Saturday, June 7, 2014

Report from ... Chile Introduces Their New D.O.s - June 17, 2013

From the program:  "Regionality is the key to Chile's stylistic development and winemakers are striving to reflect the different terroirs that the country can offer, especially in the cooler coastal areas and in the Andean foothills.  Avid wine consumers today recognize the names Casablanca, Maipo and Colchagua, but these are just the beginnings of a host of appellations."

Our Hosts ...

Marcela Burgos (L) and Chris Waters (R)
Who presented a slide show of the new DOs
The Breakdown of DO (Domination of Origin) ...

Costa - coastal to the mountain ranges, influenced by the Humboldt current which goes from south to north; within this appellation there are lots of limestone soils.

Entre Cordilleras - central valley with a Mediterranean climate; within there are a mosaic of terroir and sedimentary soils.

Andes - located in the foothills of the Andes Mountains; diurnal temperature bring cool temperatures from the mountains in the evening and overnight; alluvial soils that are rocky and stony.

Look right for a closer look at the wines from each region we'll be tasting with lunch.
The Pre-Lunch Tasting ...

There were a number of wines presented in a pre-lunch walk around tasting here are the ones that "floated my boat" (in no particular order):

Arboleda 2011 Chardonnay ($19.95)
vanilla and buttery nose touch bitter on the palate
with citrus, apple and hints of melon rind (*** 1/2+)
Bisquertt 2011 La Joya Gran Reserva Syrah ($15.95)
nice minty and peppery notes with chalky raspberry and good acidity (****)

Carmen 2010 Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon ($16.95)
balanced with a minty strawberry aroma and a palate full of juicy
raspberry, strawberry and spice (*** 1/2+)
Casa Marin 2012 Cartegena Pinot Noir Tres Vinedos ($22.95)
this one has nice character if not altogether typical; olives and smoke,
with raspberry and hints of cherry: fun, funky and interesting (****+)
Concha y Toro 2008 Carmin de Peumo ($120.00)
never seen a Concha with this price tag but this is a single block Carmenere,
blended with 8.5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6.5% Cabernet Franc:  creamy smooth,
chocolate cherry, hints of pepperyness - rich and full, tasty and so sippable (****)
Concha y Toro 2011 Marques de Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon ($19.95)
deliciously full and dark fruited with cassis, blackberry, black cherry,
vanilla, cinnamon and spice; always great value for what you get (****+)
Concha y Toro 2011 Marques de Casa Concha Pinot Noir ($19.95)
a real juicy Pinot which has tons of raspberry, hints of the expected earthy,
but always with lots and lots of red berries. (*** 1/2+)
Errazuriz 2011 Max Reserva Syrah ($18.95)
raspberry, white pepper, juicy and tasty with touches of
spicy-pepper on the finish, there's also a nice hint of vanilla (****)
Errazuriz 2010 Max Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon ($18.95)
chocolate and blackberry with touches of mint and herbal notes;
finish is rich but with good balancing acidity (****+)
Luis Felipe Edwards 2012 Shiraz / Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva ($13.95)
juicy, plummy and cherry with a touch of semi-sweet chocolate;
smooth, sexy and easy drinking (****)
Maquis 2009 Maquis Lien ($28.00)
a blend of Carmenere, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec;
nice balance of fruit and spice with sweet herbal and lots of juicy red fruit (*** 1/2+)
Perez Cruz 2011 Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon ($15.95)
vanilla, cherry and a touch of earth with hints of mint thrown in for good measure;
look for a nice juicy entry which leads to a white pepper finish (****)
San Esteban 2009 In Situ Carmenere Gran Reserva ($16.95)
90% Carmenere, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Syrah: herbal, blackberry,
peppery element with a raspberry finish (****)
Santa Alicia 2010 Gran Reserva Carmenere ($19.95)
plenty of herbal, hints of chocolate-mint with concentrated dark fruit
and white pepper finesse and touches of smoke (****)
Santa Carolina 2011 Reserva Chardonnay ($11.95)
tasty with vanilla, buttery, poached pear and baked peaches thru the palate;
finish is loaded with peach, caramel and vanilla (****)
Santa Rita 2009 Medalla Real Cabernet Sauvignon ($17.95)
chocolate, cherry, strawberry with a touch of mint;
sexy, smooth and so typically Chilean, just what the doctor ordered (****)
Concha y Toro 2008 Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon ($79.95)
the iconic Cab of Chile: complex spice and chocolate notes along with cassis,
blackberry, black cherry and so much extra - a real beauty (****+)
The Lunchtime Food and Matched Wines...

Seafood Chowder with shrimp and clams, micro garnish
matched with two Sauvignon Blancs
Filet of Salmon with terragon sauce and fresh vegetable julienne
matched with a chardonnay and a pinot noir
Spicy Crisp Roast Cornish Hen with turmeric jus and pistachio quinoa
matched with a red blend and a carmenere

Braised Short Ribs with smoked paprika jus
matched with cabernet sauvignon

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