Secano Pinot Noir 2007 Leyda Valley, Chile
Made for Marks & Spencer by Vina Leyda. This is a really vibrant Pinot Noir with lovely pure, sappy cherry and raspberry fruit, complemented by a subtle spicy, medicinal note that remains in the background. It's perhaps a little too green and herbal, but the fresh, bright fruit here has a lovely purity to it. It's a delightfully fresh wine that tastes like Pinot. Very primary, but quite joyful. 88/100 (£6.99 Marks & Spencer)  05/08

Corralillo Chardonnay Reserve 2005 San Antonio, Chile
This biodynamic white comes from Matetic, one of Chile's most exciting producers. It's almost overpowering, with intense flavours of nuts, vanilla, figs, citrus fruits and spice. Super-rich and very ripe, this wine almost has too much flavour for its own good. It really comes into its own with richly flavoured food, where the weight of the wine isn't quite so obvious. It would also work quite well with cheese. A big, complex Chardonnay for current drinking, and not for the timid. 90/100 (£9.99 Marks & Spencer) 05/08

Santa Rita Floresta Sauvignon Blanc 2007 Leyda Valley, Chile
Attractively packaged, this Sauvignon comes from the cool-climate coastal Leyda region in Chile. It’s quite impressive, with a mandarin and grapefruit notes, as well as some green pepper and a bit of minerality. Concentrated but smooth and quite understated, this is sophisticated rather than showy. A serious effort. 91/100 (£8.99 Waitrose) 07/08

Marks & Spencer Fairtrade Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2007 Curico Valley, Chile
Fresh, crisp nose with a bit of melony fruit and a hint of minerally sulfur. The palate is crisp and vibrant with lemony, grapefruity notes and high acidity. A very fresh and zingy sort of white that would be great with food but is perhaps just a tad austere for sipping on its own. 84/100 (£4.99 M&S) 02/08

Cono Sur Vision Riesling 'Quiltraman' 2007 Bio Bio Valley, Chile
This attractively packaged wine has a forward, perfumed nose of bright lime notes mixed with minerals, sweet honey and floral overtones. The palate is quite rich, with a talcum powder and lime character, together with some savoury minerality and some richness of texture, which I suspect in part comes from a bit of residual sugar, and in part from the high alcohol (14%). It finishes off with crisp acidity. This is a powerful style of Riesling, but it's balanced and quite crisp. A striking wine, and given further experience here I reckon future vintages will be even better. 89/100 (£7.99 Majestic, but £6.39 if you buy two) 12/07

Errazuriz Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2007 Casablanca Valley, Chile
This is sourced from a block on the La Escultura estate, planted in 1992 with clones 242, 107 and Davis 1. 20% of the fruit (all hand harvested) was given 6 hour maceration with skins. It's nicely aromatic, with a fresh, slightly herby nose that shows good freshness and minerality, along with more tropical fruit richness. The palate is quite rich textured with lovely fruit sweetness giving it a rounded character (yet there's only 1.39 g/l residual sugar), along with good acidity contributing freshness. There are notes of grapefruit and herb, too. It's quite a concentrated and moderately complex Sauvignon of real appeal. A great buy at this price. 90/100 (£9.95 Berry Bros & Rudd http://www.bbr.com/, http://www.chileanwineclub.co.uk/) 12/07

Erazzuriz Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2007 Casablanca Valley, Chile
Again, a portion of the fruit here (24%) was given a 6 hour maceration to add body and aromatics to the wine. The wine has quite a zesty, citrussy nose with some fresh green herby notes and a bit of fruit richness. The palate is refreshing and quite crisp, but there's an appealing richness to the fruit, and a rounded character, too. Good concentration here, in a style that falls somewhere between the in-yer-face Marlborough (NZ) style and the more savoury Loire expression of this grape variety. 88/100 (£6.49 Oddbins, £7.99 Thresher, but three for two) 12/07

