Chile
Trip
Report
15th – 24th October 2011
Introduction
In October 2011 a group of 16 Masters of Wine
toured Chile with the support of Wines of
Chile. This was the first time in a decade that
the Institute of Masters of Wine had made a
study tour of the country’s wine producing
regions. The trip was led by Lynne Sherriff
MW, Chairman of the Institute.
Lynne Sherriff MW
The following pages provide their own reports
of their experiences in Chile, reproduced as
they supplied them to the Institute. The views
expressed are those of the individual authors
and should not be taken to represent the view
of the Institute of Masters of Wine.
Ascot, United Kingdom
London, United Kingdom
Rod Smith MW
Nice, France
Philip Tuck MW
Fergal Tynan MW
Manchester, United Kingdom
Contents
1. Terroir Seminar
Trip Participants
2. Falernia
Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW
3. Pisco Association
Brussels, Belgium
4. Maycas
Mark de Vere MW
5. Tabali
California, USA
6. Errázuriz
Mary Ewing-Mulligan MW
7. MOVI dinner
New York, USA
8. Leyda
Patrick Farrell MW
9. Garces Silva
California, USA
10. Matetic
Adrian Garforth MW
11. Wines of Chile
Twickenham, United Kingdom
12. Emiliana
Susan Hulme MW
13. Montes
Berkshire, United Kingdom
14. Casa Silva
Melanie Jones MW
15. Colchagua Generic
Gloucestershire, United Kingdom
16. Luis Felipe Edwards
Linda Jotham MW
17. Valdivieso
London, United Kingdom
18. O. Fournier
Peter Koff MW
19. J Bouchon
California, USA
20. Viñedos Chadwick
Jonathan Pedley MW
21. Santa Rita
Surrey, United Kingdom
22. De Martino
Philip Reedman MW
23. Almaviva
Adelaide, Australia
24. Concha y Toro
Igor Ryjenkov MW
Toronto, Canada
2
1. Terroir Seminar
Metamorphic rocks - example Schist/Gneiss,
found in Southern Chile
(Rod Smith MW)
Intrusive rocks - example Granite (of which
there are at least 15 types in Chile)
The opening seminar of the trip was an
enlightening introduction to the vineyards of
Chile given by Pedro Parra. Not restricted just
to the terroir of the country's vineyard valleys,
but also to the new developments that have
happened in the Chilean wine industry in the
last 20, specifically the last 10 years, which
have seen an influx of new, young
viticulturists and winemakers intent on
creating the best possible wines and not simply
satisfying the whims, financial aims, or
traditions of the companies and owners for
whom they work.
Extrusive (Volcanic) rocks - example Basalt,
and many more.
Secondly, rocks younger than 100 million
years:
Alluvial gravels - left by rivers and seas
Colluvial gravels - bought down from
mountains by rivers and seas.
(This appears to be of rather more importance
for Chilean vineyards than for almost
anywhere else, and was to become something
of a theme.)
Firstly, Pedro introduced himself. 41 years old,
12 years in wine, at first for Concha y Toro.
Pedro studied for his PhD, on Maipo Terroir,
in Paris at the INRO and in vineyard areas
throughout France, principally Burgundy and
Bordeaux, specifically, "Micro Terroir Units",
rather like those of Burgundy. The aim was for
him to be able to find some more places to
grow Cabernet Sauvignon to produce the wine
Don Melchor, the vineyards for which have
been reduced by some 40ha due to the
encroachment of the city of Santiago. Pedro
drew a parallel here with Pessac-Léognan and
Bordeaux.
Pedro then mentioned that in classic wine
areas, and in much of Chile, planting is done in
an expensive and time-consuming way, so it is
not only soil that is of importance in
understanding Terroir. For example, he
showed six different vineyard limestone soils,
including five great vineyard terroirs, but also
that of La Mancha.
The relative youth of winemaking means a lack
of experience in Chile. He is a big believer in
the quality of Schist, but currently in Chile
only 10ha are planted, and this despite land
costs being as low as $1000/ha. The subsoil
and rock is so important, Pedro asserted,
because the roots of the plant will only take
minerals from rock, and not soil. This led to a
lively debate and request for explanations. A
good vineyard, Pedro explained will need
"fractured active rock" for the microscopic
roots to take minerals, and microbiologically
rich topsoil for it to transport them to the
plant. Fergal Tynan commented that limestone
seems to be treated rather differently in
Argentina and Chile, and wondered what the
explanation for that was. According to Pedro,
there are many different limestone patches in
Chile, but the best full activated limestone has
been raised in the Andes, at altitudes of up to
6000m, and washed down to the valleys.
Nowadays the limestone profile is similar in
LimarÍ and, say, Altamira, but Argentina
probably has more active limestone.
Since returning from France in 2005, he has
started to consult for other wineries, as well as
establishing two projects of his own. "Aristos"
in Bio-Bio, where he lives (in Concepción),
with Louis-Michel Liger-Belair and François
Massoc (who he met in Burgundy), and "Clos
des Fous", both concentrating on Cabernet,
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. His ulitmate aim
is to make the vines grow slowly.
Pedro then made his presentation, which was
so well done that we requested a copy to be
sent to us as it explains its objectives more
clearly than any summary could. In essence:
Two types of rock. First of those older than 100
million years:
Sedimentary rocks - example Calcaire (which
as Pedro pointed out can also produce poor
wines. Given people's subsequent obsession
with limestone everywhere, this was more of a
warning precursor than we realised...)
Pedro commented that lots of vineyards in
Chile were planted primarily for ease and
3
convenience, limited frost risk, ease of
irrigation and so on. He pointed out that the
Chilean wine industry has largely developed
post-Pinochet (around 20 years), and that at
first there was far too much "Napa Copying",
which produced plantings that failed to suit or
maximise their terroir. Where Chile was left to
express herself, rather than copying something
else, was when the best wines have arisen. For
example, the maker of the best Chilean
Chardonnay had never even heard of, let alone
tasted, Premier Cru Puligny-Montrachet.
World. Chile, Pedro said, is too Santiago
focused, although I'm not sure this comment
was only in respect of wine...
Pedro's presentation then gave us a geological
map of Chile and he detailed the various rock
types to be found in each area, along with
some insights into where planting densities
were inappropriate and where soil that is
considered good can produce poor wine
through bad viticulture: "volcanic soil - where
it's not great, it's horrible."
We actually got a small foretaste of a battle-tocome when Pedro mentioned that the most
extreme recent planting has been made by Luis
Felipe Edwards on upper slopes of Colchagua
(a vineyard we were subsequently to visit) at
1000m, the highest such recent plantings in
the country. Although not the highest in
absolute terms as it transpired. These higher
altitude vineyards have the advantages,
compared to the older ones in the river valleys,
of shallower topsoils, slopes, cooler
temperatures, all making for more elegance
and better balance in the wines they produce.
Chile is, Pedro commented, the most
geologically active and diverse place on Earth,
but it just "lacks the culture".
Irrigation is essential in some places, but tends
to be overused in many instances, and is often
unnecessary. Now there is a big change in
mentality, rather like, he said, Spain after
Franco.
Someone asked, provocatively, "Are there
some terroirs not worth the effort?" this neatly
led to a discussion about 'value wines' and the
battle between winemakers, land owners,
corporate culture, share holders and the needs
of the market. The problem, from Pedro's
perspective is that Chile does not know how to
sell wine, and does not consume its best wines
locally. It is difficult to get an importer, and
expensive once you have. Many winemakers
don't actually like the best wines they produce,
and end up "losing" them in a blend. Gravel
soils are regarded as "easy" with a
homogeneity of wine style as a result. The Alto
Maipo is the best area for Cabernet Sauvignon
on gravel, and a good example wil be a blend of
around 40 different micro-terroirs.
Pedro remains unconvinced by the large-scale
planting of Cabernet Franc, but hopes it will
add complexity to blends involving Cabernet
Sauvignon, which can be very harsh in all but
the most appropriate gravel/clay terroirs. He
believes that Malbec will constitute a superior
blending component in this respect as
Carménère can dominate and tends toward the
green.
We were then treated to a tasting of four wines
that represented their particular terroir.
Amanya Sauvignon Blanc 2010 Leyda Valley
14.5%alc
At this point Pedro was asked to define
"terroir". He summarised it:
(around £13 retail/UK)
"No-one will pay much money for a
Sauvignon Blanc from Chile" said Pedro. This
is from a cool granite plateau near the sea, and
was picked one month later than any other SB
in Chile. We were not looking for the limestone
