Calyptra Vivendo Reserva Assemblage

Tasting notes & discussion 19

A Chilean Red Blend

Typically $40/bottle from Calyptra Vineyards & Winery
Vintage 2014 from the Alto Chachapoal Valley
Available for AZ; CA; CO; CT; DC; FL; GA; IA; ID; IL; IN; KS; LA; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; MO; MT; NC; ND; NE; NH; NJ; NM; NV; NY; OH; OK; OR; PA; RI; SC; SD; TN; TX; VA; VT; WA; WI; WV; WY
Sold by participating winery or licensee, fulfilled by Wine Country Connect

About Calyptra Vineyards & Winery
“Calyptra is a boutique winery with a history of more than 30 years. Our vineyards are in Alto Cachapoal, being the only vineyard located in the valley drawer. We have a unique terroir: terraced vineyards between the foothills of the Andes and the Cachapoal River, at almost 1,000 meters above sea level. The characteristics of the field turn out to be optimal for the production of first level wines. Therefore, Calyptra’s philosophy is to produce unique, authentic, honest wines that reflect the soil, the origin and the dedication and passion of the entire team at our vineyard.”

Calyptra Thalictri

TASTING NOTES:
“A wine with a beautiful dark ruby-red color with violet highlights. Outstanding fruit, with a nose full of red berries, black cherry, black pepper and hints of violets. Those elements come through on the palate, with fresh black and red fruit, revealing a full-bodies wine.” (AbV 14.5%, TA 4.2 g/L, RS 2.1 g/L)

BARRELS: 26 months in French oak.

TANGENTIALLY RELATED FACT to help you make conversation over this wine:
Did you know that mosquitoes aren’t the only flying bugs out there that can suck your blood? Yep, there are vampire moths out there. Pretty wild that moths can range from literally having no way to feed after metamorphosis to being able to pierce skin for blood. That’s not to say you should start labeling moths as Enemy #1 like we do the mosquitoes, though.

These moths aren’t usually out for blood. It’s a difference of “they can” versus “they will,” it seems. For the most part, these moths like Calyptra thalictri just suck on fruit. Their larvae also feed on various thalictrum plants, thus the name. How did we figure out this vampire moth thing to begin with? Well, some Russians offered their hands to the moths in a lab setting, and wouldn’t you know it, the male moths will suck blood! Weird experiment. So the moths can suck blood, but won’t necessarily unless circumstances necessitate it. What are those circumstances in nature? It seems to be when they need salt. The moths store primarily the salt in blood, and scientists believe it might play a role in the mating process.

Are they a danger to humans? Nah, not really. For starters, unlike the more infamous bloodsucking bugs, they don’t have any sort of anesthetizing, so they actually cause you discomfort when they suck. Because of this, they probably aren’t going to have the chance to suck much if they do. Most of them go for big pack animals. They aren’t disease vectors, and they have alternative means of sustenance. It’s only if you’re stuck in a room with the moth proximate to mating time without other food sources that they might go for you.

PAIRS WITH (winery recommended): N/A

OR (really-going-with-the-theme-option): Fruit or blood. It’s up to you, really.

Calyptra Vivendo Reserva Assemblage

A Chilean Red Blend

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