Errazuriz Estate Wild Ferment Chardonnay 2006 Casablanca Valley, Chile
I like the concept behind this wine. 'Wild Ferments' are those where cultured yeasts aren't added. What happens is that indigenous yeasts from the vineyard and winery environment begin the fermentation slowly, and then after a while the regular wine yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, kicks in and finishes the job. Because of this, the wines that result (particularly the whites, in my experience) have added complexity of flavour, and a rather different mouthfeel. And here, with this Chardonnay, it works well. It has a warm, complex nose of butter, toast, herbs, vanilla and fruit spanning the spectrum from figs to lemons. The palate shows nice toasty complexity and nice fresh acidity, finishing long. Altogether, this is a thought-provoking, rich style of Chardonnay that may well improve with a couple of years in bottle. Good value for money. 90/100 (£9.99 Tesco; Sone, Vine and Sun; £11.95 Berry Bros & Rudd) 12/07

Ventolera Sauvignon Blanc 2006 Leyda Valley, Chile
Made by superstar winemaker Ignacio Recabarren, this is a blend of four different clones grown in the ultra-cool region of Leyda. It’s fresh and crisp with real intensity, as well as a marked green pepper herbaceousness. The overall effect is of a quite complex, savoury, assertive sort of Sauvignon that’s best with food. 89/100 (£9.99 Virgin Wines, 2007 is available from The Wine Society for £8.50) 05/08

Carmen Nativa Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 Maipo, Chile
This single-vineyard Cabernet is made with a wild yeast ferment and is then aged for 10 months in oak. Rich blackcurrant fruit nose is pure and intense with a minty edge. Smooth, ripe fruit has a subtle chalky character on the palate. It’s not green at all – a bit like a Western Australian Cabernet in style. 90/100 (Waitrose) 07/06

Errazuriz Estate Wild Ferment Chardonnay 2006 Casablanca Valley, Chile
I like the concept behind this wine. 'Wild Ferments' are those where cultured yeasts aren't added. What happens is that indigenous yeasts from the vineyard and winery environment begin the fermentation slowly, and then after a while the regular wine yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, kicks in and finishes the job. Because of this, the wines that result (particularly the whites, in my experience) have added complexity of flavour, and a rather different mouthfeel. And here, with this Chardonnay, it works well. It has a warm, complex nose of butter, toast, herbs, vanilla and fruit spanning the spectrum from figs to lemons. The palate shows nice toasty complexity and nice fresh acidity, finishing long. Altogether, this is a thought-provoking, rich style of Chardonnay that may well improve with a couple of years in bottle. Good value for money. 90/100 (£9.99 Tesco, Stone, Vine and Sun; £11.95 Berry Bros & Rudd) 12/07

Leyda Single Vineyard 'Falaris Hill Vineyard' Chardonnay 2005 Leyda Valley, Chile
While my enthusiasm for Chile's reds remains largely nascent, I'm being won over by many Chilean whites. The Leyda wines, in particular, have really impressed. This single-vineyard Chardonnay is brilliant. It begins with a powerful, opulent nose of tropical fruit, spice, herbs, some toasty oak and a hint of fudge. The palate is full with rich apricotty fruit and spice, almost like a dry Sauternes. It's a complex, expressive, intense new world Chardonnay. Very good/excellent 91/100 (Great Western Wines are the UK importers). 12/06

Amayna Sauvignon Blanc 2006 Leyda Valley, Chile
A hand-picked Sauvignon from a 70 hectare vineyard in sight of the sea, vinified in a new gravity-designed winery. Two clones are used: 242, which adds structure and minerality, and Davis Clone 1 which adds fresh minerality. The wine itself has a sweet tropical fruit nose offset by limey minerality. It's very expressive and quite striking. The palate is sweetly fruited, but it has a lovely steely, mineral core. A full flavoured, intense, epressive Sauvignon with a multifaceted personality. Expensive but worth it. Very good/excellent 91/100 (£13.99 Oddbins) 11/06

Cono Sur Pinot Noir 2000, Rapel, Chile
This is an interesting, if slightly odd Pinot Noir. The open nose is quite striking, with a slightly vegetal, herbal, undergrowth character, along with some sweet plummy fruit. The palate is rich, fruity and appealing, but again shows some slightly odd undergrowth character that some will love and others will find off-putting. Slightly alcoholic finish. Very good (£4.99 Tesco) 09/01

