Tasting Chilean Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc With @DrinkChile

I was invited to taste again with the Wines of Chile trade group, with whom I had tasted a variety of Chilean wines last year. The format, using Master Sommelier Fred Dexheimer as the moderator of a tasting session with winemakers and bloggers, was unchanged. At the studio in New York, he had a chef preparing some delicious looking seafood recipes to showcase these white wines. We bloggers were sent these recipes, I chose to simply taste the wines though, in order not to fill my apartment with distracting aromas.

Our theme this time was Coast to Toast, featuring white wines from the coastal areas of Chile.

1. Casa Silva Cool Coast Sauvignon Blanc 2011 Colchagua Valley: At first I said this wine was trying to be a New Zealand sauvignon blanc, with its green grass, gooseberry, and lemon zest bouquet. I still think it is, but also has taken on a Chilean twist. There's a note of briny ocean air to go with the aforementioned bouquet. On the palate, lemon zest and more asparagus. A clean mineral profile adds depth and complexity but isn't enough to overcome the lack of interesting flavors. 13.0% abv. $25

2. Los Vascos Sauvignon Blanc 2011 Casablanca Valley: A wine that for me started out dull and insipid, but grew into something vastly more interesting. While this wine isn't an extraordinary experience, I respect the fact that it is unpretentious and very quaffable. The nose is mildly astringent with notes of grass, grapefruit, and stem. On the palate the Los Vascos is dry, clean, and simple. More of the citrus with hints of asparagus and a nice bit of minerality. The very definition of crowd-pleaser. 13.5% abv. $14

3. Cono Sur Visión Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2011 Casablanca Valley: Way more lime juice than initially detected, some three hours in. Hints of minerality and a strange, not unpleasant lettuce aroma. Barely-there tropical fruits too. On the palate, bursts Meyer lemon, pineapple, and light grassy flavors dominate. The finish is really evaporative though, which disappointed me. 13.0% abv. $15

4. Viña Casablanca Nimbus Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2011: Earlier during the tasting I said this wine started to gently veer towards a Sancerre, and it still does three hours later. That stated, there are more cut-grass aromas now, pushing out some of the stone fruit and limestone I picked up before. This isn't a bad thing though because it gives the bouquet nice complexity. The mouthfeel is great, acidic and cleansing. Nice citrus - lemon zest to me - along with a kick of pear help this wine achieve lofty status as the best QPR of the night. 13.8% abv. $13

5. Veramonte Ritual Sauvignon Blanc 2011 Casablanca Valley: I kind of dogged all these wines when I first opened them. There was a stunning amount of homogeneity, but then I re-tasted and this Veramonte is making me smile. The bouquet is still sauvignon blanc, redolent of limestone overlaid with grass that someone squeezed a ton of limes over. On the palate, there's a smoothness here, a depth from the subtle oak treatment. Anthropomorphically speaking, it's like a girl who's grown up from a saucy teenager to a classy, Ivy League educated 20something. 13.5% abv. $18

6. Santa Rita Medalla Real Chardonnay 2010 Leyda Valley: Aromatically pleasing, think wet rocks and buttered popcorn co-existing with a bowl of sliced pears and apples. On the palate, light and kind of sultry, somewhat unexpected. Pears really show through, that and some grassy notes, even a bit of granitic mineral quality. My only knock on this wine is that it fades away awfully quickly. 14.0% abv. $18

7. De Martino Legado Reserva Chardonnay 2010 Limarí Valley: This wine was very interesting, but not necessarily in a good way. I tasted it right after opening, when it had some acidity and flavors of tropical fruit. About two hours later, when I smelled it, I thought of rotting grass. Decidedly unpleasant, and this sharp, pepper-like note also showed up. On the palate it's relatively simple, peach and golden apple notes, acidity, but more of the strange rotting grass type flavor. Could very well be a bad bottle. 13.5% abv. $16