touches that were to become something of a
theme for the early part of the trip, this instead
had a richness that resulted from its later
harvest approach, and less apparent acidity
than was to come in the following days.
Soil is the primary consideration but climate
will give aromas and luminosity will alter the
temperature, for example cold climates were to
be found in ElquÍ and LimarÍ, as well as by
going either up into the Andes, or south (this
was proved very correct in the subsequent
days!). But he warned that lots of sun, when it
is cold, can lead to uneven ripening
physiologically versus sugar. The ideal for
quality is to have absolute ripeness at low
alcohol (oh yes!). But this is a global problem,
and not just Chile, or even only the New
4
Clos des Fous Chardonnay 2010 Alto
Cachapoal 13.5%alc
From two vineyards at 800 and 900m, the
latter planted by Ignacio Recabarren No MLF,
which was also to become quite a discussion
point subsequently on the trip, careful oak use,
and an excellent wine for its price point of £9.
O. Fournier Alfa Centauri 2008 Maule Valley
Cabernet Sauvignon (40%) Cabernet Franc
(45%) Merlot (15%) 14.5%alc
Around £13
Largely from old vines, some dry grown, and
with a dry, grainy tannin quality as well as
bright fruit, and good acidity. If only we had
known then quite how unique this wine was,
we might have remarked upon it.
Kai Carménère Errazuriz 2007 Aconcagua
Valley
86% Carménère 7% each Petit Verdot and
Syrah
Around £30
Massive colour and depth, still purple tinged
and not showing four years of age. Plenty of
oak (18 months, new, French). Deep black
cherry nose with some peppermint hints
(greenness?) and a massive, extracted palate,
residual sugar hints. Quite commercial, but
extravagantly layered and complex premium
wine.
Further useful information:
http://www.pedroparraterroir.com/
http://www.decanter.com/people-andplaces/wine-articles/483895/pedro-parrabreaking-new-ground
5
2. Falernia
mistakes) and the “different” work ethics (still
not quite smooth sailing) – it rained the Friday
of the precious week (an event so rare, we
heard about it everywhere we went in the
north) and the vines at the coastal area needed
to be sprayed right away, that is, on Saturday.
Giorgio was able to get 3 people to agree to
come out on the weekend to work, but one
simply did not show. Hardly anyone speaks
English. Growing pains.
(Igor Ryjenkov MW)
This is our 1st full day of the trip. We arrived at
La Serena after a short flight from Santiago.
On the approach to our destination those on
the right side of the plane can see that the preAndean ridges began changing their N-S
orientation to more NW-SE angle.
We spent the entire day in Elqui valley, Chile
northern-most wine region, visiting with
cousins Giorgio Flessati, who is in charge of
winemaking and sales of the Falernia winery
and Aldo Olivier Gramola, who is the President
of the operation. In the process we got to see
that what started as a “little project” but had
such a gravitational pull on Georgio, that he
felt compelled to leave his senior position in
Concilio winery in Trentino and moved half
way across the world. From the first day the
drive at Falernia has always been to aim high,
and do something for personal satisfaction.
Giorgio had a vision of creating Veneto style
wines e.g. Valpol, Ripasso and Amarone
inspired wines using Carménère, with
Sangiovese and Syrah in supporting roles.
Elqui Valley is unique in having E-W
orientation, with clearly defined maritime
effect in the western part of the valley. The
rainfall is only 80-100 mm a year (drip or
furrow irrigation is a must). The valley is at the
southern edge of a desert that did not see rain
for 300 years. The irrigation water is the
Andes melt and Elqui river, in the inland areas
using the still existing Inca aqueducts. The cost
of the irrigation is a significant factor, to a
point that the higher terraces in near-coastal
Titon vineyards were prepped but not planted
at all, as the cost of irrigating those, still
relatively low hills, proved too prohibitive.
However, the coastal area gets on-shore fog till
just before noon and the vineyards need to be
treated for oidium – we could see that the
leaves are actually wet. One of the wineries’ 4
vineyards – Titon (Titan) is located here. It is
18 km from the sea and has “only” 350m
elevation, with 10C lower temperatures during
the day than further inland. The cool
Humboldt current runs along the Chilean
shores and cools off the coastal area of the
country. White and cool climate reds are
planted here on granitic soils – SB,
Chardonnay, Riesling (2011 first crop), Syrah,
PN (mostly 777), RX and Torrontel. It is
always windy in Elqui due to the fact that the
valley opens to the ocean. The wind can be
quite stiff inland as the valley narrows away
from the ocean. That means that all the
treatments are most effective if applied at
night, thanks to less wind due to lesser
water/ground temperature differential. 3 other
vineyards, all of which we got to see, are
further into the valley, with increasingly
continental climate: one around the winery, at
First wine plantings for Falernia went into the
ground only in 1999, with all the vines planted
on their own root, as the pest pressure in Elqui
is low (although there are nematodes) thanks
to the isolation and the local conditions (arid
and low organic soil content). This allows
layering propagation, now pretty much extinct
in most other wine producing areas of the
world. Falernia was the first to plant wine
grapes in the area and still is the only winery
here (although there are other wine growers in
Elqui). There had been grapes grown in the
area, but only for Pisco production and the
varieties approved for it: PX, Torrontel, and 3
Muscats – Blanc, Pink and de Alexandria.
More recently, the area has succeeded in
cornering the export market for high quality
table grapes. Other crops in the valley are
citrus, avocado and Chilean papaya (which
needs to be cooked).
First 3-4 years after the start of the Falernia
they felt were very isolated, no one came to
visit at all. It is really no surprise as it is a
rather isolated area, with no apparent
thoroughfares. However, an award at the
Wines of Chile competition changed that, and
put them on the map, so to speak, although it
is still a bit of a trek for visitors. One of the
challenges from the beginning was the access
to skilled labor (a lot of hands-on learning and
6
515m, which is warmer and drier – Syrah,
Sangiovese, PX, Torontel and Viognier are
planted here. Next is yet further in-land, on
the old Elqui river bed, with Camenere and
Syrah and the last one at the narrow east end
of the valley at over 2000 m elevation, with
mostly old vine Torrontel.
On the way back we stopped at the last key
source for Falernia - Pedregal vineyard, that is
planted on the old Elqui gravely riverbed, with
Syrah and Carménère in the ground, the later
an ideal match for the soil (Aldo had diverted
the river to the side of the valley to make room
for the vines – Roman descendents meet Inca
know-how – water has to be harnessed, it is
just the way it is).
But before venturing further, we enjoyed
Giorgio’s and Aldo’s hospitality over the lunch
at the winery, and speaking of which – it is 5
mln l capacity, they do not use chips or staves,
harvested everything by hand, and sorting the
fruit at the winery .
We finished the day with the tasting, delicious
assado and the trip to the conservatory within
the Falernia vineyards.
We tasted 5 Falernia and 4 Mayu wines (the
latter is Aldo’s own project that Giorgio makes
wine for from the same vineyards). The wine
were of high standard, with personal highlights
of Falernia Syrah 2008 – textbook varietal
profile with the stern minerality of poor Elqui
soils, Mayu Torontel 2011, pretty, floral yet dry
with good acid, Mayu Carmener Reserve 2009,
60% of which underwent appassimento
process. Although I do not have the notes on
the prices, I recall that what was mentioned
sounded very reasonable for the quality of the
liquid.
We were greeted with cherimoya (custard
apple) juice, the fruit we will have seen more of
in days to come. That was a perfect refreshing
opener. The lunch consisted of delicious
cocktail shrimp ceviche, pan seared sea bass
with creamed spinach, and the sliced fresh
tomato, avocado. The closing chord was the
local cooked papaya, strawberry and ice cream.
The lunch wines were the Falernia’s dry PX
2011, SB 11, Carménère/Syrah Rose and Syrah
2009 Reserva, all from Elqui. I was partial to
PX, Rose and Syrah, on their own as well as
with the food, although, we had fans of SB at
the table as well.
The dinner was grilled beef and chicken and
the preferences were split almost evenly. The
last stop before the well earned sleep, was a
visit to the local observatory, and the rings of
Jupiter. What a day.
Couple of random points over lunch:
-
Falernia UK importers – Guy
Anderson and Enotrioa, with Empson
looking after the US.
-
Carménère loves gravely soil, thus
they have it planted on riverbed.
-
It costs $10,000 per ha to have the
