Wine Focus for January 2017: Wines of Chile

[Robin Garr]

So, Happy New Year, and here's the plan: This year we're going to try teeing up entire countries for focus. We thought it would be a good idea to come up with a change of pace after several years, and David's suggestion that having a broad, country-wide focus allowing a lot of diversity within the topic was a good one to try. We can talk about the wines, the food, the terroir, the cultural history ... but mainly, of course, the wines.

So, for January, let's begin with the wines of ...
Chile

This South American country, with its moderate climate, has been producing wine for a mighty long time, but its wine culture gained a distinct French accent in its varieties and styles after many French wine makers migrated there in the 19th century after the phylloxera epidemic ravaged France's vineyards.

Whatever variety or style you prefer, bring it on, and let's talk about Chile and how its wines fit into the world picture.

Overall, I think most consumers base their Chile wine buying decisions on price and grape variety. A little research into the various regions might make their buying experience to be of more interest.

After a recent tasting downtown I am interested in the wines from higher elevations. One particular red , a Carmenere, came from the Cachapoal Valley. Here are some enlightening facts!

http://www.wine-searcher.com/regions-cachapoal+valley

It might be a good idea if someone posted a map of the various wine producing regions/areas.

[David M. Bueker]

Easy map at this link

http://www.starchefs.com/features/chile ... ne-Map.pdf

Great map there David. Wonder if Bio Bio Valley is in your area!
CT notes 404 reviews .

[Jenise]

Someone just gifted me a bottle of Carmenere. I'll post on it!

The country wide focus may be fine for, say, Chile or Argentine but is too diffuse for France, Italy, Spain, USA...... where there is so much regional variety. Call it Wine Scatter rather than Focus .

[Robin Garr]

The country wide focus may be fine for, say, Chile or Argentine but is too diffuse for France, Italy, Spain, USA...... where there is so much regional variety. Call it Wine Scatter rather than Focus .

Let's see how it works as a change of pace, Tim. It occurs to me that, in the case of broader country-topics, sub-threads may evolve.

[David M. Bueker]

Yes. France will be rather diffuse, but that's OK. We've down the other end of the spectrum in the past, with topics that were so esoteric (Spanish whites come to mind) that we had one or two people who even cared about the topic, much less had access to a selection of the wines.

To show that I'm not sulking, I reproduce the last TN which I posted on a Chilean wine which dates from October.

2013 Emiliana Carménère Signos De Origin Los Robles - Chile, Rapel Valley, Colchagua Valley (10/19/2016)
My first impression before food was "wow" for full body, rich bramble infused fruit, some liquorice and firm but ripe tannins on a quite long finish. However with food and further sips, I increasingly found the wine unbalanced with heat on the finish from high alcohol (14.5%) reinforcing the bitterness of the tannins, which became the dominant element. Maybe more age will improve things. The half bottle or so left may give a clue tonight.

PS 10/20/2016: 24 hours later the wine has become better balanced and more velvety in texture with cedar notes which I didn't pick up yesterday. I revise my score to 87 and think that it may improve further with some more time.


I'll stay on the look out for others but don't feel very tempted by the likes of Casillero del Diablo, which is what I am most likely to find here.

[David M. Bueker]

Thanks Tim. I fondly recall my visit to Emiliana.

I have a couple of Chilean wines on hand that are better than $10 plonk, and will get to those this month.

Tim, your Carmenere thoughts echo those of the Torreon de Paredes I posted on last month.

Well this calls for a trip to winex since I own zero bottles of Chilean wine.

Jason

[David M. Bueker]

Luckily it should be a pretty cheap trip.

Jason, look for Old Vine Carignan. I hope to find some up here.

This is my list. https://www.winex.com/wines-PL-Chile-PN-0.html

I'll grab a 1/2 case since I have never really explored. I think every Chilean wine I have had has be supermarket level or some wine that got a big score and someone poured it for me.

Let me know if there is something I need to grab from this list.

Cheers,

Jason

Some names there I am not too sure about. I think Carmenere will be worth seeking out but I am not a real Chile expert.
I am not at all keen on the points headlines nor Mr JS .

This might be worth a punt>


Bastias Pais Tinaja Maule Valley 2013

Availability: In Stock
100% Pais that spends 12 months in a clay amphora and a minimum of six months in bottle before release. The fermentation is all with native yeast and the Tinaja shows plenty of stuffing buts hides its 15.2% alcohol nicely. The amphora gives the wine a distinct roundness with the prominent flavors centering on fruits like plum and m ...read more

...hides its 15.2% alcohol nicely...

Sounds intense!!

[Robin Garr]

...hides its 15.2% alcohol nicely...

Sounds intense!!

Mmmm, alcohol ....

New liquor store had a bottle open on the counter, "only been open one day, everyone likes it" I was told!