Valdivieso Merlot Barrel Selection 1999, Chile
There's an attractive chalky, mineralic edge to the nose. The palate shows good balance: joining the primary fruit is an interesting leafy/mineral character. Good acidity. Tasty stuff and good value at this price. (£5.99 Majestic) 10/01

Cono Sur Pinot Noir 2000, Rapel, Chile
Pale coloured with undergrowthy notes to the herby nose. Light palate, with a herbal, medicinal edge. Quite good balance, even if it is a little unusual. Good/very good (£4.99 Majestic) 10/01    

Montes 'Limited Selection' Pinot Noir 1999, Chile
There's a bit of herbal complexity on the nose with some spicy notes. Palate is ripe rounded and herby, and perhaps a tiny bit jammy. Quite rich in style, and unusual stuff. Very good (£7.49 Majestic) 10/01

La Mira Chardonnay 2001, Maipo Valley, Chile
Lovely bright, fresh nose; palate has some attractive fruit and good balance, with a savoury edge. Not at all fat or oaky like some cheap Chardonnays can be. Very good (£4.49 Majestic) 10/01

La Mira Sauvignon Blanc 2001, Maipo Valley, Chile
Big grassy, gooseberry-laced nose leads to a crisp, modern palate. Good clean commerical winemaking. Good/very good (£4.49 Majestic) 10/01

Montes Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2001, Curico, Chile
50% of the wine is matured in old oak barrels for three months. Quite an expressive nose, with a touch of spice joining the crisp, grassy herby notes. Nice balance on the palate with good acidity. Very good (£5.99 Majestic) 10/01

Montes Alpha Chardonnay 200, Curico, Chile
Big, rich, ripe toasty nose. Palate shows concentrated, ripe nutty fruit with a savoury new oak veneer. Tasty stuff. Very good+ (£9.99 Majestic) 10/01

Caliterra Chardonnay 2000, Central Valley, Chile
A richly-textured Chardonnay showing tropical fruit and peach flavours backed up by a touch of spicy oak, and just enough acidity to hold things together. Everything about this wine is modern: it's a reliable, all-purpose white wine. (£4.99 Bottoms Up) 03/01

Canepa Semillon 1999, DO Colchagua, Chile
Fresh and balanced, with lime and grapefruit flavours. This is a clean, delicate, modern-styled wine with some personality, to be drunk young. (£3.99 Unwins) 7/00

Carmen Syrah Reserva 1997, Maipo
Deep red purple. Seductive nose of tobacco, sweet fruit and vegetation. On the palate there are plums, spice, smoky oak, some herbaceousness and noticeable acidity. It is a reasonably complex and satisfying wine, but hard to call as a Syrah. I was left in two minds as to whether I really enjoyed it or not. Good. (£6.49 Oddbins) 10/99

Canepa Gewurztraminer 1998, Maule, Chile
A real bargain, this exhibits true varietal character. Rich, fresh, spicy and with abundant grapefruit and litchee characters. Nicely balanced.  (£3.99 Tesco) 4/99

Casablanca Chardonnay 1998, Vina Casablanca, Chile
Very similar in flavour profile to a sauvignon blanc, with grassy grapefruit and gooseberry flavours. Light and pettilant, this is a good but atypical wine that is hard to call blind as a Chardonnay. Apparently 1998 was an atypically cool year in this region. Certainly, this wine had a fatter texture in the 1997 vintage. (£5.49 Oddbins) 1/99

Casablanca Sauvignon Blanc 1998, Casablanca Valley, Chile
Fresh and crisp, with lifted aromatic nose of gooseberries and freshly cut grass. This came from the cool 1998 vintage that generally produced tighter, crisper wines, and this one is o no exception. On the palate it is bone dry, with bracing acidity. It is refreshing, but perhaps a little sharp for casual sipping. Bold and intense. (£4.99 Oddbins) 1/00