table grapes netted protecting them
from the wind
We set out to see the furtherst inland point
where the Juanta vineyard is located, guarded
by a couple of pet llamas. This is at 2000m
above sea level and has the oldest PX vines.
The plants are still on older higher cordon
training, with furrow irrigation and remnants
of Inca aqueduct feeding the water to the
vineyard. It is a very arid landscape here, with
beautiful rock of different shades and lunar
like surface. One can see the Inka aqueducts
tracing the foot of the mountains by the only
path of green in sight along it.
7
3. Pisco Association
Following research into soil profiles with
consultants Eben Archer and others, LFE
began planting on slopes in 1998. Further
research established a beneficial meso-climate
at 900m, leading to plantings here in 2005.
Although the cost of working the slopes is
double that of the valley because of the need to
pump water up, the lower average daytime
temperature – 27°C, compared with 30°C on
the valley floor – is beneficial for grape quality.
Additionally, the many different altitudes
planted, the range of varieties that can be
ripened there and the varied vineyard
orientations, all contribute to greater fruit
complexity. High altitude plantings comprise
Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Carménère, Durif,
Malbec, Merlot, Mourvedre, Grenache,
Tempranillo and a small amount of Pinot Noir.
The company’s better quality Pinot Noir and
Syrah, and its Sauvignon Blanc and
Chardonnay, are grown in the cooler Leyda
vineyards.
(Linda Jotham MW)
In keeping with this being a family-owned
business, we were greeted warmly on the steps
of the winery in Puquillay, Colchagua by Luis
Felipe Snr. (Director and owner), his son
Ignacio (Director of North American markets),
sons-in-law Nicolas Bizzarri and Eugenio Cox
(respectively, Director of South American and
Far East markets and Head of Winemaking,
and Agricultural Director), together with their
colleague, Marjo Moilanen.
Luis Felipe explained that the lower area of the
estate was still in re-construction following the
2010 earthquake, which had destroyed the
tasting facility as well as his own house. We
would consequently be travelling by truck up
to 900m alt, to taste amongst the estate’s
highest vineyards.
Once disgorged from our trucks at 900m –
having stopped at 500m to view the
Hermitage-style plantings of Grenache and
Mourvedre – we tasted 14 wines, seated at
tables under the trees. The tasting comprised:
Sauvignon Blanc Marea 2011 and Pinot Noir
Marea 2009 from Leyda; LFE900 Blend 2008
and 2009; LFE900 Malbec 2009 and 2010; a
vertical tasting (2004-2007) of the estate’s
icon blend, Doña Bernarda, named after Luis
Felipe’s wife; and some 2011 tank samples of
Grenache and Mourvedre, much praised by the
MWs. Finally, we were privileged to taste Luis
Felipe Edwards Cabernet Sauvignon 1994, a
graceful wine of a welcome 12.5% alc.. The
product of 70-year old vines and
predominantly aged in concrete tanks with
very little oak, it was an illuminating
illustration of the potential longevity of
Chilean Cabernet.
Ascending to 900m
Over the noise of a convoy of suitably fourwheel-drive vehicles, Nicolas and Eugenio
explained that the estate as a whole comprises
1000ha: 350ha in Puquillay, 550ha elsewhere
in Colchagua and the balance divided between
Leyda, San Antonio (close to the Pacific) and
Maule. The company also buys in grapes from
about 50 growers. LFE was apparently the
fastest growing company in Chile over the last
six years and is now the country’s fifth largest
exporter, exporting much of its 2.4 million
case production to 51 countries. The UK is
their biggest market with mainland Europe
also very important.
Luis Felipe Edwards Cabernet Sauvignon
1994
Mid-garnet core with widening ruby rim,
generating beguiling aromas of leather and
cassis. A beautiful, rounded palate with all
elements perfectly balanced, flavours
reflecting aromas, and culminating in a
lengthy and gracefully harmonious finish.
8
Ready for tasting…
A delicious cold lunch was served on our
return to Luis Felipe Snr’s characterful new
home.
We look forward to tasting the finished 2011
Grenache and Mourvedre, which showed so
much promise; to following the development
of these promising varietals in the coming
years; and perhaps to re-tasting the 94
Cabernet on our next visit…
With many thanks to Luis Felipe Snr, his
family, Marjo and all others involved in
making our visit so memorable.
Mr Garforth, in full flow of thanks.…
9
4. Maycas
the morning mist from the coast. Vines are
cane pruned with approximately 5,500 vines
per hectare although there seems to be a trend
to increase planting densities in general.
(Philip Tuck MW)
Viña Maycas is situated in the Limari Valley
400km (a 40 minutes flight) north of Santiago
in the viticultural region of Coquimbo in the
4th region. Maycas means “piece of land” in the
ancient language of the Incas, whose empire
reached its southern border in this area.
This is certainly a cool climate area and this
was clear in the ten wines we tasted. All were
clean and crisp with the Chardonnay perhaps
showing the best potential. The wines fall very
much into the middle ground category with
little to suggest they will be producing super
premium wines in the near future. Certainly
they were not as good as those of our next
host, Viña Tabali. We were shown an
experimental sparkling wine as an aperitif to a
delicious lunch at the Hacienda Santa Carolina
next door. Again, work in progress with
interesting potential after 24 months on lees.
Initial plantings at Maycas, which is fully
owned by Concha y Toro, were in 2005 when
they acquired the holdings of Francisco de
Aguirre who was the first to really invest in the
region prior to 2000. There are still only 7
producers here. This windy, broad valley is
characterised by vineyards planted on largely
flat, poor, alluvial and coluvial soils with sandy
clay (25%) , loam (15%) and a significant
amount of calcium carbonate which they all get
terribly excited about, thinking it brings added
minerality to their wines. We are on the north
side of the Limari river where there is less clay.
Colluvial soils contain angular stones from
previous hillsides whereas alluvial soils
contain rounder stones originally part of a
riverbed. Both contain the magic CaCO3.
Being between 23 and 50km from the sea,
Limari has what they term a coastal climate
(Winkler 2) with plenty of cooling breeze from
the nearby Pacific. As elsewhere in Chile, the
vineyards get warmer the further east one
goes. Rainfall is very low at 80-100mm per
year only so this is a semi-arid environment
where irrigation is essential to grow vines.
However, this year’s influence from El Niňo
has bought 250mm!
There are approximately 1800 hectares of
vineyard in Limari today of which Maycas have
300 and Concha a further 400 for their other
brands. We were hosted for the morning by the
two winemakers, Javier Villarroel and his boss,
Concha’s main man, Marcelo Papa. We were
looking at a part of their GuebradaSeca (Dry
Creek) vineyards where they have Sauvignon
Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah
planted. It is too cool for Cabernet Sauvignon.
The popular rootstocks seem to be 110R and
SO4 north of the river and 1103 Poulson south
of the river. Phylloxera has now been found in
Chile so it is only a matter of time before it
begins to appear here. Oidium is also a
problem because of the humidity brought in on
10
5. Tabali
they have also recently acquired a very
promising new site near the coast at Talinay,
which has already become the source of their
top Chardonnay and Pinot Noir bottlings. This
coastal area is significantly cooler and is often
affected by the local Camanchaca fog. Tabali
have also recently started developing new sites
further inland at high altitude which will
include some new varieties for the winery
including Grenache and Mourvedre.
(Fergal Tynan MW)
Limari is the second most northerly of the
producing valleys (about a five hour drive
north from Santiago up the Pan - American
highway) or for us a little over an hour south
from La Serena (and Elqui).
The winery is in the middle of the valley and
here as elsewhere during the visit the
difference in this narrow country between the
climate in the east and west was marked. As on
the previous day in Elqui when the first stretch
of our journey through the coastal area was
cloudy and cool, we left an overcast La Serena
driving South for an hour and then turned
inland to drive along the valley – by the time
we arrived the sky was clear, the sun was
beating down but the strong winds that
characterise the valley were already building
The tasting was conducted by Felipe Muller,
the head winemaker who was also recently
appointed general manager. Stars of the
tasting were Chardonnay (especially from the
newly acquired Talinay vineyard). Pinot Noir
(again especially the Talinay wine) and Syrah.
The Chardonnays were unusually fresh and
elegant and the Talinay in particular displayed
memorable poise, elegance and minerality.
The Pinot Noirs were all good but again the
