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
Errazuriz Max Reserve Chardonnay 2004 Casablanca, Chile
Hand harvested and fermented in French oak, where it
matures for 8 months. Rich yellow/gold colour. Nice combination of
tropical fruit richness with lime and grapefruit freshness, complemented
by classy oak. A refined, concentrated new world Chardonnay showing nice
complexity and balance, with subtle herbal undertones. 91/100 (Waitrose)
07/06
Vina Leyda Pinot Noir Las Brisas Vineyard 2005 Chile
Quite powerful red berry and cherry fruit nose.
Perfumed and sweet with a herbal background. The palate is concentrated,
rich and intense with sweet berry and cherry fruit backed up by some spicy
tannin and a subtle herbiness, together with some medicinal notes. Dense
and quite delicious, but not terribly elegant. 89/100 07/06
Anakena Ona Syrah 2004 Rapel, Chile
Good colour and concentration but has a green herbal character under
the rich, sweet fruit. A crowd pleaser, but a bit rubbery on the finish.
Very good 84/100 06/06
Anakena Reservado Merlot 2003 Rapel, Chile
Sweet blackcurrant pastille nose is distinctly Chilean: creamy and
rounded. The palate has a spicy sort of greenness to it but it works.
Nicely savoury and good value for money at the multibuy price. Very good
84/100 (£7.49 Thresher, 3 for the price of 2) 08/06
Casa Lapostolle
Sauvignon Blanc 2005 Rapel Valley, Chile
A lovely aromatic Sauvignon with a rich, melony nose an a hint of
grassiness. The palate shows nice melony fruit: it’s quite richly
textured with some real richness. A delicious ripe style of Sauvignon (and
at 14.5%, an alcoholic one). Very good/excellent 90/100 12/05
Chileno
Shiraz Cabernet 2004 Central Valley, Chile
This is a really astute commercial wine. It has an inviting nose of
sweet blackberry and dark cherry fruit that leads through to the palate
where it is joined by an appealing spiciness. A nice wine without any hint
of greenness. Tastes more expensive than it is. Very good 84/100 (£4.49
Somerfield, Sainsbury, Tesco, Kwiksave, Budgen, Londis) 03/06
Hacienda
Araucano Alka Carmenère 2003 Colchagua, Chile
J&F Lurton. Perfumed blackcurrant fruit nose is quite sweet and
lush, but countered by a herbal, chocolatey edge. With its pastille-like
quality it is distinctly Chilean. On the palate there is quite classy
silky tannic structure lying under the pure fruit. It’s actually quite a
structured wine. The lush pure fruit is elegant; I just feels it needs a
bit more complexity to be a really serious wine besides just fruit and
oak. Very good/excellent 92/100 (rrp c. £30) 04/06
Terrunyo Sauvignon Blanc 2005 Casablanca, Chile
This single vineyard offering from Concha y Toro impressed with a nice
minerality adding complexity to the bright, lemon-edged subtly grassy
fruit. Nice weight on the palate. This is nicely poised with good fruit,
but not too much grassy character. Very good+ 88/100 (£7.99 Oddbins,
Somerfield, Wine Society) 04/06
Luis Filipe Edwards Carmenère 2004 Colchagua, Chile
Bordeaux ex-pat variety Carmenère is Chile’s speciality grape, and
it tends to make big, beefy reds. This is a good example: it’s a big red
wine with lots of blackcurrant fruit, backed up by an aroma of wet
pavements, made in a savoury, food-friendly style. Not too flashy or
obvious. Very good+ 87/100 (£5.99 Tesco)11/05
Anakena Ona 2003 Rapel Valley, Chile
This is an almost overpoweringly full flavoured luvvie of a white
wine, which successfully blends together three grapes that normally do
their own thing: Chardonnay, Riesling and Viognier. They are held together
with some seductive spicy oak, and the result is a big wine that has broad
flavours of lime, sweet honeydew melon, herbs and vanilla. Broad yet
fresh, it really works, and would be great with a traditional Christmas
