Several years ago, when I first started doing wine reviews, I was a big fan of Chilean cabernet sauvignon. But then after a number of disappointing experiences I gravitated away from it. This, however, is a wine that once again makes me a fan. This is one of the many brands produced by Concha y […]
Chilean Wine
Casillero del Diablo, Cabernet Sauvignon
Now here’s a wine brand with a fun name and a fun story behind the name — the quick version is a winemaker kept the good wine in a cellar and to keep thieves away started a rumor that the devil lived in his cellar. Casillero del Diablo is now a devilishly popular wine brand produced by Chilean […]
Santa Carolina, Reserva de Familia, Carmenère – Spicy and Good
I love the story of carmenère, the lost grape of Bordeaux rediscovered in Chile after it was thought to have disappeared from our planet. When I first heard about it, I was entranced by the magical story and wanted to celebrate this grape and make it one of my staple wines. But not long after […]
Santa Carolina Reserva de Familia, Cabernet Sauvignon
This wine makes me a fan of Chilean cabernet sauvignon again. A number of years ago I was nuts over Chilean cabernet sauvignon, but then I started to avoid it after encountering a number of them with a funky mint aroma that was distracting. A slight mint aroma can be a good thing, but too often […]
Viña Casablanca, Nimbus Single Vineyard, Sauvignon Blanc
When it comes to sauvignon blanc, I have two top regions I gravitate towards, New Zealand and Chile. And even more specifically pertaining to Chilean sauvignon blanc, I love them from the Casablanca Valley. Historically, the reason I’ve had this preference is the intense tropical fruit aromas and flavors that are often found in sauvignon […]
Santa Rita, Medalla Real Gran Reserva, Sauvignon Blanc
A few weeks ago I reviewed the Santa Rita, Medalla Real Gran Reserva Chardonnay. In that review, I commented that the wine came from the Leyda Valley – which is known more for sauvignon blanc than chardonnay. Well… wouldn’t you know it, Santa Rita also produces a sauvignon blanc from this regaion. Cool is the […]
Santa Rita, Medalla Real Gran Reserva, Chardonnay – Delightful!
I find it interesting to look at the history of some Chilean wine producers. Some have a long history, but it often appears to be a rather sleepy one. Such is the case for Santa Rita, with a history dating back to 1880, but things really started happening there 100 years later. Perhaps it’s just the […]
Concha y Toro, Gran Reserva Serie Riberas Chardonnay – Exciting
The wines from Concha y Toro’s “Gran Reserva Serie Riberas” line come from vineyards along select river banks in Chile. “Serie Riberas” translates to mean river banks series. And it’s an interesting concept, knowing how influential rivers can be on a wines characteristics. Think about it, some of the best wine regions are along rivers. This […]
Calcu Carménère – Clumsy, but Enjoyable
I’ve been posting carménère reviews lately and here’s another bargain carménère from Chile. This one comes from the Colchagua Valley, a region known for its red wines – including carménère. The spice is pretty heavy on the nose of this wine. It’s loaded with nutmeg, clove, toasted oak and vanilla. That’s backed up by plenty of blackberry, blueberry […]
Maquis Carménère – Big, Dark and Delicious
Following up from the last review, here is another Chilean carménère. This one comes from Maquis in the Colchagua Valley. The story of Maquis dates back almost 90 years to when the first vineyards were planted on the estate. For most of its existence the owners only grew grapes to sell to other winemakers, but in […]