Talinay stood out, taut, linear with fine fruit unusually delicate and with well judged,
balanced oak. The Syrah from mid valley
vineyards showed a fine balance of bright fruit
and a distinctive savoury ‘garrigue’ character
which many in the group found in Syrah from
the northern valleys but occasionally to excess
– here it added complexity and the wines were
considered by most in the group to hold their
alcohol levels well (c.14%). The top Syrah,
Payen was partly fermented in barrel (30%). It
showed real depth and concentration whilst
retaining the hallmark freshness and bright
fruit of Limari. Overall the wines were very
consistent, marked out by unusually lively
fruit, bright pure flavours, relatively taut linear
structures and subtle use of oak. Oak use was a
hot topic throughout the ten days of the visit
but perhaps less so here where the levels were
held to be approaching balance (by something
resembling consensus, if such is possible in a
group of MWs) although a few voiced that they
thought oak influence could be reigned back
even further.
The strikingly modern winery at Tabali is built
into a ravine, the main part of the winery
(reception/presses/tanks) with fruit reception
on a higher level, presses just below and then
the main working area laid out on a large area
below this again - all of the tanks and the main
working area is outdoors (no walls but an eyecatching wavy roof structure) with a
subterranean barrel cellar. During the tour of
the cellar we were shown images of the nearby
Enchanted Valley (an important archaeological
site which borders the estate) and replicas of
some of the stone carvings and ‘Tacita’ stones
which provided the inspiration for the Tabali
labels.
The climate mid valley (around the Tabali
winery) is characterised by very low rainfall
with less than 100 mm per year on average, all
contained within the two or three months of
winter with clear skies for most of the year.
Limari is also marked out by its low maximum
summer temperature due to the strong coastal
breezes that develop through the day –
contrary to expectations it cooler here in
summer than it is in Santiago or in almost all
of the main growing areas further south with a
normal peak temperature during the day of 2528 compared to 30-33 in Santiago for instance.
The main vineyards at Tabali are around the
winery in the central part of the valley, a mix of
the usual main varieties grown here
(Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot and Syrah) but
As we had already discussed with Pedro Parra
on the first day, limestone is relatively rare in
main wine valleys and there is much interest in
the few pockets that have been found,
especially the alluvial limestone pockets in
Limari. Felipe explained that Talinay is a new
and very distinctive area within Limari – very
close to the coast but more than anything else
11
prized for its unique geology. This is an
isolated small valley within the coastal
mountain range where the bedrock is
limestone. This block of solid limestone is
quite different to the pockets of calcium
carbonate found in the main alluvial section of
the valley which were washed down as solute
over time from limestone sections in the high
Andes. Interestingly these alluvial pockets are
similar to the profile of Alta Mira in the Uco
valley on the other side of the Andes which is
also much in demand now. Felipe’s recounting
of the story of this new area illustrates much
about the pace of development in Chile and the
yet untapped potential. The Talinay vineyard
was planted speculatively by a local farmer
who was aware of the valley’s emerging
reputation for wine (almost all of the plantings
in the valley until the very late nineties were
Muscat and PX for Pisco) but this relatively
hidden area in the middle of the coastal
mountain range area had not been identified
by the any of the main players in the valley.
Having received a speculative phone call to
gauge his interest in buying in additional fruit,
Felipe told us he was intrigued to hear about
this significant planting in a completely new
area and agreed to visit. Realising the
significance of the find he was in the fortunate
position to be able to make an offer to buy the
whole estate. As evidenced by our tasting, this
site has in its first few vintages already
produced some fine wines. With a few years to
make some tweaks Felipe hopes it can deliver
even more, although he was realistic about the
time needed to achieve increasing refinements
and admitted that that the ultimate
assessment of the vineyard would need
another twenty years at least.
to location and the exploration of terroir in the
search for far higher quality, with many of the
best sites in the country only just planted and
many more yet to be discovered. That said, he
felt great progress had already been made, that
Chile’s top wines were already very good and
getting better, that the future would be much
more diverse but equally that it would take
time to draw out the real potential at the very
highest level of quality. It was a wide ranging
and very engaging presentation. Felipe’s broad
outlook, enquiring attitude, clear purpose and
quiet confidence bode well for Tabali and for
Chile.
In the course of the tasting Felipe gave a very
open and engaging assessment of the state of
the Chilean industry, its development over the
last 20 years and some of the emerging themes
and trends in the industry’s pursuit of quality
and identity. His main points were that it was
still a young industry (especially in terms of
the search for higher quality and fine wine)
and that his generation were lucky as the
industry was well resourced because the
country was doing well. He cited the large
number of well educated, well travelled and
very driven young viticulturalists and
winemakers actively focused on matching vine
12
6. Errázuriz
speaks for itself, and serves as a nice
conclusion:
(Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW)
Viña Errazuriz is one of the most noteworthy
and oldest wineries in Chile. Founded in 1870,
it was not until the 1990s that it became well
known in the world scene, thanks to Eduardo
Chadwick. He took over the company in 1983,
starting from a bankrupt business and
developing it into a major international quality
producer. They export now 95% of their
production. The key for the success is to be
found in the vineyards. From the beginning,
Eduardo’s idea was to produce premium wines
from his own vineyards, rather than buying
grapes.
Errázuriz’s seven major vineyard plots are
planted in the Aconcagua Valley, where the
thermal gradient follows does not follow
latitude but an East-West pattern: areas closer
to the Ocean are cooler than inland areas. The
main varieties planted in their 1200 ha are
Cabernet Sauvignon and Carménère, with bits
of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. For new
vineyards, Eduardo Chadwick, a pioneer by
nature, follows his own way. While the rest of
Chile is searching for the cooler areas, Eduardo
explores the warmer areas in the valley.
The best complement to excellent vineyards
being an excellent winery, Errazuriz are in the
second year of operation of a brand new
winery, a benchmark for state-of-the-art
quality winemaking: bioclimatic design,
gravity and circular movement patterns,
geothermal energy for air conditioning, tank
sizes adapted to vineyard plots…. and, beauty,
sheer beauty.
The result of all of this? Top wines such as
Seña and Don Maximiano, and a large
production of other valuable wines. Eduardo’s
ambition is to have his wines recognised as
part of the small family of the world’s best. His
marketing strategy is simple: having his wines
blind-tasted together with those considered to
be the best in the world. Eduardo took the
opportunity of the presence of a bunch of
Masters of Wine, organising a 12-wine blind
tasting for us. The theme was ageing potential,
and we were informed that there could be
European wines in the list. We were required
to rate the wines according to quality alone.
The list of the five top wines in the tasting
13
1.
Seña ’97
2.
Seña ’95
3.
Château Latour ’88
4.
Seña ’08
5.
Château Haut-Brion ’00
7. MOVI dinner
(Mel Jones MW)
We met some of the MOVI winemakers at
Espiritu Santo, a restaurant in the Cerro
Bellavista area of Valparaiso. This is a group
of independent wine makers who got together
three years ago, to “make wine personally, and
on a human scale”. Originally started with just
twelve members, MOVI now has over twenty
but is unlikely to exceed thirty five.
Membership is limited to hands-on
winemakers who “craft wine to reflect a
particular vision, beyond origin and terroir,
which are givens”, and membership is only
awarded after extensive tastings.
Our meeting with them was tremendous fun
and their enthusiasm infectious. While they
are serious about wine quality, they do have a
tongue in cheek air about them, something of
the Monty Python, which our hosts, Derek
Mossman (Garage Wine Co) and Ed Flaherty
(Flaherty Wines), appeared keen to promote.
This alternative style is an attractive USP but
we absolutely needed a list of wines because
