By The Glass
Jay Kam
Chilean wines are
fulfilling their potentialI knew that Chile made some good, inexpensive cabernets and chardonnays, but when I visited the country recently, I was surprised to discover some stupendous, world-class wines.
Chile has growing conditions similar to California, with golden hills and valleys, influenced by the ocean, that bear a striking resemblance specifically to Napa. No wonder such luminous names as Mondavi, Lafite and Mouton have all established wineries in Chile.
Tasting some of the wines was eye-opening. Chile has enormous potential in all types of varieties. Cabernet, merlot, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and syrah all flourish in Chile. Chile has the goods to dominate among midlevel wines in the $12 to $25 range.
But forget about price for a moment. When you taste a sauvignon blanc from Casablanca (Chile's Napa Valley), a syrah from Apalta or a cabernet from Maipo, you realize that these are world-class.
Then, because of low land and labor costs (an acre in Chile costs less than $4,000; an acre in Napa is well more than $100,000), you notice that Chile's prices are ridiculously low compared with the rest of the world.
Chile has been looming in the background because its wineries have taken some time to establish themselves, build modern facilities, employ modern techniques and understand the export market.
Chile has always had potential and that potential is being fulfilled. Many wines I tasted were easily equal in quality to wines twice their price.
Casablanca Valley is known for sauvignon blanc and has developed its own unique style. The wines here taste of very ripe tropical fruit -- often guava and poha berry, with a little lime or grapefruit -- a bit of smokiness, mineral qualities and a clean finish.
Try these two with local favorites such as fresh fish, potato salad or opihi:
Veramonte Sauvignon Blanc ($9 to $11): No barrel aging or malolactic fermentation, which makes some wines flabby. Clean grapefruit, lime and poha berry, followed by a slight mineral quality. Tangy but not too much so. Lively and refreshing.
Montes Sauvignon Blanc ($9 to $11): Pronounced grapefruit and lilikoi fruit with a tinge of smoke. Refreshing acidity is well integrated with the rest of the wine, giving it a nice balance.
Interested in bargain reds? Check out the following.
2001 Montes Alpha Syrah ($20 to $22): Planted on hillsides on poor granite soil, these vines, originally from Rhone cuttings, are only 4 to 5 years old but produce some of the most amazing syrah around. Wild, wild nose. Fresh blueberry juice with smoke and spice following. Fruity, extracted, smooth and concentrated. The wine is wonderful now but has some ageability. Try this with black bean sauce, stews and braises, grilled food, pot pies or flavorful meats.
2000 Cousino-Macul Cabernet Sauvignon Antiguas Reserva ($13 to $15): With the 2000 vintage, Cousino-Macul has unveiled a new wine-making style very similar to a smooth, soft-tannin California wine. Highly concentrated, with lush fruit. Definite bang for the buck!
Jay Kam is president of Vintage Wine Cellar.
This column is a weekly lesson in wine
pairing written by a rotating panel of wine professionals.
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