Novas wines by Emiliana organic vineyards

Recently, I've been focused on the concept of terroir, and it's preservation. So much so, that I sent an idea for a lecture about this critical theme to the North American Wine Blogger's Conference. They have taken my idea, melded it with another theme, and will be re-packaging it into a 2.5 hour panel-lead discussion on Saturday 08th June. I'm pretty giddy about that!

But why? What's all the commotion about you say?

There is an evolution happening not only in the wine industry in general, but in our province of British Columbia in specific. Many readers know that in 1986 there were only 33 wineries in BC, and by 2011 that number had grown to over 240. We are growing faster then even the greatest wine gurus of Canada can reasonably keep up with.

But it's not just growth in numbers of wineries, or volume of production, that is so exciting to me and many others. It's the proliferation of truly world-class wines that are coming from our extreme wine region. We here at the most northerly edge of the wine-world are releasing sparkling wines rated as some of the finest anywhere. We produce truly unique and high-caliber Pinot Noir, ultra crisp, clean Chardonnay, bone-dry and fully intense Riesling... I even know a winemaker who produces small quantities of a brilliant Tempranillo. 

But will we always?

vineyard at Emiliana

As much as there is fantastic development in organics and bio-dynamics, and BC is one of the regions that is leading the foray,  there is another side to the industry. New winery owners are still being told, by some people, that it's ok when building a new winery - to bulldoze the land and then plant what is needed or wanted. There is still a proportion of the industry that doesn't believe that a natural ecosystem, well-preserved, is absolutely necessary to create a full and complete expression of terroir. 

It is that expression that creates uniquely beautiful wines. I also believe, as do many others, that it allows for greater life-span in the wines as well.

Emiliana organic vineyards (www.Emiliana.cl) is a brilliant example of these principles at work. I remember vividly the Vancouver Wine Festival of 2012, and be able to sit (in awe) and listen to the fantastically passionate Alvaro Espinoza (consulting winemaker). This man bristled with dynamic energy as he spoke of the investment of time, energy and passion into the land and the people who were producing Emiliana wines. 

There are so many things to list that Emiliana is doing well, that I would be remiss to even start the process - for you and I would be here for a long, long time. Better for you to read the company website and absorb from them directly the whats and hows of what this premium winery has done and continues to do. But let me tell you about the wines if you haven't tried them.

2010 Novas Chardonnay-Marsanne

DO Valle de Casablanca

$13.99 www.bcldb.com

89 points

www.PMACanada.com importers

vine age: 20 years
altitude: 370 m
vineyard yield: 6 tons/HA
maturation:  30% aged 4 months in new French oak
production: 9,350 cases

• visual:   clear; pale gold core with light watery rim, silver highlights
• nose:   clean; medium+ intense and youthful aromas; ripe pineapple, exotic floral notes, slate-like minerality, peppery finish
• palate:   clean; dry, medium+ green apple/lemon acids, medium body, medium+ ABV (14%), medium+ intense and youthful flavors that mimick the nose with a keen line of mineral throughout, starts with the lush fruit/floral and finishes with a clean light citrus tone. Very good balance and structure, medium length
• conclusion:   brilliant wine for the money. Drink now, drink often! Will not develop appreciable but can be held until 2018 or potentially longer
• FOOD PAIRING:   crisp lemon acids with love a fat roast chicken or duck! Consider poulet au quarantes l'ail (the chicken of 40 garlic) where you put generous wedges of garlic in little cuts in a whole chicken and slow-roast...divine!!

2010 Novas Cabernet-Sauvignon Carmenere
DO Valle de Colchagua
$17.99 www.bcldb.com
90 Points

vine age:   20 years
altitude:   245 m
soil composition:   colluvial; stoney with clay-loam
yield:   8 tons/HA
maturation:   12 months, 40% new French oak, 30% American, 30% stainless steel
production:   13,250 cases

