Knowing there are some diehard Chile fans out there, here are some brief notes from a Central Valley tasting I attended the other evening downtown. 2 oz pours, one white and 6 reds. The cheapest red was my wine of the night!! I know, some here have no taste, grin wink.
Reception Wine. `09 Cono Sur Chardonnay Rapel Valley. No doubt for around 10/12 dollars Cdn, these Cono Sur wines deliver. Peach, pineapple, biodemi too. Great wine for the patio or your daughters wedding!
`09 Caliterra Tributo Carmenere, Colchagua Valley. $22, WOTN. 14%alc, blueberry/blackberry, tobacco, chocolate. Very nice balance, soft tannins, "green peppers" from one taster. Top notch Carmenere.
`08 Montes Alpha Apalta Vineyard Syrah. Needs time, hint of purple w. some red tones. Dumb nose, "vegetal" said one taster. Medium tannins, full-bodied, cherry, cranberry, hold.
`06 Concha y Toro Don Melchor Cab Sauv, Maipo V. $92 Cdn, 14.5% alc, ruby-red, intense center, oak, spice, cherry. Some expresso here, with ripe fruit in background. Rich, lush, blind would fool them!
`08 Perez Cruz Ltd Edition Reserva Cot, Colchaqua V. Malbec of course, $30 Cdn. Light style, ripe fruit, low tannin. Something sour here, softer than Argentina. Not my style but quite popular.
`08 Vina La Rosa Don Reca, Cachapoal V. Not sure why this was in this tasting. Cab/merlot/syrah/carmenere. Med garnet color, closed nose, non-descript, $25.
`06 Perez Cruz Quelen Special Edition, Maipo V. P Verdot/Cot/Carmenere. Big wine, $60. Nice looking package, but wine tasted unbalanced to me. Tasters thought currant, cocoa, red berries. Pal found some spicy pine forest, good one! For $30, might be worth stashing some away but not this punter.