8. Concha y Toro Marques de Casa Concha Chardonnay 2009 Limarí Valley: I like the bouquet here, green apples mixed with cinnamon-spiced wood. There's a pleasantness this chardonnay has that keeps drawing me in. On the palate it's creamy but also balanced, the acidity shows up as a lemon and apple flavor. There's also noticeable oak here but it isn't in a bad way. In between the oak and citrus, a hint of tropical fruit - think papaya - shines through. A sweet, mineral-laden finish continues the intrigue. This chardonnay begs for king crab legs dipped in garlic butter. 14% abv. $19

What can we take from this tasting? First off, the wines we tasted were all interesting and while none were world class, all but one were very drinkable. Out of the lineup I did enjoy the Veramonte and Vina Casablanca bottles, and two of three chardonnays exhibited some pleasant characteristics too. If you are out and about, looking for an inexpensive bottle of wine that will pair with seafood or appetizers, buy any of these with confidence. The quality levels are high (save for the De Martino) and the wines are easy drinking.

From an educational standpoint, each wine showcased an area of Chile that can clearly produce high quality wines. As the winemakers in Chile gain experience with their diverse micro-climates, the onus will shift to the consumer to educate himself or herself and seek out specific regions. Personally, I enjoy syrah and sauvignon blanc from the Colchauga and Casablanca valleys, respectively. Others might love Maipo cabernet sauvignon or Maule Valley carmenere. It's so important to keep exploring countries like Chile because they're constantly discovering new areas that are conducive to grape growing.

Visit the Wines of Chile website to find out more information about the wines we tasted tonight, including some helpful links for where to purchase each one. Follow @DrinkChile on Twitter to learn more about Chilean wine and tastings in your area.

These wines were media samples for review purposes.

Beau Carufel

Chilean Syrah and Pinot Noir Come to the Party in a Big Way!

Last night I took part in a tasting of Chilean cool climate red wines consisting of four syrahs and four pinot noirs. I posted a quick preview of the tasting here, before it got started. Today I'm recapping each of the wines I tasted and highlighting the ones I recommend you seek out. I'll also talk a bit about how the format went and where I think it can be improved upon for next time.

Instead of tasting with my usual crew, the (in)famous San Diego Wine Mafia, I figured I'd give them a break from my obscure tasting note references and host some friends at my place. I was able to bribe (free wine) my mom into cooking up some awesome food including fried pork chops in a port reduction glaze and an orzo-herb salad. My friend Beth came over and sauteed up some sliced portobellos sauteed in myrtleberry chutney. We also had an assortment of cheeses, a Mancego, Port Salut, and an aged Gouda.

1. 2009 Valdivieso Reserve Pinot Noir Casablanca Valley -- Beautiful light ruby color, nice clarity. Bouquet of mixed sour cherry and strawberry. some vegetal aromas, spice and smoky wood. touch of heat but it's barely there. all the aromas flow from one to the next very nicely in a linear manner. spicy cranberry and zippy acidity were the first two things i noticed when i sipped the wine. I could feel acid all over my palate, giving the wine a lighter feel. there is a core of ripe fruit mixed with earth and smoke that i do like, however the near-effervescence is distracting to me. Hard to ilke this wine right now. B- $17

2. 2009 Casablanca Nimbus Estate Pinot Noir Casablanca Valley -- Much darker than the first wine, closer to a Mendocino County zinfandel or California syrah. That intrigues me, I wonder how different the bouquet and flavors will be. Way more vegetal on the nose, black cherries and a plastic scent, smells like a hospital oxygen mask. The green scent overpowers most everything else though, however I can get a bare hint of dusty earth too. Much softer acidity and spices than the Valdiviseo and no green vegetal flavors at all. More round mouthfeel, spices, baking chocolate, chalk, black cherries. I like the mouthfeel a lot actually, would gladly have a glass of this with some food. B $20 **Smart Buy**

3. 2009 Veramonte Ritual Pinot Noir Casablanca Valley -- Very dark for a pinot noir, closer to a syrah-based northern Rhone wine. Smells like a funky Burgundy right off the bat. Also getting the quickest hit of red licorice and fennel. The funk is great, balanced by a sweet red fruit component. Much softer than the first two but with almots a white pepper heat in the background. Good complexity. Ripe red cherry, oak, spices, earth all playing nicely in the sandbox. Well done! B $20 **Smart Buy**