Casablanca Neblus Chardonnay 1996, Santa Isabel Estate, Chile
Made with 60% botrytised grapes, given almost 2 years in French oak, 80% malolactic fermentation. Very sweet nose of honey, pears and peaches. On palate, honey, coffee and noticeable oak. Medium dry with a honeyed finish. The rather hollow midpalate makes this a somewhat disjointed wine that is a little unconvincing. Interesting but I won’t be trying it again. (Oddbins Fine Wine £4.95/half -- as of January 2000 the remaining stocks were reduced by a pound.) 1/99

Casablanca El Bosque Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 1997, Chile
Concentrated wine with pure chocolatey blackcurrant fruit. Lots of extract and tannins, but a bitter finish spoils it somewhat. Still youthful, perhaps this will develop into something better over the next couple of years. (Oddbins, £7.49) 5/99

Casablanca Sauvignon Blanc 2000, Casablanca Valley, Chile
Archetypal fresh Sauvignon from one of Chile's leading white wine regions. It has a gooseberry/grapefruit nose, bright fruit and high acidity -- very similar in style to the classic Marlborough Sauvignon Blancs from New Zealand. Very good (Sainsbury £4.99) 05/01

Casablanca Sauvignon Blanc 1998, Casablanca Valley, Chile
From superstar Chilean winemaker Ignacio Recabarren comes this intense Sauvignon that has been cool fermented in stainless steel tanks. Piercing gooseberry and grapfruit flavours predominate; aromatic, lean and classy, but drink up soon because these technology driven Chilean whites die fast. Good. (Sainsbury £4.99) 6/00

Casa Lapostolle Merlot Cuvée Alexandre 1996, Rapel, Chile
A striking wine. On the nose there is a rich blast of sweet blackcurrant fruit, with a pastille-like quality. On the palate it is concentrated and lush, with ripe fruit seamlessly integrated with spicy oak. Unashamedly 'new world', this is a satisfying and deep wine that is drinking very well at present. Very good. (Current release is 1998, widely available at around £12) 4/00

Casa Lapostolle Chardonnay 1997, Casablanca Valley, Chile
Yellow gold with a big buttery nose. Soft textured on palate with some fatness, and notes of fig and coffee. There is vanilla oak and a slightly bitter finish. It is a very polished package but perhaps would have been better a year ago. (£5.99 Fullers) 10/99

Cono Sur Gewurztraminer 1999, Bio-Bio Valley, Chile
Slightly odd nose of household cleaning products with a floral edge. Dry and a bit bitter on the palate, with a slightly fat texture. Poor effort. (£4.99 Oddbins) 10/00

Cono Sur Pinot Noir 1998, Rapel, Chile
Strawberries, plums, fecal notes, manure, vegetation all combine to mak a fascinating wine with good varietal character. This is in my opinion the best cheap Pinot noir on the market. You’ll either love it or hate it. This company also make a reserve Pinot Noir, and a luxury cuvée called '20 Barrels', but neither justify the extra expense, in my opinion. (Oddbins £4.99) 5/99

Errazuriz Don Maximiano Cabernet Sauvignon 1997, Aconcagua Valley, Chile
Opaque red/purple colour. Dense, exotic nose of sweet, pure blackcurrant fruit is followed up with a fry, spicy palate showing surprisingly firm tannins and a liquorice edge. All the components are very impressive, but they are not at all integrated at present: there's no synergy at all between the lusciously sweet nose and the firm, structured, slightly austere palate. (About £15, widely available) Very good+ 2/01

Errazuriz Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva 1998, Don Maximano Estate, Concagua Valley, Chile
This is consistently one of my favourite Chilean Cabernets, and it doesn't seem to have suffered to much from having the best grapes from this estate siphoned off into the premium priced Errazuriz wines. It's a concentrated purple/black colour. The full nose is dominated a blast of blackcurrants and cream, and this follows through to the palate, which is dominated by ripe, sweet primary fruit. There's some complexity from the 14 months this wine spends in French and American oak barrels, and also a mineral edge, but this concentrated wine is dominated by the ripe, sweet fruit. Very good/excellent (£7.99 Tesco) 1/01