time was wasted asking repeatedly for
information, which resulted in a noisy and
shambolic tasting.
Some members have winemaking day jobs, but
their MOVI work is separate, some have
completely different careers and really are
making their wines in the garage, and for some
this is the day job. Production levels are low.
MOVI’s top market is Brazil, and wines are
available in the UK at Naked Wines and
Bibendum, and in Denmark.
Personal wine highlights were: Erasmo 2004, a
beautifully evolved Bordeaux blend ($US30);
Garage Wine Co Carignan 2010, dry-farmed
and aged in old French and American oak,
with refreshing acidity and dark, liquorice
flavours; Von Siebenthal Montelig 2006
(Carménère, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit
Verdot) which was fragrant but also darkly
spicy; Meli Carignan 2009, which had a warm,
composty nose and lifted, slightly herbal,
palate.
14
8. Leyda
and then the mother rock). The newer
vineyard has a new management system to
implement what the winery learned so far – it
has higher density, aiming for the lower per
vine yield, in 1 – 1.5 kg/vine zone and better
ripeness. The area, being a virgin land for vine,
does not have nematodes. The soil was pretested prior to planting. Why the rootstock
then? Basically, to control the vigor and match
it to the site potential, e.g. in higher limestone
soil – better limestone tolerant stock. The
terraces contours define the row orientation to
capture the on-shore breezes. It is also hard to
work the slopes if the rows are planted against
the contour although on the lower aspects,
some vineyards in fact are planted up and
down. Everything is hand harvested. The
Maipo river is the main source of water. The
water is pumped to the ponds, allowed to settle
and neutralized, as otherwise it is quite heavy
and sediment rich, however it has a low nitrite
levels. It is then distributed to the vineyards.
Soil has neutral 6.5 pH and salinity is not a
problem. Water rights in the valleys are fully
subscribed, and sold by the government, but
one does not need to have physical access to
the water. The drip irrigation is at 0.3
ltr/sec/ha rate during the growing season of
November to February with about 1600 cube
meters (tons) of water per 1 ha consumption
per season. They use soil probes before
irrigation and to adjust the rate. They aim to
deeper soil profile irrigation to encourage
deeper roots. All varieties are trained to
double-guyot.
(Igor Ryjenkov MW)
This winery, the first in the area, got its name
before they stopped allowing the wineries use
the appellation/DO names for the wineries.
We were greeted by Raul Beckdorf,
commercial director and Cristobal Mujica,
viticulturist, who gave us the overview of the
key points of Leyda, the area and the winery,
in their vineyard overlooking river Maipo.
The Viña Leyda was founded in 1996 with
focus on the high quality wine production.
They were the first to plant in the valley, which
here-there-fore had been used to sheep
grazing. Leyda is a bowl-like valley with a
narrow outlet to the ocean in its north-east
corner. The grapes planted here are SB,
Chardonnay, PN, as well as Riesling,
Gewurztraminer and Syrah, all cool climate
suitable varieties. Viña Leyda has 250 ha of
total area with 35 ha of their total planted as
recently as 2004 on 3 terraces. They had to
build a 7 km water line from Maipo river to the
vineyards and the winery, as irrigation is once
again necessary with only 200mm annual
rainfall (which was 400mm 17-10 years ago,
we were told).The 100,000 cases the winery
produces are exported mainly to UK, US,
Brasil, Chile. The area has a low frost risk
being just 4 km from the ocean. 1st terrace has
10 ha planted with 6400 vines/ha density. It is
primarily alluvial and granitic soil here. In
total Viña Leyda has about 74 ha with 37 ha of
PN, 17 of SB, 5.5ha of Riesling, 10 of Ch and 4
ha of Sauvignon Gris. Botrytis and rabbits are
the key challenges in the area. Local village
Santo Domingo on the shore is the only close
“urban” spot in the area. This close to the
ocean, there is a near constant ocean breeze in
the vineyard (which we got to experience),
planted with all white, cool climate suitable,
varieties with PN the only red. The other
vineyard name El Granito, named for its
granite soils. It is not possible to ripen CS,
Merlot or Carménère here, way too cool for
those grapes. The vines planted mostly on
rootstock – SO4, 101-14, with 1 and 242 SB
clones, 1114, 777 Chard clones and more, to
address the combination of breezes and soil
minerality (alluvial, granite and clay-y
organically soils, not very deep, only 1 meter,
After the vineyard visit we were met for the
tasting by Viviena Navarrete, the Head
winemaker and Daniella Quezada, marketing
for the outside tasting near the in-vineyard
hospitality building.
Although it was a very sunny day, we certainly
got to feel the off-shore breezes that were
strong enough to tip over the glassware and
made it very chilly in the shade.
11 wines were tasted with entry level SB and
the PN range presenting the strongest case,
with my personal highlights of Pinots from the
SW facing, granitic Single Vineyard Las Brisas
2010 bottling (about $20 US) as well as the Lot
21 2010 ($30-35 US), both high level PNs and
good values in the respective price bands, if
15
still representing a bit of a challenge to
convince the global consumer of that.
16
9. Garces Silva
retaining great natural acidity. The
Chardonnay was again quite rich in style but
fresh. The oak level was a source of much
discussion but the fruit concentration and
complexity came shining through. The
highlight was a flight of older vintages of barrel
fermented Sauvignon which showed real
complexity with age. The Pinot Noir showed
the potential of the area for this variety, the
vines are still quite young (a mix of older
Chilean massale selections and more recent
French clones) but the wine had great depth of
flavour and that rare textural quality that hints
at even greater things to come as the vineyards
develop. The Syrah was outstanding, fragrant
red fruit and spice, the fruit profile
surprisingly reminiscent (to me) of a really top
flight modern Crozes or St Joseph.
(Fergal Tynan MW)
From the hill at Vina Leyda we could see the
Amayna winery and vineyards across the
valley. After a five minute journey we were met
by Matias Garces Silva (owner), Francisco
Ponce (winemaker), Ignacio Casali
(viticulturalist) and Mauricio Figari (general
manager).
We started with a quick tour of the vineyards,
some of the first to be planted in the Leyda
Valley in 1999. The estate is planted mostly to
Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot and Syrah. Of
particular note was a plot of Syrah planted
with 10,000 vines per hectare on a granite
outcrop - newer plantings aiming at top
quality in Chile are generally being planted at
higher densities and often on slopes (in the
case of Syrah) but very few at 1x1. The soil here
is divided between granitic hillside soils and
more mixed alluvial soils in the lower sections.
We looked at some soil profiles with Ignacio, a
hillside Syrah site with a very shallow organic
layer and then varying depths of red clay (with
a high iron content) to about 60cm over a
bedrock of heavily fractured granite. Cool
climate Syrah planted on granite soils here is
challenging the reputation of Leyda as an area
for Sauvignon and Pinot Noir.
We finished with a very relaxed lunch on the
terrace on a beautiful spring day with great
food, lively conversation and a chance to retaste the wines as they were meant to be
enjoyed. It was fascinating to get such a
detailed insight into the development of a new
area and a new winery, both forging their own
identity. We left this ambitious venture and
the Leyda valley keen to return soon to watch
the story unfold.
The gravity-fed winery is built into the hillside
with all of the fruit stored overnight in a cool
room before intensive sorting. Francisco is a
man driven by detail and the winery is one of
the cleanest and most ordered I have seen on
my travels, a great winery to work in with clear
flow, fully enclosed but with lots of natural
light and air. Every detail here has been given
great thought. Production is quite small at
about 15,000-20,000 doz. Notable
winemaking techniques include very long
prefermentation cold maceration on Pinot
Noir, in some years up to 20 days and fining
musts prior to ferment to reduce total
bentonite usage by about a third. The tasting
was led by Francisco and Matias and started
with Amayna’s benchmark Sauvignon Blanc
which was well received. Francisco attributed
the signature ripe and very intense style to his
dislike of any green flavours and a preference
for the richer, almost tropical style of
Sauvignon that Leyda can produce whilst still
17
10. Matetic
designed winery which incorporates what one
would expect from a quality orientated
business. Everything is gravity fed into small
tanks whose size corresponds to the grape
varieties, varying clones and diversity of
vineyard sites. Temperature control of the
