The Errazuriz (wines) Strike Back!

I've preached about the wonders of Errazuriz before; honestly one of - if not the best value Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc I've ever bought was from them, and it was only $14 CAN. So my younger brother and his long-time sweetheart came into town for dinner with Mrs Astudentofwine and I, and imagine my surprise when we walked into our local BCLCB specialty store & saw an entire shelf of Errazuriz wines! http://www.errazuriz.com/

First on our plate (literally) was the Sauvignon Blanc with boursin cheese, rice crackers (for me the celiac) and a vegetarian antipasto.

2009 Sauvignon Blanc, 13.5%, 91 Points by Wine & Spirits Magazine
$14 CAN **excellent value**

• vibrant lemony gold color, moderate++ intense bouquet of exotic fruits, wild flowers & mild citrus notes
• moderate+ acids, phenomenal balance for such a modestly priced wine! palate matches the nose exactly
• serve as I did with your first course: the acids are enough to wake the palate, yet not so much as to make difficult to sip on it's own. I also paired with main course of Meaux mustard, maple and garlic grilled pork tenderloin & it was divine

Then we moved onto the Max Reserva Syrah. Little did I know that Errazuriz has gone green by decreasing the weight of their wine bottles by 14%! Every little step we all make is making a positive step - right?

Anyways - the Syrah is hand picked, and aged for 12 months in new French oak. It also won the Grand Médaille d’Or at the SAQ in April 2010. The world is starting to talk about this family that is celebrating 140 years of continuous wine making in Chile.

2007 Max Reserva Syrah, 14.5% $20 **excellent value**

D.O. Valle de Aconcagua

• deep violet and bruised plum color
• bouquet of hot alcohol, violets, leathery oak, blood, gamey meat, chalky soil
• moderate++ acids, full tannins, fully intense palate that matches the nose brilliantly
• This was a fantastic wine that will only get better! Buy it now - buy a case, then pull out a new bottle every 3 months to watch it develop. Great structure already, and a fully satisfying balance, there are enough tannins and acids to see this drinking well for another 3 to 5 years easily (IMHO)