Luis Felipe Edwards Cabernet Sauvignon 1996, Colchagua, Chile
Released with more bottle age than is common for most Chilean cabernets, this wine goes a little against the grain. Normally from Chile at this price level you'd expect upfront, soft blackcurrant fruit. Instead, with its firm tannins and leafy, herbaceous fruit, this wine is oddly reminiscent of a Loire red. I think it is authentic and interesting: very good. Bottled unfiltered. (£4.99, Majestic) 4/00

Mont Gras Chardonnay Reserva 1999, Cochagua Valley, Chile
Rich, toasty, oaky and buttery wine that's surprisingly seductive and full flavoured, as long as you are a fan of these glossy, new world Chardonnays. Good value for money. (Sainsburys £4.99) 9/00

Santa Carolina Chardonnay 1999, Lontue, Chile
20% of the wine is fermented and aged in French oak barrels. Fresh, bright and lively Chardonnay with zippy acidity and aromatic, yeasty, bready nose. It's not too buttery and the acidity keeps things interesting. A good commercial wine. 10/00

Santa Ines Sauvignon Blanc 2000, Maipo, Chile
A distinctive Sauvignon Blanc in a richly-fruited style. Fresh, leafy nose is followed by a rounded and full textured palate, with ripe fruit: it’s not at the New Zealand-style gooseberry extreme, but it's still fresh and tasty. Good+ (£3.29 Tesco) 10/00

Santa Ines Legado de Armida Malbec 1997
Spicy, chocolatey wine with high acid and medium body. Good, but all the Santa Ines reds seem to have exactly the same flavour profile, regardless of the grape variety used. (£5.99, Thresher)

Santa Ines Legado de Armida Chardonnay Reserva 1998
Rich, savoury, oaked Chardonnay. Sophisticated stuff well worth its price tag. (£5.99 Thresher)  11/99

Santa Ines Legado de Armida Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 1997, Maipo, Chile
This is interesting in that unlike many Chilean Cabernets, it is not just a one dimensional cassis-dominated wine. Instead it has a rich, spice and chocolate flavour, with some spicy new oak, berry fruits and a lush texture. There is a hint of volatility, but overall it reminds me more of a Californian Zinfandel than a Chilean Cabernet. Good stuff, and well priced. (£5.99 Thresher, Tesco) 9/99

Santa Ines Legado de Armida Reserve Carmenere 1997, Maipo, Chile
Deep purple black, with a powerful nose of blackcurrant, chocolate and spice. On the palate, nicely balanced berry fruit with spicy, tannic structure and a touch of herbaceousness. This is a very attractive wine which is quite similar to the reserve Cabernet from this producer. Not just a big blast of primary fruit like many Chileans. (£5.99 Tesco, Thresher) 11/99

Santa Ines Sauvignon 1998, Maipo, Chile
Fat textured Sauvignon that is fresh and clean, and is not too technological or synthetic. Full and rounded, this is excellent for the price. (£3.99 Tesco) 9/99

Santa Ines Legado de Armida Cabernet Sauvignon/Carmenère Reserva 1999, Chile
Attractive blackcurrant and chocolate flavoured red with good concentration and roasted, spicy, toasty oak notes. Even better the next day, when some of the overt toastiness has receded and the lush fruit has returned. (Tesco £3.14 in a half-price promotion) 6/01

Santa Rita Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva 1999, Maipo, Chile
This concentrated wine has a distinctive leafy, smoky nose. On the palate it displays the usual Chilean Cabernet signature of blackcurrant fruit together with more of the leafy, herbaceous character so evident on the nose. There's also a touch of oak. Although you'd be unlikely to mistake this for a French wine, with it's non-fruity complexity it is more Bordeaux-like than most Chilean reds. Quite impressive, as long as you don't find the leafy-like character off-putting. Very good+ (£6.99 Majestic) 1/01

Santa Rita Triple C 1997, Maipo, Chile
A blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Carmenère. Very concentrated, with pure blackcurrant fruit flavours, mineral notes and a slight herbal edge. Dense and rich, with some new oak. An impressive effort, and well worth the asking price. Very good + (Majestic £10.99) 8/00