• visual:   clear; deep garnet core with slightest cherry rim
• nose:   clean; fully intense and youthful aromas; pungent savory herbs; tomato leaf/bay leaf, ripe dark  plums, strawberries, bell peppers, rich dark chocolate
• palate:   clean; dry, medium raspberry acids, medium+to full chalky/chewy tannin, medium+ body, medium to medium- ABV(14%), medium+ to full intense and youthful flavors expressing deep earthy tones, savory dark chocolate, bright red berries, hints of tobacco and leather. Excellent balance and structure, medium+ length
• conclusion: whilst this is already drinking quite well, this will reward patient cellaring. Enjoy 2013-2020
• FOOD PAIRINGS:   dimension, elegance, this wine over-delivers and pairs handsomely with prime rib, but also consider seared venison flat-iron steak with maple glaze, steamed spaghetti squash and rainbow chard, "raz-el-hanout" spiced quinoa... very specifically the maple and the Arabic spices both play well off the wines dark cocoa notes and the nuttiness of quinoa will enhance the tobacco/leather tones

Though for this article I'm writing about the Novas line, I must mention the great jewel of Emiliana which is the Coyam Bordeaux-style blend. I will never grow tired of that wine! Truly elegant in it's production, it follows the principles of a left-bank Bordeaux-blend with it's high proportion of Cabernet-Sauvignon whilst creating a flavor-profile that is entirely it's own. It is unabashedly Chilean with it's richness of bouquet; the depth of the savory earth-tones, the dark floral aromas... I have never scored it less then 92 points and was un-surprised to discover that it had earned the prestigious title of "Best Wine of Chile" in 2003.

Alvaro Espinoza

This is what happens when a winery treats their land as it deserves. This is the direct result of a terrific investment of both finances and energy into allowing a natural landscape to evolve into a thriving vineyard. These ideals don't just exist on paper for wine-lovers: these ideals exist in the bottle, and the glass. Alvaro Espinoza understands and shares these ideals. He has brought the story of his land, his valleys and his people to my very distant part of the world and I will always be grateful to him for that. I look to this winery as one of the best examples of how our industry can be leaders in organics, in bio-dynamics and carbon-neutral business and can do so with heart, and spirit while building a truly prosperous business.

Well done Emiliana! I would have loved your wines enough for what was in the bottle - the back story is icing on the cake. Now I get to drink great wine and support a worthwhile company at the same time. Where are you investing your consumer dollars???

As always, I welcome your comments and questions.

CINCIN~!!!     SLAINTE~!!!     CHEERS~!!!

Oveja Negra, VIA wines, Valle del Maule, Chile

The focus around Vancouver as of late has undoubtedly been Chile, at least when it comes to wine. Our recent Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival (http://www.playhousewinefest.com/) was a raging success, as always, and Wines of Chile ( http://www.winesofchile.org/) has been helping to create memorable experiences throughout BC and the rest of North America.

   As many of you know, I have not been immune to the almost frenzied pull of Chilean red wines, and find the quality vs price to been some of the finest value in the world. Long gone are the days when saying "Chilean wine" was a subtle code for "table wine". These days Chilean wines are on some of the most prestigious winelists to be found, and sommeliers and wine merchants alike are clamouring for more, more, more!

   Which brings me to Ojeva Negra, the black sheep, http://www.viawines.com/. Perhaps I had a natural inclination to be fond towards the wines just because they are Chilean, or because my wife's maiden name means sheep in Italian. Perhaps that explains why I was open-minded towards wines that came in at well under $20 a bottle in BC (which has the second highest liquor tax in the world) and in general here - wines under $20 are often over-cropped, diluted and poorly balanced. Perhaps that explains my willingness to try the wines, but only the quality they deliver explains why I'm writing about the wines.

   VIA wines is a newcomer to Chile, having only been started in the late 1990's with two partners: a British wine merchant and a Chilean family with strong traditions in wines and spirits. They came along just at the time when Chile was truly making a place for itself among the great wines of the world, and had faith that they too could create brilliance in the most unique of places.

   Perhaps it is the first part of their company's mission statement that is the most telling "to craft innovative wines of the highest quality, in harmony with Nature...". Out of all of those words, perhaps the word "craft" is the most telling. Many writers will talk about the winemakers they meet, but rarely do we use the word "craftsman" (or woman) to describe that person. The truth is that even in the wine industry, there are a great many people who are just "doing their job" rather then "living their passion".

   Thankfully, the bold young team at VIA seem to have no end to their passion; passion for great wine, passion for working with their land in a respectful manner, passion for reducing their carbon-footprint in every aspect of their business, and passion for getting you the best wine for the best price. Admirable ambitions, but let's see how they measure up in the glass.