4. 2008 Cono Sur Ocio Pinot Noir Casablanca Valley -- Very nice garnet color, excellent clarity through the glass. Gorgeous bouquet! Candied cherry, teriyaki, dark chocolate, and smoke are all wafting out of my freshly swirled glass. Absolutely amazing. Granted for $65, it better be. Graceful approach that turns into the taste of sour cherry gummy worms, campfire and baking spice. The tannins are very approachable right now, framing the wine beautifully. Very, very high quality finish too, it goes on and on, gently tapering off after many seconds. Superb juice. B+/A- $65 **Recommended**

5. 2009 Tamaya Reserva Syrah Limari Valley -- Last night I referred to this wine as "fresh Krispy Kreme donut drenched in blueberry jam". Today as I stare at the color, an opaque purple, I wonder if the same thing will be true. To an extent, yes the blueberry and sweet aromas are still there but they have been supplemented by ripe blackberries and dark chocolate along with a bramble component leading into some alcoholic heat. This is a big wine, right off the bat it has spice, fine grained tannin, hints of leather and tobacco along with a crushed pepper flavor dancing around the fruits clapping along to the beat. While I can smell the 3% viognier in here, I cannot taste it save for what might be right on hte finish, a slight oily twist. The Tamaya is begging for fire roasted beef and grilled vegetables. B $17

6. 2006 Loma Larga Syrah Casablanca Valley -- I can't see through this dark purple concoction in my glass, wow! Smells like vanilla, fresh baked pastry and black pepper. Something fruity too, dark and ripe like a black cherry on a hot day. Earth and bittersweet chocolate are there but a little difficult to detect for my nose. Loads of meaty goodness are the first thing I taste, followed by more black pepper, forest fire mixed with dirt, and some nicely grippy tannins that help keep all those flavor elements in check. I wish for a bit more carry-through from the grapey fruit flavors, they seem to get covered up by the dirty wood smoke taste. This is perhaps a bit more rustic than I anticipated but it has it's charm, perhaps because of that. B- $30

7. 2009 Undurraga "Terroir Hunter" Syrah Leyda Valley -- The Undurraga looks lighter than the Loma Larga, a bit more of a bright purple than a darker, brooding purple. Here we go with ripe berries and cream, this reminds me a little of the Tamaya's nose from last night. There are more berry scents here though, blackberry, boysenberry and the like. More of the green pepper or green bean aromas are coming out as well. Even a hint of black cherry candy, very interesting! I was struck by the softness with which the Undurraga announces its prescence, nothing loud or overbearing. Hints of cinnamon and oak, chocolate, firm tannins and a streak of acidity that keeps the wine lively. I get the feeling that this saw enough time in oak to mellow out that acid but still keep the tannins from being too soft. B $25 **Smart Buy**

8. 2009 Hacienda Araucano Reserva Syrah Lolol Valley -- Very dark but appropriately so, this is syrah and looks like it. Sweet ripe fruit dominate, like a jar of mixed berry preserves next to some Balsamic vinegar. Again more of the hospital oxygen mask smell, easy to spot but hard to describe. Baked graham cracker crust is a cool new thing I rarely get from syrah. I was assaulted by loads of peppery spice and alcohol when I sipped and swished the Araucano, not quite a pleasant sensation. Despite that, I found good drying tannins, ripe black fruit and dusty earth notes. All very pleasant if my palate wasn't still reeling from the cudgel of pepper and booze that beat it into submission on the first sip. B- $14

A couple of things to bear in mind after you read through the reviews, each price is the suggested retail price, and I know the wines can be found for less. Also, I was told that all of these wines have nationwide distribution, the best place to start looking is Bevmo.com and Wine-Searcher.com. I've linked each winery website in the name, so you can search there to find a distributor list, if necessary.

