Wow. This cooler-climate Limarí Valley Chardonnay will impress those who have mistakenly written Chile off. Here in the Quebrada Seca Vineyard, the cool coastal breezes and the 190 m altitude both contribute to the freshness of this concentrated, full-bodied white. Calcium-clad clay is base for the 3 Chardonnay clones, which were whole-cluster pressed and fermented in oak vats before barrel aging for 11 months. Toast, green apple and cream is laced with bright salted lemon, fine earthy lees and a lingering vibrant lemon pith. This bottle gets even better over the course of the evening, and will also impress with a year or 2 in the cellar. Winemaker Marcelo Papa shows his skill and knowledge of terroir again here, and at a fantastic price.
Ruby-purple in colour with a cedary, spicy, blueberry nose topped by a pencil lead note; medium-bodied, dry, blackcurrant flavour, well-extracted fruit with nicely integrated oak and a dry, savoury finish. Good value.
Deep plum, cassis and dried blueberry fill the basin of this fleshy Maipú Malbec, sourced from their estate vineyards in Las Barrancas. After fermenting in stainless, this spends a year in new oak (20/80 French/American), imparting sweet, ripe, toasty richness and potent, silky kirsch. Tannins are thick and sticky, and chocolate and cherries linger on the spicy, warming finish.
A tasty blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carménère, Syrah and Cabernet Franc. Dense purple in colour with a smoky, cedary, black-fruit nose; medium-bodied, dry and savoury flavours of blackcurrant and blackberry with a lovely mouthfeel and a coffee-bean note on the finish.
Deep ruby colour; spicy, toasty-cedary nose of currants with a smoky note; medium- to full-bodied, dry, plum and blackcurrant flavours; richly extracted, spicy-minty with ripe tannins. Good value.
Another budget-priced Chilean wine showing good varietal character with dark plum, cherry, earthy herbal notes and food-friendly drying grip on the finish.
Aged 16 months in French oak, this one shows spicy white pepper and developed raspberry fruit on the nose with blackberry mixing with raspberry on the palate. Tannins are moderate, with well-modulated acidity, a touch of chocolate and lingering fruit on the dry, slightly tannic finish.