2011 Oveja Negra Sauvignon Blanc - Carmenere

$12 SPEC (BC)     88 points

blend:     85% Sauvignon Blanc, 15% Carmenere

vines:     10+ years, single vineyard, with excessive yield of 12 tons/HA

soil:    fine textured alluvial with loam and loamy-clay, altitude 500 feet

vinification:   all stainless steel, with earth filtering

• visual:   clear; ultra pale core with light gold and watery rim
• nose:   clean; moderately intense and youthful; ripe stonefruits such as apricots and peaches, blossoming summer floral notes... very inviting
• palate:   clean; dry, fully intense (lemonbalm) acids, light body, moderate ABV (13%), moderately intense and youthful flavors mimicking the nose with more emphasis coming from citrus notes of lemon zest and yellow grapefruit, rich undercurrant of minerality. Very good balance and structure, medium length
• conclusion:   a crowd pleaser; for the price anyone who can get their hands on this will enjoy an overabundance of value for money. That being said I would love to try this wine when the vines mature a bit more and they reduce the yield
• FOOD PAIRINGS:   vibrant acidity wants for a bit of fat, and I would use seafood... consider a sushi experience with sea urchin or, for the less daring, try it with your butter poached crab or grilled prawns and watch it sing!

2010 Oveja Negra Cabernet Franc - Carmenere
$12 (SPEC) (BC)    89 points

blend:   72% Cabernet Franc, 28% Carmenere
vines:    10 years old, harvested at 8-10 tons per HA
soil:   same as above, single vineyard
vinification:   25% of the blend was 8-10 months in oak, also earth filtered

• visual:   clear; moderate ruby core with light cherry rim (little bricking)
• nose:   clean; moderate+ to fully intense and developing aromas; baked earth, rich red currants, strawberry compote, background of old cigarbox, light dark floral tones
• palate:   clean; dry, moderate+ (young raspberry and currant) acids, moderate+ (slightly grippy) tannins, moderate body, moderate+ ABV (13.5%), moderate+ intense and developing flavors mimicking the nose with the bright young red berry flavors running rampant, undercurrants of floral notes. Very good balance, a structure approaching excellence, medium+ length
• conclusion:   the only thing holding this wine back is the youth of the vines. It shows a great deal of craftsmanship, especially for the price, and is still very young. Drinks well 2014-2018 and beyond
• FOOD PAIRINGS:   seared venison flank steak with blueberry and peppercorn compote on steamed spaghetti squash and roast wild mushrooms.... the venison will cosy up to the rich berry notes in the wines, the peppercorn with play of the almost-sweet and supple Carmenere, the spaghetti squash for a palate cleanser and the wild mushrooms will coax the earthy notes up front and show more depth in the wine

2009 Oveja Negra Carignan

$17 (SPEC) (BC)     91 points

blend:   87% Carignan, 9% Malbec, 4% Petit Verdot

vines:    40 years+ from the western side of the Valle del Maule, yield of 7-9 tons/HA

soil:    marginal granitic slopes with low moisture

vinification:   100% malolactic fermentation in French oak barrels for 12 months

• 
  visual:   clear;  medium+ plum core with slightest cherry rim
• nose:    clean; rich bouquet of plums, berry compote, light peppercorn spice, dark florals such as irises
• palate:   clean; dry, medium+ to fully intense (red  currant) acids, medium+ (rich and chewy) tannins, moderate+ boy, moderate ABV (13.5%), moderate+ intense and developing flavors mimicking the nose with richness, fluidity and nuance. Excellent balance and structure with medium+ to long length
• conclusion:   the winemaker is finally shining by allowing his vines to express themselves. This wine is a joy to savor, and savor it I am... enjoy now (with one hour decant) 2012-2017 and possibly beyond
• FOOD PAIRINGS:   an easy one, just buy the best cut of beef you can, season it with salt and pepper, and have some potatoes and veggies for garnish.... a truly versatile wine it would also be brilliant  with a charcuterie platter; some dry aged sausage, some hard cheese and fresh bread!