fermentation vessels, storage tanks and barrel
cellar (which is stocked with 99% French oak)
is managed through a PLC. As a result,
everything that is happening as the vineyards
develop is carefully monitored and controlled,
although there is a clear emphasis is on noninterventionist winemaking.
(Adrian Garforth MW)
One of the highlights of the visit to Chile was
the discovery (for me at least) of the increasing
commitment towards sustainable agriculture
through the adoption of organic and
biodynamic farming practices. In this regard,
the visit to Matetic was a real treat, and proved
to be the touchstone to much animated
discussion on the importance and relevance of
biodynamics (see later) whilst the use of
innovative winemaking practises (below)
created near apoplexy amongst certain
Institute members.
The commitment to biodynamics may be seen
in some quarters as a sufficient USP but
innovation continues in the winery through
fermentation trials using the latest concrete
‘egg’ technology. I believe (although I could be
wide of the mark on this) that advice was
sought from Mr J. Pedley MW on the relevant
size, shape and concrete wall thickness, and
there was certainly considerable interest in
comparing traditionally barrel fermented &
matured Chardonnay with the same wine
produced in ‘egg’.
A little controversy is no bad thing in helping
raise awareness but given the sceptical nature
of the audience this could have proven to be a
double edged sword; thankfully the quality of
the wines was equal to the task with some
provocative styles and truly stunning creations
laid before us.
History
Established in 1999, the Matetic family
purchased land in the Rosario valley (a sub
division of San Antonio) because of its
agricultural potential. Working with
consultants Ann Kraemer and Alan York, they
soon established that the cool climate, low soil
fertility and limited water supply (a constant
challenge for Chilean vineyards) provided
ideal, yet challenging conditions for the
development of a biodynamic farm. Of their
10,000 Ha of land (spread over 4 estates) the
core vineyard is situated at Rosario in which
only 120Ha are in organic production with
70Ha fully accredited as biodynamic. The scale
of the farm therefore has created an enclosed
ecosystem in which the full winemaking
potential of their sustainable philosophy can
be monitored, controlled and exploited to
produce the best wines possible. Although they
initially experimented with 9 different
varieties, the likes of Carménère, Cabernet &
Viogner were soon shown the door, and
Matetic concentrated their efforts on Syrah,
Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc
to stunning effect.
I will at this stage try and refrain from all ‘egg’
based puns (sorry, I can’t help myself,
particularly as Michael Cox will be reading
this) but there was a lot of ‘eggcitement’ prior
to tasting followed by comments of
‘eggscellent’, ‘eggsquisite’ and in one case, I
The Winery & ‘The Egg’
Grapes are hand harvested to two sorting
tables before passing into the Laurence Odjfell
18
think sighs of ‘eggsasperation’ (Jonathan
Pedley perhaps?). Interestingly no-one asked
what they used to fine the wine.
Consumers will naturally follow provided that
the wines deliver on quality, but clearly we
need to be providing encouragement to all
wineries that embark on this path
The Wines
Which brings me neatly to the ‘Cheeps’
The history, biodynamics and innovative wine
making approach count for nothing unless the
wines deliver in the glass, hence we
approached the tasting with baited breath.
‘Cheeps’ – a small woolly animal used to
graze between the vines and control the cover
crop without compacting the soil between the
vines
The winery has segmented its wines into 3
distinct tiers but thankfully not on yet another
Riserva, Riserva Especial and Icon platform.
The EQ (short for equilibrium) offer of
Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir all
showed good typicity and clearly demonstrated
that this is a cool climate area with the
potential to produce wines of elegance and
finesse.
Coralillo (named after the original 100 year
old winery) had an excellent Pinot Noir and
also demonstrated why the winery has given so
much attention to the Syrah grape. The
Coralillo Syrah 2010 is a dry style, with good
structure, tight tannin structure and lean acid
backbone, plenty of black fruit character and
great minerality. It will be a delight to see how
this evolves. The EQ Syrah showed even
greater concentration and richness on the mid
palate
At least that’s what I thought I heard him say
Very many thanks to everyone at Matetic for
an enlightening visit and for the chance to
taste their excellent wines
Metatic is the single vineyard offer with a
limited production of approximately
300cases. Whilst relatively expensive, it is a
wonderfully intense wine showing greater flesh
and ripe silky tannins, but without
compromising the refreshing acidity, pure
Syrah fruit and long complex finish. It is a real
‘wow’ wine but one with depth and complexity
and potential to age gracefully.
At this stage in the tasting the debate opened
up to address the importance of organic and
biodynamic wines following the rather
boneheaded comments made by a senior UK
buyer that there was no interest from
consumers. I believe there was universal
agreement that sustainable agriculture (be it
for wine production or any other crop) is the
only way forward and that this will happen
through enlightened corporate pressure and
commitment, as witnessed, as an example,
through the tender proposals from the
Systembolaget, Vinmonopolet and Alko.
19
11. Wines of Chile Dinner
(Patrick Farrell MW)
A group of sleepy MWs were led by our
charming, Wines of Chile hostess, Gail
Thornton, and our ever-energetic Chairman,
Lynne Sherriff MW to a bistro/wine bar just
several blocks from the Radisson Plaza Hotel
in Santiago. The evening was both casual and
enjoyable as the drinks were beer and pisco
sours. A good time was had by all.
20
12. Emiliana
And the wines? We tasted from the Novas and
Signos de Origen ranges, and also Coyam and
Gê. Several of us agreed that the Signos de
Origen blend of Chardonnay/ Viognier/
Marsanne/ Roussanne was a very interesting
wine. It was heavily perfumed, with a spicy
and rich palate, but with well-judged oak and
balanced alcohol. Among the reds, colours
were rich and flavours intense. Alcohol levels
were pretty high at between 14.3 and 15.1, but
the wines had enough weight and fruit
intensity to appear balanced.
(Mel Jones MW)
Our hosts at the Los Robles vineyard, where
Coyam, Novas and Gê are made, were Alvaro
Espinoza (Winemaker Consultant) and José
Guilisasti (General Manager). In 1987
Emiliana split from Concha y Toro and the
family’s fruit farm business and by the mid 90s
had moved towards Integral Pest Management
and organic viticulture. José was
uncomfortable about the way that fruit farm
workers were badly affected by sprays and
Alvaro wanted to look after the land.
A memorable visit.
This way of farming, and of living, José
considers, takes ten years to show in the wines,
from switching over. All grapes are organic,
but only those for Gê and Coyam are
biodynamic. There’s a focus on worker
welfare, with each being given a home and a
vegetable plot (with mandatory tending on
Saturdays – traditionally a work-day in Chile).
The aim is for each farm to be a closed system
of production with minimum outside inputs.
All biodynamic preps are grown on that farm,
with deer bladder a by-product of deerhunting further south. The preps are the only
aspect that Demeter insist on and Emiliana
goes through certification partly for
commercial reasons, but also because the
system helps them structure their biodynamic
tasks. Care is taken to listen to cosmic
rhythms, so the Maria Tun calendar is strictly
adhered to. José considers that “plants are
cosmic panels, receiving information and
energy – if not, vines would budbreak in the
middle of winter”.
This vineyard sounds, looks and smells
different from others visited. There’s the
sound of wild birds, and hens, gloriously
brightly-coloured cover crops and a whiff on
the air of compost – or maybe it’s llama dung.
While the question asked by wine
professionals and consumers alike must be
“But does this make the wine better” that
doesn’t seem to be the point of the work at
Emiliana. They’re a public company and so
need to make a profit – the wines must be
good – but there’s very much a feeling that the
rightness of what they’re doing is at least as
important.
21
13. Montes
Carignan is planted. The finca has three soil
types:
(Mary Ewing-Mulligan MW)
It is Day 6 of our trip, and we are solidly into
our exploration of Colchagua. The drive to
Viña Montes takes us into Apalta, the section
of Colchagua that enjoys much acclaim for its
steep vineyards and mountain-grown fruit. As
we dine informally outdoors at the winery’s
café, at 200m altitude, dramatic hills frame the
vista. Dennis Murray, Viña Montes Export
Director, and Gustavo Hoffman, Winemaker of
seven years, greet us on our arrival and guide
us for the duration of our visit.