dinner. Very good/excellent 91/100 (£8.99 Oddbins) 11/05
Santa Rita Floresta Sauvignon Blanc 2004 Leyda, Chile
Really nice understated nose with a subtle, savoury green pepper and
spice character. The palate is broad and nicely balanced with an earthy,
spicy greenness. It’s not unripe, but it’s fresh. Full flavoured and
complex. Very good/excellent 90/100 (£9.49 Waitrose) 08/06
Leyda Garuma Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2005 Leyda
Valley, Chile
Powerful aromas: green, grassy, grapefruit and lime. The
palate is intense with a fresh green pepper edge to the concentrated
lemony fruit. A very full, fresh Sauvignon of real quality: really
invigorating stuff. Very good/excellent 92/100 (£7.99 Oddbins) 11/06
Casa
Lapostolle Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 Rapel, Chile
Sweet alcoholic blackcurrant fruit nose. Nice spicy, minerally
structure to the fruit, but it’s a bit soupy and alcoholic (14.5%),
although the fruit is good. Very good 84/100 (£8.49 Berry Bros, Booths, D
Byrne, Bentalls, Portland Wine, Terry Platt, Taurus Wines) 08/06
Concha
y Toro Winemaker’s Lot 500 Malbec Puemo Vineyard 2005 Rapel, Chile
Malbec is a
grape more commonly associated with Argentina than Chile, but it seems to
be a solid performer in both countries. Here it makes a red with dense,
bright berry fruit and pleasantly fresh acidity. It’s ripe, but not
soupy, and the dark cherry fruit is very appealing. Nice spicy finish,
too. Very good+ 87/100 (£6.79 Oddbins)
09/06
Casa
Silva Quinta Generaciòn Red 2002 Colchagua, Chile
Deep
red colour. Strikin nose of deep, rich, liqueur-like blackcurrant pastille
fruit. Quite sweet, but with some complex spiciness. The palate is long
and spicy with smooth, sweet fruit backed up by some savoury tannins and a
hint of sweet herbiness. A good, mouthfillig wine that’s immensely
accessible. Very good/excellent 91/100 (£11.99 Oddbins) 12/05
Montes
Alpha Syrah, Apalta Vineyard 2002 Colchagua Valley
Distinctive ripe, chocolatey spicy nose with some obvious new oak.
Quite classy, though. The palate is concentrated with a ripe, sweet black
fruits character and some spicy structure. The pure, sweet fruit is
distinctively Chilean. Nice concentration, richness and classy oak. Modern
styled. Very good/excellent 90/100 (£11.99 Waitrose) 07/05
Carmen Nativo Chardonnay 2004 Maipo, Chile
Here’s a big, bold, but complex example of the world’s favourite
grape variety, a perfect antidote for anyone suffering from Chardonnay
tedium. It’s ripe and rich, but the fruit dominates and there’s a
spicy savouriness providing balance. Delicious in a very rich style. (£7.99
Oddbins, Booths) 07/05
Cono
Sur Gewürztraminer 2003 Bío Bío Valley, Chile
Sweet, spicy musky perfumed nose with lychee character. The palate is
spicy and fruity with a zippy acidity. An interesting wine: not at all
sweet, although the nose suggests it will be. Very good+ 87/100 (Co-op)
07/05
Casa Silva Lolol
Viognier 2003 Colchagua, Chile
Powerful perfumed nose of sweet apricot and pear fruit, with a slight
muskiness, too. Very striking. The palate is viscous and rich textured
with nice balance: a delicious, rich white wine with lots of Viognier
character and a hint of vanilla. Very good/excellent 91/100 (£8.99
Barrels and Bottles, Cairns & Hickey, Frank Stainton Wines, Great
Northern Wine Co., Michael Jobling Wines, Richards & Richards, Tim
Morrison Fine Wines, Thameside Wines) 08/05
Carmen
Gold Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 1999 Maipo Valley, Chile
From
44 year old vines, this is an ambitious red wine from Chile. Dark coloured,
it has a very intense sweet blackcurrant jam nose. The palate is soft,
smooth, concentrated and sweet, with an incredible richness of fruit.
It’s a lovely wine, providing you like this style, which is extreme.