   And so at the end, I'm left re-reading my notes and finding that VIA wines is living up to it's guiding principles: "Identifying the varietals that match our estates' soil characteristics, finding a balance variety and soil that express the typicity of each one". Expressing "typicity".... that just means expressing location, or terroir  as some might call it... it reminds me of what one winemaker told me. He said his job wasn't to make wine, it was to allow the wine to make itself.

   Bravo VIA, my expectations are now set on high for next years release!

As always, I welcome your comments and questions.

CINCIN~!!!     SLAINTE~!!!     CHEERS~!!!

Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival 2012

In February of this year, I was fortunate enough to be invited to the Media Preview of the 2012 Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival (http://www.playhousewinefest.com/).

   It was truly an honor to be sitting beside some of the most influential and learned people in the wine industry in Canada including: Sid Cross, DJ Kearney, Mark Shipway, Harry Hertscheg, John Schreiner and about 100 other sommeliers, writers and educators. In short, I was a tad nervous about being such a small fish in a big pool.

   I, of course, had no need to be nervous. BC's wine community is as generous as it is powerful... several hours were spent sniffing, swirling, sipping and spitting, and at the end of it we all felt as if we had come away a little the wiser. My readers must forgive me that I didn't write about this before the Wine Fest, but as many of you know I'm the proud Papa of an 8-month old oenophile. She's the apple of my eye and doesn't she just know it (especially at 3 am when she has nightmares and needs Daddy to sing to her).

   As always, I digress. Let me tell you about the wines~!

MontGras

2009 Amaral Sauvignon Blanc

$17      89 points

http://www.montgras.cl/english/montgras.htm 

• from 14 year old vines in the Central Valley DOC, this wine was 100% stainless-steel aged and fermented
• nose: 
  

    moderately intense, youthful, floral notes and young stonefruit
• palate:   crisp acids with grassy, floral notes - not grassy like NZ gooseberry but more like actually grass/new hay. Very well balanced especially for the price

Vina Santa Carolina

2010 Reserva Sauvignon Blanc

$13     89 points

http://www.santacarolina.cl/eng/index.php

• awarded a silver medal at the Concours de Bruxelles, this wine is stunning value for the money
• nose:   clean, fresh and youthful, a rich and layered floral aromas with exotic fruit such as pineapple
• palate:   clean, crisp and vibrant, minerality sings in the undercurrants of this easy drinking wine which has lovely balance

Undurraga

2008 Terroir Hunter-Leyda Sauvignon Blanc

$23     92 points

http://www.undurraga.cl/Sitio/index_en.html

• grown on alluvial soil with a loamy topsoil, this wine was fermented 100% in stainless steel allowing for maximum expression of terroir (hence the name one imagines)
• nose:   clean and fresh, the youthful exuberance of floral notes is only matched by the elegant and determined mineral backbone
• palate:   clean, crisp and vibrant, the palate on this wine mimicks the nose brilliantly with rich and well developed balance, structure and length

Cono Sur

2009 Ocio Pinot Noir

$65     94 Points

http://www.conosur.com/en/

• what a joy and pleasure to drink quality wine made in an environmentally respectful manner; Cono Sur has achieved the highest ratings for lowering carbon emmisions and organic practices in the vineyard
• carbonic maceration and 14 months of aging in new French oak are two worthy items to note in this world-class Pinot Noir
• nose:   fully intense and developing Chilean bouquet of dark berry and floral notes, old worn leather, roast beef and warm earth terroir
• palate:   a young wine just catching it's stride; moderate+ (red currant) acids, moderate+ (slightly grippy and yet velvet smooth) tannins. Stunning structure, balance and length

Emiliana Vineyards

2007 Coyam (Bordeaux blend)

$30 http://www.bcliquorstores.com/     93 points

http://www.emiliana.cl/

• once again, a stunning example of organic practices in the vineyards translating to transparent wine showcasing it's origins, this is also 100% bio-dynamic
• Wine Access this year gave this wine 93 points as well, and well deserved I say (I ended up sipping this for 3 days at the Festival)
• maturation: 13 months in 80% French and 20% American barrels
• nose:   clean, rich and fully intense with tons of Bordeaux style qualities such as sinful dark floral notes washing over tons of dark berries and a rich dark cocoa undercurrant
• palate:   clean; moderate (raspberry/cassis) acids, moderate+(chalky fine) tannins and a moderate+intense and still developing flavors that are truly in-line with the bouquet. Brilliant structure, balance and length... a steal at $30