Sandy loam, deep and fairly moist;
ideal for Carménère

Colluvial soil rich in organic material,
for the medium to high vigor varieties

the very stony soil we see at the
calicata.
Cabernet Sauvignon vines had been planted in
that stony soil but their yield was too small —
3.5T/ha — and the berries became sun-burned,
resulting in poor quality as well as insufficient
quantity. The Cabernet vines were grafted over
to Carignan, which is very vigorous there; both
the infertile soil and the Cabernet Sauvignon
roots control the vigor of the Carignan,
however. The Carignan is a massale selection,
and yields 5T/ha at that site. Other recent
plantings include Grenache and Mourvedre.
Viña Montes is one of Chile’s most wellestablished wineries on export markets — the
wines sell in 105 countries — and most of us
are familiar with its wines. Our visit confirms
the broad, ambitious outlook of Viña Montes
and the success the company has already
achieved, while introducing us to new vineyard
sites being developed by the Montes team and
new varieties being cultivated. The visit
demonstrated that despite its success Viña
Montes maintains an open-minded and
adventurous outlook.
At 56m altitude, the vineyard is terraced and
recently planted to a density of 12,666
vines/ha to control vigor. The vines are staked
in a northern-Rhône inspired system. A grove
of trees separates two one-hectare parcels, one
planted with Grenache and the other with
Mourvedre. The plant material is from France.
The Vineyards
The Finca de Apalta, where the winery is
situated, is Montes’ main vineyard site, with
130 ha planted on slopes of 45 to 50°. The
winery also has 600 ha of land in Marchigue, a
hilly section in western Colchagua, close to the
coastal mountain range, where it grows
Carménère. Under a 20-year lease, Viña
Montes farms 40 ha in Leyda Valley, for
Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir, and it also
leases land in Casablanca for Chardonnay. A
relatively new development is a 45 ha vineyard
in Zapallar, in coastal Aconcagua, 7 km from
the sea; there Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and
Chardonnay grow.
The cost of planting one hectare is $20,000,
and thrice that on the slopes.
The Winery
Our tour of the winery focused on conceptual
design more than winemaking technique.
The Viña Montes winery was constructed in
2004. Its design was planned in accordance
with the principles of feng shui to orient the
building in its environment and incorporate
the elements of water, fire, metal, earth and so
forth, in a balanced manner. A moat of water
surrounds the building, for example; at the
very center of the winery, the water rises into a
silent, apparently still fountain, its liquid
surface as smooth as glass.
The slopes of the Finca de Apalta vineyards
rise approximately 400m higher than the
winery itself. Rainfall is 600mm/year, from
June to August. Drip irrigation is employed, in
a manner that stresses the vines.
At the entrance to the winery is a sculpture of
an angel, the winery’s mascot of sorts. Dennis
Murray related to us that four partners,
including Aurelio Montes and the late Douglas
Murray, started the business with only
$60,000 capital, and the image of the angel on
labels is credited with helping to bring success
Two open-bed trailers pulled by tractors took
us on a dusty, bumpy ride up the steep hills to
the site of two recently-established vineyards.
Vineyard manager Rodrigo showed us a
calicata, a soil profile hole, in a site where
22
despite the odds. The angel appears as the
winery’s logo and on many labels today.
o
Winery processes occur through gravity flow.
The winery has no crusher, and the grapes
crush themselves through gravity impact. To
fill the barrels, an impressive 5,000-liter
elevator-tank carries wine up two stories,
above the barrels.