Undurraga Gewurztraminer 1999, Talagante, Maipo Valley, Chile
Clean, grapey-fresh wine with crisp acidity and hints of litchee. A good glugger; an ideal summer food wine. (£4.99, Tesco) 12/99

Valdivieso Caballo Loco No. 1 (NV) Lontue, Chile
From the back label, 'Valdivieso's proud statement to the world that South America can compete at the top....medium to long-term cellaring recommended'. This was first released about four years ago, and I thought it might be time to see how it is getting on. The Caballo Loco philosophy, as far as I can tell, has never been about raw power, but instead about producing a balanced premium wine with ageing potential. However, the wine seems now to be going through a rather uglyish phase. There is a sweet, perfumed blackberry nose, with some cedary/tobaccoey notes beginning to emerge, but on the palate it is drying out somewhat with strong tannins and reasonably high acidity. I wonder how it will evolve: I'll keep my remaining bottles for a couple of years yet. Without the sweet fruit of youth the structure is too apparent at the moment. 4/00

Valdivieso Chardonnay 1999, Central Valley, Chile
A strong contender in the highly competitive sub-£5 Chardonnay class. This is a lovely, full bodied yet restrained New World Chardonnay which combines appley/lemony fruit with a touch of spicy complexity, all underpinned by bracing acidity. In fact, it is almost like a souped up Macon villages. Great value for money here. (£4.99 Fullers, on sale at £3.99, also stocked by Waitrose) 4/00

Valdivieso Merlot 1998 Central Valley, Chile
Pleasant, soft, sweetly fruited glugger with chocolatey and leafy fruit. Simple but pleasant: this is reliable new world plonk and makes a good buy in one of the regular promotions at a pound off. (£4.99, Sainsburys) 6/00

Valdivieso Chardonnay 1997, Lontue, Chile
This is a rich, soft, buttery Chardonnay that is nicely poised: there is a savoury edge to the fruit and good balancing acidity. Very good for the price. (£3.99 Tesco) 8/99

Valdivieso Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 1998
I'm coming to the conclusion that Valdivieso are one of Chile's most reliable producers. A full-flavoured, gutsy, modern-styled red that's very enjoyable, showing sweet, ripe fruit with leafy, herby elements and notes of mint and spicy oak. Good value. Very good (£6.49 Sainsbury) 05/01

Valdivieso Malbec 1998, Central Valley, Chile
On the label: "... a unique and unforgettable wine that will make you wish you had bought another bottle".
Well, not unforgettable, but very good for the price. Red purple with chocolatey, plummy fruit. Soft, but the hollow mid-palate takes away from what is otherwise a nicely put together, concentrated quaffer. (£4.99 Sainsbury) 5/99

Valdivieso Malbec Rose 1999, Central Valley, Chile
Deep orange/red colour. Soft red fruit flavours make it very approachable. Quite alcoholic for a rose (13.5%), but a good glugger none the less. (£4.49 Tesco) 7/00

Valdivieso Reserve Pinot Noir 1996, Lontue, Chile
Deep red with cherry/brick edges; beginning to fade a bit? Strawberry and cherry fruit flavours dominate, with a touch of complexity in the form of some mild farmyard/stinky elements. Dry, with some tannins. Pleasant but not outstanding. (£7.99 Bibendum) 5/00

Valdivieso Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 1997, Central Valley, Chile
A concentrated red/purple colour, this has an inviting nose of ripe cassis and sweet oak. On the palate it has a lush texture and great concentration, with more seductive, sweet new oak. Three years' bottle age seems to have rounded out wine nicely. It's pleasant, impressive stuff in an up-front style, but beware if you aren't a fan of this fruit-forward, oaky new world style. Very good+ 12/00

Vistasur Cabernet Sauvignon 1999, Central Valley, Chile
Deep purple black colour, with a really odd green, vegetal nose. It's all cabbagey on the palate, too. Poor effort. (Majestic £4.49) 8/00

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