Vina Maipo

2008 Gran Devocion Carmenere Syrah

$19     90 Points

http://www.vinamaipo.com/en

• a gold medal winning wine, Carmenere of course is one of the signature grapes of Chile... not identified in Chile until 1994, the viticulturists thought it to be another varietal and now every winemaker worth their weight in salt is putting their best foot forward when it comes to this grape
• cultivated on steep slopes of poor, gravelly soil, this wine was aged 14 months in French and American barrels
• nose: a rich and nuanced balancing act of deep red berries, green bell peppers, dark cocoa and old leather
• palate: as all great wines should be; the palate mimicks the nose with moderate+(raspberry)acids, moderate+(silty) tannins and a rich mineral background. Very good balance, excellent structure and very good length

Carmen

2009 Gran Reserva Carmenere

$22    91 points

http://www.carmen.com/en_index.php

• even though Carmen wines is the oldest recognized winery in all of Chile (having been started in 1850), and one of the largest, Carmen is still working diligently at minimizing it's environmental impact through a diversity of initiatives... perhaps I should have written "because they are the oldest"?
• from the Apalta Valley in the Colchagua, these vines grow on deep red granitic clay soil at high altitude and south facing exposure
• maturation: 10 months in 100% French oak barrels
• nose:   clean and fully expressive of an intense minerality, dark cocoa, almost a molasses-like earthiness, sweet green bell peppers
• palate:   truly in-line with the nose; fully intense (red currant) acids, fully intense (silty) tannins, a fully intense and youthful palate needed 4 or 5 more years to fully come into it's own; rich red berry notes dominate at present. Excellent structure, balance and length

Vina Montes
2010 Limited Selection Cabernet Sauvignon-Carmenere

$18.50   90 points

http://www.monteswines.com/

• a recent addition to the Chilean winemaking scene (compared to Carmen winery), this estate is a winemakers dream... when they opened in 1988 there were only 14 Chilean wineries exporting. After their first vintage Vina Montes could be said to have single-handed changed the mass mis-conception of Chilean wines: they became internationally renown for Quality.
• in less then 25 year the winery has grown in production from 7,000 cases to almost 600,000 cases. The winery now states that they will categorically not grow anymore so that they can continue to grow quality over quantity
• maturation:   70% of the wine was aged for 6 months in 100% American oak
• nose:   fully intense and youthful aromas of rich red berries, fine cigar smoke, sweet green bell peppers
• palate:   fully intense and youthful, fully intense (red currant and cranberry) acids, fully intense (silty) tannins, the palate very similar to the nose with very good to excellent balance and structure, medium+ length

 Santa Rita

2008 Medalla Real Cabernet Sauvignon

$20    89 Points

http://www.santarita.com/international/

• this wine comes from approximately 20 miles south of Santiago in the foothills of the Maipo region. The soil is a stony/alluvial mix with a temperature differential of about 20C between day and night in the summer (which is perfect to maintain acidity in the grape)
• maturation:   two rackings and then 14 months in a combination of first, second and third generation oak barrels
• nose:   clean; fully intense youthful aromas of red raspberries, currants, young plums, some beefy notes and an elegant light floral finish
• palate:   clean; fully intense (young blackberry) acids, fully intense (silty and grippy) tannins, fully intense and youthful flavors mimicking the nose. Very good balance, structure and length... hold until 2015 at the earliest

 Cousino-Macul
2008 Antiguas Reservas

$22    90 points

http://www.cousinomacul.com/en/

• oh the humor of it all... I'm re-reading my notes from the Playhouse media preview and laughing because I wrote that this wine has "great aging potential". I had no idea. A few weeks later at the Playhouse tasting room, the broker for Cousino-Macul asked if I wanted to try something extra-ordinary... it had a huge brick rim in the glass, soft velvety notes of old cigar boxes, dried blueberries and saskatoons and dried dark florals. It was the 1995 release of this very wine, aging like Bordeaux
• which makes me laugh again because the founder of Cousino-Macul actually went to Bordeaux (pre-phyloxera) to obtain vine-cuttings to start his vineyard. So really, this Cab Sauv is more Bordeaux (in a way) then Bordeaux is!
• maturation:   12 months in multiple generation oak barrels after fining and filtration
• nose:   fully intense; youthful lush red berries, gravelly mineral notes and a light spice finish
• palate:   fully intense (red currant) acids, fully intense (grippy) tannins, fully intense and youthful flavors mimicking the nose... much more dimension after 8-10 years. Excellent balance, very good structure, long length

