Earlier, a 9-dollar cabernet from Chile was taken without hesitation for a housewarming party, and normal Chilean red dry wine was served at weddings. But there is good news: today the country has become more focused on quality, and more and more wines from this region are becoming unique, interesting and tasty. Many producers - especially Veramonte and Emiliana - have made serious commitments to develop organic and biodynamic agriculture, intensively exploring old vineyards and unique local terroir.
And this new Chilean wine gives a big return on every ruble spent. If someone wants to save money and get a good drink at an affordable price, then Chile remains the place to look. But local wines are better than ever before.
Chilean wines: label names
As in other new wine regions of the world, such as New Zealand and South Africa, Chile indicates the variety of grapes used in the very center of the label.
Local law requires that the declared grape variety, year of harvest and geographical area (Denominación de Origen) correspond to at least 75% of the contents of the bottle. This is true, up to a quarter of the composition may not be indicated. But in practice, Chilean wine contains at least 85% of what is declared on the label, so that the distribution of bottles in Europe remains legal.
One note: some information posted on Chilean bottles is useless. For example, the words Reserva or Reserva Especial indicate that the wine contains at least 12% alcohol. Reserva Privada and Gran Reserva correspond to 12.5% alcohol. In addition, Reserva Especial and Gran Reserva can be used to indicate that the wine was at least a little stored in oak barrels. But none of these terms will tell about its quality: you can buy a wonderful Sauvignon Blanc from vineyards with a cool climate that does not meet these requirements, and terrible Chilean red dry wine from hot regions that meets the necessary conditions.
The soil
One glance at the map of Chile is enough to make sure that the geography of the country is truly unique. If it takes a week to drive the country from north to south, then its widest part from east to west can be examined in a few hours. The Andes separate the country from Argentina, whose famous wine region of Mendoza is located just a few hundred kilometers east of the capital of Chile, Santiago.
Although the country is rather narrow from east to west, some wine labels specify exactly where the vineyard is located: Costa - not far from the coast, Andes - near the mountains, and Entre Cordilleras - between them.
Now let's look at the main grape varieties that can be found in Chilean wine.
Sauvignon Blanc
Bright, grassy and tart: most of the best Chilean Sauvignon Blanc is grown in the coastal valleys of Casablanca and Leida. These regions are blown with cool ocean breezes that keep the grapes fresh to their taste while it ripens in the warm sun.
If you love the lively Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, you should try the 2012 Anaken ENKO. This is a Chilean wine, the price of a bottle of which is $ 11, originally from the Leida Valley. The glass exudes the aromas of parsley, jalapenos and grapefruit. Bright acidity makes it an excellent pair for dishes requiring lemon juice - it is better to try it with seafood.
Chardonnay
Like the coastal regions of California, Sonoma and Santa Barbara, Chile’s cool climate allows the chardonnay to shine, preserving acidity and preventing over-ripening. You should look for wines from the valleys affected by the ocean, Casablanca and Limari, or from the southern, wind-blown Valley of Maleco.
One bottle is especially good. The Sol de Sol Chardonnay, harvested in 2009 from Vigna Aquitaine, cost $ 28, is fermented in oak barrels, which gives a rich texture and notes of roasted hazelnuts, perfectly balanced with high acidity. Each sip gives a taste of crisp red apple, bright lemon and sour cream.
Other good wines
The northernmost area of Coquimbo is better known for its pisco than good wine. But some local producers make an excellent drink from grapes, once considered suitable only for distillation. It is worth trying the 2014 Pedro Jimenez from the Mayu winery ($ 13) from Elki Valley. It is ideal for a summer picnic full of piercing lime and aromas of white grapefruit - nothing like sweet viscous Spanish wines made from this grape.
Ready to move on? One of the best white wines is the Sauvignon Gris made at Casa Silva, harvested in 2012 ($ 16 per bottle) from Kolchagua. This grape grew on a vine planted in 1912, a reminder that Chile is not a newcomer when it comes to wine. The name of the grapes may be unfamiliar, but the wine is tasty, with a rich texture and peach-honey flavor, which put it on a par with pinot gris from Oregon, and not with a medium-level Sauvignon Blanc. It has a balanced creamy texture and freshness. Served with meat on a picnic or a large plate of fried scallops.
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon grows wildly in the sunlit Central Valley, a large area around Santiago that consists of four other valleys: Maipo, Rapel, Curico and Maule.
Those who regularly drink Cabernet from Napa and want to try something a little more affordable, it is better to start learning Chilean dry red wine with Maipo. Here you can find many wineries, including such well-known brands as Santa Rita, Concha y Toro and Cusinho Macul. Winemaker and the Kaza Porta winery make their own wine in the Central Valley. Grapes ripen under the warm rays of the local sun, from which intense, concentrated wines are produced, filled with the tastes of ripe blackberries, chocolate and tobacco aromas. For $ 15 you can buy the 2011 Primus Cabernet Sauvignon, made by Veramonte, to serve with fried chicken or just for a party.
