Wines from Chile Impress

Wines from Chile had a Press tasting this week in Dublin. It was impressive for a number of important reasons.

            First: the Irish market is dominated, nay swamped, by inexpensive wines being sold on price point alone. Chile is one of the source countries for these wines. Nothing wrong with that. Business needs to be done. No, what impressed me is that regardless of its ability to churn out fruity inexpensive numbers the country continues to push forward with ever increasing ranges of high quality wines. They have widened their quality varietal offerings and are now putting some fine blends together. They now have an offering for the future. When Ireland begins to trade up again it will find a treasure trove of exciting wines waiting for them on the far side of the Andes. Why wait? They're here already.

           Second: I touched on this above. The range of quality varietals being made in Chile is now very impressive. I am still of the opinion that Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon is absolutely world class. I find now that I am praising their Syrah more and more also. They seem to have found how to keep the fruit more 'alive' in the bottle than they have in the past. It doesn't stop there though. Their Chardonnays have joined the ranks of fresh, lean and lively styles that have replaced the oaked/butterscotchy numbers that are now so yesterdays taste preference. I also have good ticks from this tasting against Viognier, Pinot Noir, Carmenere and Sauvignon Blancs. This means that winemakers are working well with grape growers to coax the best out of the land and its environment.

A really fine example of this is the growing tendency to work with cooler coastal regions to maximise aromatics and to develop lean styling in finished wines. Careful site selection for both red and white varietals is now beginning to show really well in the bottle.

                     Third: Blending grape types together and producing something better than its individual parts is not an easy thing to do. There's more than a bit of magic involved! Often the magic has been passed down from one generation to the next. Perhaps it has been learned over time. However the skills arrive into the winery they need to be practiced and honed over many vintages. Chile may have many old vineyards but it is a modern bunch of skilled winemakers that are beginning to make their mark They need time to develop. In the modern world of course they can travel and learn from many differing wine makers, and wine experiences, all over the globe. They can employ scientific principles and use equipment that is being further developed all of the time. Early blends from Chile were often clunky, forced together grapes. That's not a wine. Then the parts often fell apart in the middle of your mouth!! No longer. Many of the big blends this week showed true harmony and skilled wine making. This is exciting as the bank of knowledge is clearly building in Chile and the very best is yet to come. 

Wines of Chile, and Irish agents of Chilean wines, showed almost ninety wines this week. There were, to be fair, some inexpensive and uninteresting wines in the make up. (If there weren't it would have been major surprise!!) In general though it was a top notch and very revealing exercise. 

Here are a few of my favourites from the tasting:

Autoritas Gran Reservas Chardonnay 2011 (Luis Felipe Edwards) 

A stand out chardonnay with very expressive cool style fruit and delicate interesting oak nuances stretching the length of the wine on and on. (Great price at only €12.95 from Cases in Galway.)

  

Marques de Casa Concha Chardonnay 2010

Very different style to Autoritas. Fuller and more obviously oaked. There's just such a lot of finely ripened fruit here married so well to the oak that this really has to be a perfect turkey wine. Full bodied, tropical and excellent. Astonishing value at €14.99

Aviary Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2012

(A snip at €8.99 from Barrys of Mallow) Simple and effective use of clean vibrant fruit showing neatly packaged aromatics and crisp long lasting palate. This is what the punter deserves but doesn't always get at this price level.

Eco Viognier 2010

This pours like it really believes that it's a Viognier! - slightly peachy colour and rich. Extraordinary perfume on the palate with truly excellent textural elements mincing along to a lengthy finish. I can't believe its only €10.99. (available from a fair selection on independents). This is from Emiliana's organic stable of wines.

Errazuriz Max Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

This is the ultimate comforter for cold winter evenings. Immense depths of soft and full fruits. Soft is a key word with this wine! Widely available at €14.99

Loma Larga Syrah 2006

Tough in some respects as the structure and tannins here are reasonably aggressive - but its oh, so good as well. Rich in the extreme and shows a warm climate style where the fruit has been allowed to sing. €22.99 at Higgins of Clonskeagh

Vina Leyda Single Vineyard Pinot Noir Reserva Las Brisas 2010

Hard to find really exciting Pinot Noir from Chile. I have no doubt we will have a slew of them soon though! This does it for me with a finely preserved perfume stitched into the very fabric of every aspect of the wine. Bright, alert, youthful raspberry with a palate that builds a super textural intensity towards the finish. Very modern Very good. €14.00 from many independents.

Carmen Reserva Carmenere 2010

Finely crafted fruit in this wine. Lush dark fruits and a lively acidity. A joy to drink. €14.99. Widely available.

Carmen Gold Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 (€44.99)
This was a surprise as I thought I had tasted everything that Carmen had to offer! This is a big wine in every respect. Very ripe fruits drinking very young indeed. Fine and significant acidity and tannins. Maipo valley at its finest.

Not available in Ireland - yet.

Chocolan Reserva Syrah 2010
Here's a powerful wine. Tremendously rich and fabulously structured. Slightly heavy use of toasted oak brings smoky vanilla edges in but that that adds appeal for a lot of folks. Easy to recommend. Available at O'Briens stores for €12.99

Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon 2008
This may be pricey at €49.99 but it really does deliver. Its brilliant. This is where all those big 'Cab Sauv in Oak' words come together like, coffee, cassis, plum, currants, black cherry, rich structure and so on. In this wine they're all still bright and young, ready to dance and only beginning to contemplate settling down a bit. Want to impress the boss with a single bottle this Christmas?

Cousino Macul Antiguas Reservas Cabernet Sauvignon 2010
I blogged about this recently as the Red Wine of the Year at NOFFLA Gold Star Awards. Nice to see it performs as well alongside peers. Funny thing though, at this tasting I found myself drawn more to the Cousino Macul Antiguas Reservas Merlot 2010. Now this is interesting as Chile often struggles to produce light and flavoursome Merlot base wines. I want them to make more - where has Merlot gone to in the world!! This is a soft and attractive wine with oodles of personality and intensity. €12.00 from independents.

de Martino Legata Syrah 2011
Excellent. Fruit is alive and restive. Lots of structure and yet the fullness of the fruit shines through in a very convincing way. Superquinn and independents at €15.99

Eco Syrah, Cabernet, Carmenere, Mouvedre 2010
This is one of the blends that I mentioned earlier. Each fruit shows well and contributes to making the wine a more rounded, enjoyable and memorable experience. It's mouthfilling, soft and interesting and only costs €10.99. Available through many independents.

Another blend that works well is the Mont Gras Quatro 2011
Its a soft and fresh wine bursting with energy. This wine brings together the four heavyweights, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Carmenere and Malbec. It must be fun working these into a wine when they are all ripe and rich and capable of making fine varietals on their own. €11.99 widely available.

Both Gran Devocian wines from Vina Maipo, Cabernet Sauvignon/Syrah 2010 and the Carmenere/Syrah 2010 show well. They're muscular styles with rich memorable finishes. If there's anyone who really 'gets' Syrah in Chile it's Vina Maipo. Both at €15.00 from Dunnes Stores 

Santa Carolina Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Here's a grand little wine to have around the house. It only costs €8.99 but is very true to the grape and doesn't rush you along. There's enough here to savour the moment!

Santa Rita Medalla Real 2009
I can't remember if this wine ever disappointed. Its just one of those bankers that everyone should know of. It's excellent in its delivery of rich and sumptuous fruit with a tremendous depth of carefully tended structures holding it together to an endless length. If you want to see what all the fuss is about Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon have look at this.

 

Santa Rita's Casa Real hotel and vines. Images that remind me of Medalla Real.