Concha y Toro
Marques de Casa Concha 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon
$20     91 points

http://www.conchaytoro.com/web/

• Concha y Toro is another bastion of the Chilean winemaking industry. In continual operation since the 1880's, this is also a winery at the forefront of environmental responsibility. Aggressive intiatives include strategic water management among others.
• this is also a winery that in it's origins recruited leading winemakers and viticulturists from Bordeaux to oversee the transition from New World winery to Old World finesse... that investment has been paying dividends for decades now and shows no signs of stopping
• maturation:   18 months in French oak barrels
• nose:   clean; fully intense and developing with rich red raspberries, currants and plums, light herbaceous notes and a stony terroir  minerality
• palate:   fully intense (blackberry)acids, fully intense (silty) tannins, fully intense and youthful flavors mimicking the nose with particular emphasis on ripening red berries and old leather in the background. Excellent balance and structure, long- length... can drink now but best 2014-2018

and last, but certainly not least...

Vina Chocalan

2009 Gran Reserva Blend

$27    93 points     buy this now~!

http://www.chocalanwines.com/

• a vivid blend of 33% Cab Sauv, 29% Syrah, 15% Malbec, 10% Cab Franc, 9% Carmanere, 4% Petit Verdot... this is Bordeaux style blending at it's finest for under $30. I can honestly say that I have never had a more puissant, more stylish, more elegant Bordeaux blend for the money. Ever.
• maturation:   100% in French oak for 16 months
• nose:   fully intense and developing layered violets on stony earth, pencil lead in the background and and elegant warmth leading it all'
• palate:   fully intense (blackberry and raspberry) acids, fully intense (grippy) tannins, fully intense, youthful and developing palate with layers upon layers of the aromas translated to the tongue. Brilliantly executed balance, structure and length; this wine will sing from 2016-2021 and beyond

the Maipo Valley from Santa Rita winery

And so as I stated in the beginning, I was more then a little nervous sitting with my betters at "the grown-ups" table as it were. I had no need to be... everyone was so intensely scrutinizing the brilliantly executed wines that there was no attention left for me (thank the maker). It was educational, it was exhilarating and it was an experience.

   Thank you Wines Of Chile and the Vancouver Playhouse Wine Festival: you have illuminated us, and we the hungry masses are grateful~!

As always, I welcome your questions and comments.

CINCIN~!!!     SLAINTE~!!!     CHEERS~!!!

Wines of Chile ** Vancouver'10

I was fortunate enough that someone invited me to the brilliantly executed Wines of Chile TASTE CHILE Vancouver'10 in October. Not only a fantastic affair due to the level of quality chosen in the wines, but just as equally (if not more equally?) was the quality of panelists who lead the discourse throughout the two hour lecture.

     Billed as an "Organic Seminar" it was as much a back-and-forth conversation about farming methods & bottling practices, as it was a chance to sample some wines that people outside of Chile will rarely see... much less taste.

Sommelier DJ Kearney & David Scholefield

     Leading the motley throng of us was the eminent DJ Kearney ( www.internationalsommelier.com/services/dj_kearney  ), Vancouver based wine guru, judge and educator. I myself was lucky enough to study under DJ already, and look forward to the privilege again . DJ knows how to keep a class in check, no matter the age or skill level of her students

     As well were Mr Marco Antonio de Martino (of the infamously organic winemaking family), Phillipe Dulos (a global marketing developer and innovator for Claro Group), Giorgio Flassati (an Italian who moved to Chile to make high-altitude wine) and Jose Guilisasti Gana (who began with the mass producer Concha y Toro in the 1980's and became the General Manager and Director of Greenvic). All learned people, and we were honored to have David Scholefield as our Canadian eyes-through-the-looking-glass (as it were). I truly felt humbled by the invitation, and planned to use my time wisely... I listened, I tasted, I asked some pointed questions... I participated, on whatever level I felt I could.