After the tasting I used WineSave, so theoretically each wine was completely preserved until I pulled the corks today to re-taste. Trying to objectively taste, follow a chatroom, entertain guests, spit, tweet, and eat was just too many things to do last night. In the future I recommend the Wines of Chile people use a site like Tastelive so that our chat messages can be tweeted with a hashtag, saving us from having bounce between checking Twitter and the chatroom.


So to wrap this blog post up, I offer a few final thoughts. Each wine was well made and indicative of quality fruit. The styles varied widely, which helped me (and my palate) get a handle on what Chile is doing with syrah and pinot noir.

The ones I mentioned as smart buys are what I'd buy and enjoy. That doesn't mean the others were bad, just an indication of my palate preferences. Each is worthy of purchase and of enjoying a glass or two after a long day. Some though are going to be much better when accompanied by food, which I suspect might have been the goal of the respective winemakers. For example, a juicy steak or cheeseburger would pair wonderfully with any of the eight wines I tasted. The pinot noirs would be also wonderful with lamb and pork, while the syrah begged for venison, bison, or anything earthy and rich. This was the first Wines of Chile tasting that I was invited to and I had a great time, the blogger kits were extraordinarily well assembled and the wines were consistently good to excellent. I hope to be invited to more because as shown last night, Chile is producing wines that are on par with the best of the rest.

I was provided with these wines as a member of the press by The Thomas Collective for Wines of Chile

Beau Carufel

Wines of Chile Live Tasting - Preview!

Tonight is the Wines of Chile tasting, featuring eight red wines from all over the country. The event was organized by the Wines of Chile organization via The Thomas Collective of New York. You can follow along using the hashtag #ChileReds and the twitter account DrinkChile. A group of wine bloggers was each sent a tasting kit containing the wines and their tech sheets, background information on Chile, and some neat recipes to pair with each wine. The wines included in the tasting kit were:

1. 2009 Valdivieso Reserve Pinot Noir Casablanca Valley
2. 2009 Casablanca Nimbus Estate Pinot Noir Casablanca Valley
3. 2009 Veramonte Ritual Pinot Noir Casablanca Valley
4. 2008 Cono Sur Ocio Pinot Noir Casablanca Valley
5. 2009 Tamaya Reserva Syrah Limari Valley
6. 2006 Loma Larga Syrah Casablanca Valley
7. 2009 Undurraga "Terroir Hunter" Syrah Leyda Valley
8. 2009 Hacienda Araucano Reserva Syrah Lolol Valley

The "leader" of the tasting will be Fred Dexheimer, a Master Sommelier and founder of Juiceman Consulting, also based in New York. His involvement tonight stems from his work as an educator/consultant for the Wines of Chile program. Also joining in will be Matias Rios Langevin from Cono Sur.

Along with the Chilean wines, I've gone ahead and cooked up a few dishes (with the assistance of my Mom, a Cordon Bleu-trained chef) including an Orzo & French Lentil salad with fresh herbs, pork chops with myrtleberry chutney, and my friend Beth is bringing over some mushrooms to sautee in butter and herbs.

While I have no idea how many bloggers are taking part, last time I did a Chilean wine online tasting, a lot of people "showed up" and we had a lively discussion. Tonight will be no different, I suspect. The tasting starts in about an hour and I know that I can't wait to get started. While opening each wine, I may or may not have taken the opportunity to sniff each bottle repeatedly, as a result I'm very excited. The aromas ran the gamut from barnyard, gamey notes in one of the syrahs to fresh crushed summer berries in a pinot noir.

 My experience with Chilean wines has been at either the very low end of the price spectrum with wines like Casillero del Diablo or at the top end with amazing wine like the Concha y Toro Don Melchor. Being able to taste through this mid to upper tier group of wines will help me learn a lot more about what Chile is capable of and more so, what Chile is bringing to market right now. All the wines are pretty widely available, evidence of a good job by the Wines of Chile group. After the tasting, I'll be assembling my tasting notes and more pictures to present a comprehensive overview of what I tasted and what I recommend you go out and buy. Stay tuned!!

Beau Carufel