2014 Concha y Toro Carmenere Casillero del Diablo Reserva, Central Valley.

Think around $18 plus tax. Dark red purple, crushed berry nose, not too much alcohol Rahsaan.
Pretty average red, whoa some green pepper! Dark berry fruit, some tannins still, could be some blackcurrant here too. Can see this moving off the shelf as attractive packaging but that`s all really. Took one for the team here.

[David M. Bueker]

2012 Emiliana Coyam - Chile, Rapel Valley, Colchagua Valley (1/4/2017)
There are a whole lot of grapes that go into this wine. It's mostly Syrah and Carmenere, but there are additional cribs and drabs of all sorts of stuff. For all that it is a pretty straightforward wine, with ripe berry fruit, notable oak spice and a hint of heat. While it's a flagship wine for Emiliana, it's not my favorite in their range, as some of their lower level wines show more balance and drinkability at a better price.

[Robin Garr]

Oveja Negra 2014 Maule Valley Cabernet Franc - Carmenere Reserva ($9.99)

A blend of 60 percent Cabernet Franc and 40 percent Carmenere, this is a dark reddish-purple wine, shading to a clear garnet edge. Blackberries and blueberries show first in the aroma, joined by a distinct note of brown spices. Juicy black fruit, bright acidity and a distinct buzz of tannic astringency join on the palate in a simple, forward flavor that softens a bit with time in the glass. It will also benefit from a bit of fat - either meat or cheese - to help bring it into balance. 13,5% alcohol. U.S. importer: Old Bridge Cellars, Napa, Calif. (Jan. 2, 2017)

FOOD MATCH: Good with a rich mushroom fumé; and better still with a variety of cheeses.

WHEN TO DRINK: Its sturdy metal screwcap should confer protection against short-term aging, but it doesn't strike me as a wine intended for cellar time.

VALUE:
It's an excellent value at my local price, which mirrors the $10 average U.S. retail reported on Wine-Searcher.com.

WEB LINK
Here's a fact sheet on Oveja Negra from importer Old Bridge Cellars.

The Ova Negra winery offers its website in English and Spanish. Here's an English info sheet on the Cab Franc-Carmenere. You can also "Like" the winery's Facebook Page.

FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Find vendors and check prices for Oveja Negra Maule Valley Cabernet Franc - Carmenere Reserva on Wine-Searcher.com.

[Robin Garr]

Cucao 2014 "PX" Elqui Valley Pedro Ximenez Reserva ($9.99)

Transparent straw color with a golden hue. It seems to show a nutty whiff of oxidation at first, but this blows off to reveal heavy and complex aromatics of pears, mangoes and green figs. It's fresh and dry on the palate, a far cry from the intensely sweet PX Sherries, but a good, rich mouthfeel balanced by bright acidity, and aromatic white-fruit flavors that follow the nose. Gentle 12 percent alcohol with a hint of peach-pit bitterness in a long finish that works as a pleasant aperitif or versatile food wine. U.S. importer: Vintner Select, Mason, Ohio. (Jan. 4, 2017)

FOOD MATCH: Its aromatics would make it a winner with sweeter seafood like crab or lobster; it would stand up well to flavorful preparations of poultry or pork. We made a veggie match with an aromatic dish of well-browned brussels sprouts and lima beans in a lightly spicy braise.

WHEN TO DRINK: Its slightly oxidized character and sturdy metal screwcap would likely protect it against going around the bend, but I'm not sure it would reward cellaring. I'd drink up and enjoy.

VALUE:
It's hard to complain about an interesting white that comes in for a penny under 10 bucks. Unfortunately, though, it may not be easy to find.

WEB LINK
Here's a fact sheet on Cucao "PX" from Regal Wines, another importer.

FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Wine-Searcher.com doesn't offer us much help on this one, with only one vendor found on the free service. You might try this link, though, for other Elqui Valley wines including a couple of Pedro Ximenez.

You might also check in with regional distributors Regal Wines and Vintner Select for information about retail sources near you.

This is my list. https://www.winex.com/wines-PL-Chile-PN-0.html

I'll grab a 1/2 case since I have never really explored. I think every Chilean wine I have had has be supermarket level or some wine that got a big score and someone poured it for me.

Let me know if there is something I need to grab from this list.

Cheers,

Jason

Jason: I travel to Chile every year for 6 weeks for work. There are so many outstanding Chilean wines that never make it to the states as they export 98% of their wines to Europe. We tend to get very little of the "good" stuff here in the states. However, you have some wines from Casa Silva and Casa del Bosque on your list. All of the wines I have had from either winery have been really, really good. Montes, which is not on your list, is actually imported by Costco, so you can find it there. Actually, Costco has recently had a few more to select from in their Chilean wines. One of our favorite cabernets is Miguel Torres Grand Reserva (2011 or 2012). I have not seen it in the states, but that doesn't necessarily mean it can not be found.