     At the end of the afternoon, I was left with my head spinning, and not from blood alcohol, but from knowledge... From inspirational people opening themselves and sharing some of their passion with me - a virtual outsider to their secret world. Who knew that winemakers were so zealous about their land, their work, their love. I for one, as a chef, did not know. I thought only we chefs could be maniacal about little idiosyncrasies in our industry (that no one outside the industry really cares for or knows about). But, perhaps, all artists are like this? All artisans? For what else could a great winemaker be, other then an artisan.

 ARTISAN /ˈɑrtəzən/

[ahr-tuh-zuhn]

–noun

a person skilled in an applied art; a craftsperson.

— n

1. a skilled workman; craftsman

2. obsolete; an artist

     And so I will take a moment to say my thanks, my gratitude, to the endless artisans who shared the (literal) fruits of their labors with me. 

 

Cono Sur Vineyards & Winery Organic Chardonnay, 2009

(San Antonio Valley)

$14.49 (general listing)      GOOD VALUE

• nose:    moderate+ intense fresh grassy & herbaceous, light vanilla, light layered citrus
• palate:   moderate++ acids, moderately intense palate of crisp green apples, light florality
• PAIRS WITH:   consider fresh pork tenderloin or a roast turkey with chestnut stuffing

Emiliana Vineyards Adobe Chardonnay, 2010,

(Casablanca Valley)

$14.99 (speciality listing)     GOOD VALUE

• nose:     moderate+ intense *(very similar to above) but with more oak, less herbs
• palate:   moderate+ acids, light grippy tannins, moderate+ intense flavors of green and gold apple, ripe Anjou pear
• PAIRS WITH:  yam filled agnelotti with a leek & saffron cream reduction

Geo Wines Chono San Lorenzo Rose Syrah Organic, 2009,

(Maipo Valley)

$15.99 (speciality order)      GOOD VALUE

• nose:     moderately intense florality; red roses & orange blossom primarily
• palate:   fully intense acids, moderate tannins, palate mimicks the nose well with the addition of a tightness to the Meyer lemon finish
• PAIRS WITH:   Raclette. Bring on the cheesey goodness!

Cono Sur Vineyards & Winery Organic Pinot Noir, 2009

(Colchagua Valley)

$14.99 (general listing)     GOOD VALUE

• nose:     fully intense aromas of funky game, baie noir such as blackberry & saskatoon, garrigue herbaceousness
• palate:   moderate+ acids, full+ tannins, moderately intense palate... I find the oak interferes right now... fruit not able to show through the heavy oak but a long & developed structure, moderate body. I would want to taste this in 6months/12/18 to watch the growth
• PAIRS WITH:   steak tartare in all it's primal glory

Vina Falernia S.A. Organic Syrah, 2008

(Limari Valley)

$14.99 (speciality order)     EXCELLENT VALUE

• nose:     moderately intense baie rouges & noirs, minty herbs
• palate:   moderate+ acids, full tannins, moderate+ intense flavors with loads of those red & black berries, tobacco, some dark chocolate.. tannins are still strong for my taste, and I would want to revisit in 6/12/18
• PAIRS WITH:  a natural pairing for classic Boeuf Bourguignon

De Martino Organic Cabernet/Malbec, 2008

(Maipo Valley)

$19.99 (spec order)     GOOD VALUE

• nose:      moderate+ funky game, baie noirs with a herbaceous finish
• palate:   moderate acids, fully+ (chalky) tannins, moderate+ intense palate with the palate mimicking the nose impeccably... strong tannins ask for a revisit in 6/12/18
• PAIRS WITH:   charbroiled red meats (preferably with some fat to it - bacon wrapped tenderloin?)

Nativa Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007

(Maipo Valley)

$unknown - completely unavailable     EXCELLENT VALUE

• nose:     moderate+ to full- intense filled with cocoa, musk & layers of green wood
• palate:   moderate acids, full+ tannins, moderate+ intense palate mimicking the nose.. heavy tannins and a superbly designed structure make me want to taste this in 6/12/24/36/48... moderate body... I think this wine could cellar like a charm and show well from 2015-2020 (and possibly beyond)
• PAIRS WITH:   truffled osso bucco. This is a rich wine and deserves rich food.