Very good/excellent 91/100 (£22 Waitrose) 04/05
Viñedo
Chadwick 1999 Aconcagua Valley, Chile
94%
Cabernet and 6% Carmenère from a vineyard in Puente Alto that used to be
a polo field. A very dark colour, this has a sweet, liqueur-like jammy
blackcurrant nose. The palate is bold and rich displaying concentrated
fruit with a savoury, spicy twist to it. A very bold style. Very
good/excellent 91/100 (£30 Waitrose) 04/05
Errazuriz
La Cumbre Shiraz 2002 Aconcagua Valley, Chile
From
9 year old vines, aged in a mix of new French and American oak. A vivid
dark purple colour. The red and black fruit nose leads to a palate of
concentrated ripe fruit with a savoury, spicy edge. Very impressive in a
modern fruit-forward style. Very good/excellent 92/100 (£14.99 Waitrose)
04/05
Montes
Alpha ‘M’ 2001 Santa Cruz, Colchagua Valley, Chile
80%
Cabernet, 5% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, 5% Cabernet Franc, harvested at
around 4 tons/hectare. 18 months in new French oak. Pure sweet
blackcurrant fruit nose with a liqueur-like edge. The sweetly fruited,
supple palate shows great concentration and a nice spicy finish. A very
forward wine. Very good/excellent 91/100 (£35 Waitrose) 04/05
Santa Rita Triple C 1999 Maipo, Chile
The flagship wine from Chilean giants Santa Rita. It’s a deep, rich,
tarry, spicy red showing some evolution. Blind I’d had called it
Australian, with its super-ripe fruit coupled with a spicy, tarry oak
sheen. Great concentration and very good in this style – almost
Port-like with a chocolatey richness to the fruit. Very good/excellent
90/100 (£15.99 Majestic) 12/04
Baron
Philippe de Rothschild Escudo Rojo 2001 Maipo, Chile
This nicely packaged effort comes from Rothschild of Bordeaux fame (a name
that comes from 'Red shield' = escudo rojo). Ripe, taut nose with
sweet, pure black fruits and some chocolatey notes. The palate is
midweight with appealing blackcurrant fruit, spicy structure and good
acidity. It's nicely poised and quite classy in a midweight, food-friendly
style. Very good+ 88/100 (£8.99 Berry Bros, Costco, Unwins) 04/04
Concha y Toro Winemaker’s Lot 175 Carménère Los Morros
Vineyard 2002 Maipo Valley, Chile
From a vineyard at 550 m elevation, this is an inky red/purple
colour. It
has a seductive nose of pure, sweet ripe black fruits that leads to a
richly fruited, chocolatey palate with sweet, spicy-edged fruit with a
distinctive, slightly bitter black cherry tang and firm, spicy tannins.
It’s a classy, concentrated, rich style that may lack a little
sophistication but is sure to win many friends. Very good/excellent 90/100
(Oddbins £7.99) 04/04
Errazuriz Estate Chardonnay 2001 Casablanca, Chile
Some bottle age has rounded this Chardonnay into a very appealing
wine. It shows a rounded, buttery nose with ripe melon and figgy fruit.
The palate is smooth and buttery with lots of ripe fruit and some subtle
oak. Very good+ 87/100 (Tesco £5.99) 12/03
Trio Chardonnay 2000 Casablanca, Chile
Really delicious intense fruit on the nose with a subtle herby note to
the figgy, tropical fruit. The palate shows rich herby fruit backed up
with good acidity. I’d have expected a three year old Chilean Chard to
be a bit tired by now, but this is impressive. Classy stuff. Very good+ 88
(£5.99 Thresher) 04/03
El
Cachorro 2001 Central Valley, Chile
Not bad for the price: lovely blackcurrant fruit dominates with a
slight herbaceous edge. Not terribly refined but lots of flavour. Very
drinkable. Good/very good (£3.99 Oddbins) 06/03
Missiones de Rengo Carmenère 2000 Rapel Valley, Chile
Shows some slightly stewed fruit (red berries, blackcurrants) with a
pleasant leafy, herby edge, together with some chocolatey richness on the
palate. Savoury finish with good definition. Appealing. Very good (£4.99
Safeway) 01/03
Casablanca Chardonnay 2001, Casablanca Valley, Chile
Pale colour. Lemony nose with some riper tropical fruit undertones and a
slight 'boiled sweets' edge. The palate shows lovely crisp, focused fruit
with real freshness. Leans towards the citrus fruit end of the Chardonnay
spectrum. Good commercial winemaking. Very good (£4.99 Sainsbury) 01/02
Escudo Rojo 1999, Baron Phillipe de Rothschild, Maipo, Chile
(Tasted blind, note as written) Exotic nose of sweet, ripe, creamy
blackcurrant fruit. The concentrated palate shows sweet, ripe, chocolatey
fruit and some firm tannins lurking underneath. The finish is drying: it's
delicious stuff, but offers more on the nose than it does on the palate. The
purity of the blackcurrant fruit gives its Chilean identity away
immediately. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Carmenère.
Very good+ 11/01
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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