region. Founded by Augustin Huneeus, who is the proprietor of Quintessa in Napa Valley. He was born in Chile and entered the wine business in 1960 with Concha y Toro. He started Veramonte Winery in Chile before selling the controlling interest to Gonzalez Byass. As Veramonte, today Gonzalez Byass has a controlling interest in Primus.

Primus - meaning “The First Among Its Peers.”

Primus, is dedicated to producing high-quality, handcrafted wines that showcase the unique character of the terroir of the region. Their vineyards are located in Apalta, Colchagua Valley, and Alto Maipo, Maipo Valley.

The winery's focus is on producing three wines; Carmenère, Cabernet Sauvignon, and The Blend a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and Syrah.

What sets Primus apart from other Chilean wineries is its commitment to sustainability. The winery uses organic and biodynamic practices in the vineyard, and all of its wines are made with minimal intervention in the cellar. This means that the wines are a true expression of the terroir the grapes were grown on.

I had the opportunity to try the three Primus wines and you won't be disappointed! Honestly, these are some of the better Chilean wines I’ve tasted. Elegant and balanced with no green notes. All sell for an SRP of $20.99. You can’t go wrong bringing these to the table.

Primus Red Blend 2018 - A blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Carmenère, 10% Syrah, 10% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc. Each of the grapes provides their own personality to the wine. The Cabernet Sauvignon the structure, the Carmenère the density and smoothness, the Syrah the spice, the Cabernet Franc the elegance and the softness of the Petit Verdot.

Primus Cabernet Sauvignon, Maipo Valley 2018 - This spent 12 months in French Oak with 18% of the oak being new. Nose of cigar ash, blackberry, vanilla that leads to a palate that is soft and silky. Notes of blackberry, cherry, a little forest floor. A very nice elegant Cabernet Sauvignon and one of the nicest Cabs I’ve tasted from Chile.

Primus Carmenère Apalta, Colchagua Valley 2018 - This also spent 12 months in French Oak with 18% of the oak being new. Aromas of a mix of red berries, cedar with a plate of dark fruit, little pepper on the finish. Silky tannins with a hint of chocolate and rosemary.