If someone is looking for the best Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon wine, which implies the availability of sufficient funds, then you should ask for bottles from the famous Puente Alto region, famous for its gravel soils, which some compare with Bordeaux vineyards. Well-known brands from this region include Don Melchor from Concha Toro Winery for $ 75 and Chadwick Cabernet Sauvignon made at Errasuris Vignedo for $ 160.
Carmener
Chileans have been growing Carmenere grapes for over a hundred years, but have long been mistaken for the local Merlot variety. Wine and grape variety were correctly identified only in 1994. It can also be found in the southwest of France and Italy. But in Chile, the Carmener flag is the highest flag.
The wine has many "green" aromas that resemble tomato leaves and green pepper. Some will call them outsiders, but when these nuances are balanced with acid and freshness, the aromas of herbs, “vegetable” wine can go quite well with food, especially, as you might guess, with herbs and vegetables.
Fans of, say, Cabernet Franc from French Chinon should pay attention to these wines first of all. And if Indian pale ale is to taste, then these herbal, green scents may not be new. One New York sommelier called them hop-like wines.
Those who are just beginning to learn Chilean semisweet wines should refer to the original source. The first to pour wine in 1996 was the winery De Martino. Her Chilean merlot, the 2012 Legado Reserve Carmener wine from the Maypo Valley, which costs $ 12 per bottle, has characteristic tobacco and pepper-sweet aromas, but they are well balanced with sweet cherry and light haze.
Sira
Lovers of Syrah grapes will find in Chile many excellent wines that emphasize the ripe, enveloping fruity taste that allows the classic aromas of the variety - pepper and bacon - to manifest themselves. The highlands and coastal breezes help soften the heat of the northern valleys of Elka and Limari, where this grape variety grows wildly. Connoisseurs like the combination of ripe plum and salted black olives in Merino's 2012 harvest ($ 16 per bottle) from the Limari Valley, which is blended with a small amount of viognier, just like in the Rhone.
Carignan
Winemakers in the Maule Valley have a real treasury - the ancient vineyards of the Carignan variety, which only today are starting to pay attention. Carignan vines were planted after the devastating earthquake of 1939, which deprived local growers of most of their plantations. The variety has taken root well in the dry hot climate of the Maule Valley, which is not too different from the conditions in Southern France or Spain, where the grapes are called Masuelo and Carignana. These old vines make it possible to produce a tannin, highly acidic Chilean red dry wine, in which the aroma of fresh raspberries and cherries is mixed with earthy and cedar notes.
You can also stumble on bottles labeled Vigno on the label. This means Vignadores de Carignan, a group of producers in the Maule Valley, offering wine from vineyards that are at least 30 years old and that are grown in a dry way, that is, without irrigation. For example, you can distinguish the 2010 Vigno Carignan from the Maule Valley, produced at the Garcia + Schwaderer winery, at a cost of $ 40 per bottle. Blackberry and pepper flavors are combined with significant tannin and great acidity, making them fantastic companions for fatty steaks. Other manufacturers worth looking for are Gillmore and Vine Co. Garage.
Pinot noir
Having gone towards Antarctica, you can get into the valleys of Itata, Bio-Bio and Maleko. Due to the lower temperatures in these regions, the Pinot Noir variety ripens more slowly during the growing season, which helps the grapes retain the nuances of aromas and refreshing acidity.
Ready for an adventure? This Chilean wine is called by taster reviews as unlike any of the “sunny drinks” they know. Pedro Parra, a wine terroir consultant and partner at the Latuffa winery in Tiguen in the Maleco Valley, is indeed seeking to discover and evaluate Chilean soils. The $ 30 Clo de Fus pinot noir for the 2012 Harvest season features classic variety, cherry and rose petal aromas, but they are wrapped in an intriguing combination of gentian, sage and pine flavors to remind your beloved amaro.
Other interesting red wines: malbec
It is worth noting a few other Chilean red wines that are underestimated but worth exploring.
Malbec in Chile is very different from its closest Argentinean neighbor. One should expect a much lighter and more juicy style that resembles fermented unsweetened pomegranate-blueberry juice. The wine is full of fragrant notes of violet and peony, and it is perfect for the spring-summer season. You have to be ready to spend about $ 20 per bottle.
Cabernet fran
Used, as a rule, for blending with other varieties, the Cabernet Franc grape variety is sometimes used for preparing pure wine. The drink is tasty, no frills, but bright, with aromas of juicy red fruits, black and red pepper and herbs. For less than $ 15 you can find a great Chilean cabernet franc, perfect wine out of the house.
Pais
One of the most cultivated and least known Chilean grape varieties. He had a sad past for raw materials for the production of wine materials and caustic, simple, earthy and tannic wines. Today, however, in the valleys of Maule, Bio-Bio and Itata, you can find very intriguing old plantings of this grape. If you control the tannins, the Pais wines have a sharp and almost sweet taste with aromas of cherries, plums and roses.