2009 Penalolen Cabernet Sauvignon

If there were an award for of unsung hero of the world of wine regions, I think I would have to give my vote to Chile.  They don't have the mass appeal that their neighbor Argentina has, nor do they have a signature varietal or blend that so many regions have.  At the bricks and mortar retail shops, they tend to get lumped in with either Argentina and/or Spain, and there is no good reason for that.  Aside from the fact that the grapes are grown in a Spanish speaking country, there is really no relation at all between Chilean and Spanish wines, and very little commonality between Chilean and Argentine wines.  Unfortunately, I think Chilean wine tends to be lost or forgotten  because of this.

Chile produces a number of varietals in varied regions and terroirs, but for me the most interesting is Cabernet Sauvignon.  Good Chilean Cab has distinct elements that just taste like Chile and are pretty consistent.  The key one being a fresh, earthy element that adds a level of interest that most California Cabs in lower price ranges don't have.  The earthy element is fresh and clean, which is different from the almost dirty, dusty earth that I get from Bordeaux.  The best thing about Chilean Cabs is that you get a lot of value for your dollar.  For me, most Bordeaux and California Cabernet in the high teens and low $20s is somewhere between bad and boring, and in the same price range, Chile is producing very good and very interesting Cabernets. 

Today's subject is a Cabernet from the Maipo Valley in Chile.  The 2009 Penalolen Cabernet Sauvignon is a deep red in color.  Cassis dominates the nose along with notes of black raspberry.  Underneath the fruit there is an herbal element that is mostly sage, and there is, of course, that classic Chilean fresh earth.  In your mouth, you get more black fruit along with a smoky and spicy element that reminded me a bit of smoked Spanish paprika.  The tannins are very nice, and the finish is subtle but rather long.  Overall, this is a very nice Cabernet that can be had for under $20. 

Pair this with traditional South American fare and you can't go wrong.  We had it with grilled skirt steak with a chimichurri sauce, and it paired beautifully.  So go to your local wine store and seek out some Chilean wines wherever they might be hiding them.  You won't be disappointed.   

Cheers!

     

2007 San Pedro 1865 Single Vineyard Syrah Los Quillayes Vineyard

So I must admit that for quite some time I was guilty of the crime that I see wine retailers and consumers committing all the time. Simply put, that crime is not paying enough attention to the wonderful and unique wines being made in Chile this days. It seems that in the press, on retail shelves, and in the hearts and minds of consumers, Argentina gets all the attention in South America. Don't get me wrong, I think Argentina is great, but I also think Chile is fantastic and quite a bit different from its neighbor to the east. Where Argentina is really good at one thing, Malbec (and arguably Torrontes too), Chile has an amazing diversity of microclimates in its little vertical slice of South America. Depending on where you are in Chile, you can find great wines that are really good values made from Carmenere, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Syrah, Chardonnay, and even a little bit of Pinot Noir. Our recent wine rut (I say that in a good way) has been with Syrah, so I have been exploring some Chilean Syrahs to see how they hold up against the rest of the world, and the results have been pretty darn good.

The 2007 San Pedro 1865 Los Quillayes Vineyard Syrah is a deep, garnet red in your glass. When first opened, this bottle smelled a little bit like a hickory smoke bomb went off, but after about 30 minutes in decanter that settles down and you get very pleasant smoke and game along with some blackberry and just a little bit of bell pepper. On your palate, you get enjoyable but subdued blackberry fruit upfront and some smoky bacon on the finish, and the tannins are already pretty mellow. Although the alcohol is pretty high at 14.5%, the profile of this wine leans more towards the Rhone than it does Australia. It is also has some unique qualities, like that very subtle bell pepper, that just taste of Chile, and that's one of the things I really like about Chilean wine - they exude terroir.

From a pairing standpoint, this wine makes me want cheese, but it is pretty versatile. It could also go with grilled red meats or even some smoky BBQ. At a price of only $15, its a pretty strong value.

Cheers!

Montes Alpha Syrah 2007

Terroir. It's that French word that no one really understands until they actually experience it for themselves. What does it mean? Loosely translated it means a sense of place. Flesh it out a little bit, and it refers to the idea that every wine that exhibits it comes from a specific and unique vineyard site that has its own special combination of soil, sunlight exposure, elevation, daytime and night time temperatures, and other factors that makes wine from that site different from any other wine in the world. Sounds a bit like an over-romanticized ideal or a marketing scheme doesn't it? Any one who is serious about wine and has experienced it will tell you pretty emphatically that it's not.

For those who don't believe in terroir, I would recommend going to your local wine shop and getting a Malbec from Cahors in France and then getting a similarly priced Malbec from Mendoza in Argentina. The same grape that was transplanted to Argentina from Cahors will produce wines that are quite different based primarily on the grapes being grown in a very different place. Once you can accept terroir on the grand scale of one wine region vs. another with the same grapes, it is a lot easier to start recognizing the nuances of terroir on a smaller scale.

Oh well, that's enough for my rant on terroir, lets get to the 2007 Montes Alpha Syrah. The wine comes from the Apalta Vineyard in the Colchagua Valley of Chile. It is 90% Syrah with 7% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Viognier that see a year of aging in French oak. The wine is deep purple-red in color and was tasted after 30 minutes in decanter. The complex nose is dominated by aromas of fresh earth, herbs, and pepper, but underneath that initial layer is some very nice but subtle black fruit aromas. In your mouth you get some black cherry fruit with some peppery spice that is rounded out by still somewhat firm and earthy tannins that should relax over the next few years. This is a Syrah that should drink well for many years to come, but it's drinking pretty well now if it's given some decanting.

Overall, this is a very nice Chilean Syrah that tastes like good Syrah should, but also just tastes a whole lot like Chile. It exhibits some excellent Chilean terroir, and would go very well with a flank steak with a red chimichurri or any grilled red meats. At a price of just under $20, it is money well spent.

Cheers!