Vina Caliterra Bio Sur Carmenere, 2009

(Colchagua Valley)

$14.99 (unavailable)     DECENT VALUE

• nose:     moderately intense cigar tobacco, pencil shavings, slightly hot alcohol & baie noirs
• palate:   moderate acids, fully intense acids, moderate+ to full bodied, decent structure (especially for the price), moderately intense flavors, but unfortunately the aggressive tannins interrupt everything else. Taste again in 6/12/18

Vina San Pedro Tarapaca 35 South Cabernet/Merlot, 2009
(Cachapoal Valley)
$13.95 (special order)     EXCELLENT VALUE

• nose:      moderate+ intense funky Chilean"ness"; funky fungal/vegetal earthiness
• palate:   moderate- acids, moderate+ tannins, moderate+ body, very long & developed structure (for $14), moderately intense palate already showing well & drinking easily; soft baie rouges in multi-layers & persistent oak
• PAIRS WITH:   classic Roast of Beef with an herb-Dijon crust. The herbs will play off the red berry notes, the beef off the oak & the Dijon will give an edge to a somewhat underdeveloped wine

Errazuriz Organics Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007
(Aconcagua Valley)
$22.95 (speciality order)     GOOD VALUE

• nose:     moderately intense notes of vibrant minerality, dark cocoa, tobacco & Chilean herbs
• palate:   moderately intense acids, full++ tannins, moderate+ body, moderate+ structure, moderately intense flavors completely masked by overoaking (In My Humble Opinion). I would want to revisit in 12/24/36/48... due to the richness in the structure & nose I believe it has a beautiful life to awaken to... but when?

Vina San Pedro Tarapaca Plus, 2008
(Maipo Valley)
$19.95 (speciality order)

• nose:     fully intense and wildy exotic (to a Canadian) floral waves, combined with stonefruit & some exotic fruits
• palate:   moderate acids, full+ tannins, moderate body, moderate structure, moderately intense flavors that followed the nose (though much more tamely) and were predominantly of red berries. I would only revisit at 3/6/12 (months) as the structure was that of a wine to be consumed in it's youth (I assume)
• PAIRS WITH:   a simple steak & compound butter; Steak Frites

Emiliana Vineyards Coyam, 2007
(Colchagua Valley)
$34.99 (speciality order)    BUY THIS NOW.

• nose:     almost fully intense bouquet of long floral layers, intertwined with pencil shavings & light tobacco of the finest quality
• palate:   moderate+ acids, moderate+ tannins, full- body, brilliantly long and developed structure - this wine drank far above it's class, moderate+ intense flavors that mimicked the nose admirably. I have never tried a Coyam before, but will look for it again - this was my personal hit in a long list of truly well crafted wines
• PAIRS WITH:   my notes say Grilled Ribeye, but even then I realized that a simple ribeye would fall short of this special wine... I would poach a free-range beef tenderloin (poaching to make it buttery soft to pair with a sinful wine and free-range has a greater depth of flavor to enrich the wine) and finish with some seared foie gras as that will play off the acids and round out the body of an already luscious wine

Vina Arboleda Sena, 2007

(Aconchagua Valley)

$99.99 (not available)     EXCELLENT VALUE

• nose:     moderate+ intense Chilean florals, rich Burgundian leathery oak with the associated notes of game, bloody meat, roast beef, bay leaves & wild thyme
• palate:   moderate+ acids, moderate+ chalky tannins, moderate+ to full bodied, fully developed-rich-nuanced structure, moderately intense flavors that mimick the nose with a strong undercurrant of baie noirs, the floral reminded me a great deal of the Maipo Valley wines, and a slight lime finish. Of note, this is actually a Bordeaux blend, just without the Malbec

     A wonderful treat to be allowed to sit in on this lecture, and a wonderful treat  for me to be able to write about it for all of you. Many thanks to my readers as this is officially my #100 Blog Article, and http://www.astudentofwine.blogspot.com/ has now been read over 1800 times this year. 10 months ago I never would have guessed. I hope that you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoy writing it.

CIN CIN !!   SLAINTE !!   CHEERS !!