The culmination of the winery tour is the
barrel room for aging Montes’ three most elite
reds — “M,” Folly and Purple Angel — all three
of which spend 18 months in new French oak.
Gregorian chants play 18 hours each day
through speakers, a practice inspired by the
work of Masaru Emoto, who espouses that
positive changes in water molecules can occur
with music and prayerful intention.
The Wines
Montes produces a wide range of wines, both
red and white, in several lines, as well as a
delicious rosé. These wines include varietallylabeled Cabernet, Merlot, Malbec, Carménère,
Syrah, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Sauvignon
Blanc. Our exploration focused on the highend wines, as well as new wines not yet
released. It included a vertical of Montes’
Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon, its groundbreaking
wine first produced in 1987 and a horizontal of
three icon wines in the 2005 vintage.
2011 “Limited Selection”
Sauvignon Blanc, Leyda Valley
(tasted with lunch)

2011 Montes “Cherub,” Rosé of Syrah,
Colchagua Valley (tasted with lunch)

2010 Montes Alpha Chardonnay,
Casablanc Valley, approx $25 retail in
U.S.
o

2009 Montes Alpha Syrah, Colchagua
Valley
o
90% Syrah, 7% Cabernet
Sauvignon, 3% Viognier
o
the Viognier is from
Marchigue; it is picked very
ripe, slightly raisined, and is
used for co-fermentation
o
Syrah is a point of pride for
the Montes team; Montes,
they explain, was the first to
plant Syrah on slopes and,
with Errazuriz, the first to
produce a Syrah wine
Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon, Colchagua
Valley: Vertical of 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007,
and 2009

90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot

First produced in 1987; “Was the first
low-yield, new French oak wine in
Chile”

Cold soak for one week at approx
10°C; total maceration time, 30 days;
12 months in French oak barrels; in
some years, need to acidify, but not
more than 1 gr/l

The vertical tasting showed an
evolution from a rather developed
2001 and a fairly oaky 2003 to a more
fruit-vibrant style in the younger
wines. One statistic of interest was the
escalation from 13.9 abv in the two
oldest wines to 14.5 abv in the two
youngest. (Discussion of alcohol levels
occurred later, during the tasting of
the icon wines.) One MW praised the
wines for their silky mid-palates,
unusual in Cabernet. Gustavo
Hoffman responded that it is Montes’
style to have soft tannins. “Normally
Chile makes very structured wines, but
we pump-over rather than punch
down, enabling the tannins to
polymerize and feel round.”
Overview Wines:
o
About 35 to 45% of this wine
ages in French oak, one-third
new, one-third second use,
one-third third use
The style of this wine has
changed in the past five years;
it is now fruitier and less oaky
than previously; 40% of the
wine spends 12 months in new
French oak, and half of that
component undergoes ML
2010 “Limited Selection” Pinot Noir,
Casablanca Valley, approx $18
23
Horizontal 2005 tasting of Montes’ icon wines



In Montes’ case, alcohol levels
have risen because of less
irrigation in the vineyards
o
Montes is against RO and
spinning cone, believing that
these processes are not
natural and destroy the wines
2005 Montes “M,” Santa Cruz/ Apalta
Vineyard
o
80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10%
Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc,
5% Petit Verdot
o
14.9% abv
o
Characterized as elegant and
soft
Montes “Outer Limits” line

These wines are not yet on the market.
They represent “a completely different
style of wine for Montes” and “extreme
winemaking, from rare varieties or
from terroirs that are extreme due to
their cold temperatures or high
altitude”

2011 Outer Limits Sauvignon Blanc,
Aconcagua Valley, Zapallar
2005 Montes Folly, Santa Cruz/
Apalta Vineyard
o
100% Syrah, from a vineyard
on a 45° slope
o
Folly is an idea as opposite as
possible from Montes’
philosophy, Dennis Murray
remarked — hence the wine’s
name. The 2003 Folly is, he
believes, the best Montes wine
ever
o

o
A low-yield, powerful wine,
15.3% abv
2005 Purple Angel, Apalta and
Marchigue Vineyards
o
92% Carménère, 8% Petit
Verdot
o
half the Carménère is from
Apalta (“soft, elegant”), and
half from Marchigue
(“muscular and more
powerful”); the heat
accumulation in Marchigue is
as high as that of Apalta, but
the wind is four or five times
stronger during the growing
season, resulting in thickerskinned, more tannic berries.
o
14.9% abv
o
Several MWs praised this wine
for its alcohol-acid balance.


General discussion: Why are the
alcohol levels so high?
o
High alcohol is a problem
across the whole Chilean wine
industry
24
o
To be released in 2012, approx
$30
o
12 hours of skin contact, 13%
abv
o
Intensely aromatic, citrus and
herbal; rich and yet very lean
2010 Outer Limits Pinot Noir,
Aconcagua Valley, Zapallar
o
Yield is only 1.5 T/ha
o
Will sell for $60
o
14.4% abv
o
Shows very pure fruit
character and good structural
definition.
2010 Outer Limits CGM, Colchagua
Valley, Apalta vineyard
o
50% Carignan, 30% Grenache,
20% Mourvedre
o
Grenache vinified and aged
only in tank; other two
varieties receive oak treatment
o
Price not yet determined
o
14.9% abv
o
Shows great balance of fruit to
tannin
Summary
The visit to Montes was one of the most
interesting of the trip. Our up-close look at
young vineyards high in the hills was
revelatory, and the tractor ride to and from
those vineyards was unforgettable. The serene
winery itself is one-of-a-kind in Chile. Our
tasting was obviously arranged with special
care; through it were we able to appreciate the
impressive success that Montes enjoys today,
as well as the driving spirit that leads the
winery to new regions, new grapes and new
vineyards. Finally, the personal warmth of
Dennis and Gustavo was exceptional.
Our final memory is that of an eminently
successful winery that, ever the pioneer,
continues to break new ground.
25
14. Casa Silva
We had a delightful dinner in the restaurant,
which looks out over the polo field. Dinner was
accompanied by Casa Silva wines, including
Altura. Our hosts were genial and generous
and we got back on the bus, replete with food,
wine and hospitality.
(Peter Koff MW)
We arrived at Casa Silva in the early evening
before dark. Casa Silva has a winery, naturally,
but also a luxury hotel and widely respected
restaurant. Aside from wine, Casa Silva is
famous for its Caballos Chilenos, Chilean
horses, a recognized species. We were treated
to a display of precise horseback riding in a
special purpose ring, set in a copse of very
thin, needle straight Eucalyptus trees 70’ to
80’ high. This was accompanied by finger food
and wine, including a refreshing 2011
Sauvignon Gris. In the background, we could
see a couple of riders practicing polo on a
manicured polo field. We are all aware of the
passion the Argentinians have for polo but the
Chileans are right there with them.
We moved from there to the winery, which
dates back to 1892 and is situated in the
narrow Angostura region of Colchagua near
San Fernando. The Angostura region is
hemmed in by the nearby Andes and the
coastal ranges. There have been building
additions over the years and, as you advance
through the winery towards the hotel, it
becomes increasingly older. Some winery
space is dedicated to a motor car collection
displaying a range of interesting cars including
Porsches, American “muscle cars” and cars
harkening back to the “gangster years.” After a
tour of the winery, we were ushered into a
lovely room to taste some wines. The winery is
owned by the Silva family. In its history, the
property was divided and much of it was sold
off. More recently, the family set about
reconstituting the estate, repurchasing most of
the parts that had been sold off. In 1997 they
decided the wine quality and potential were
such that they should end sales of bulk wine
and bottle the wine under their own label. The
family also has vineyards in Los Lingues, and
Lolol close to the Atlantic Ocean.
To ensure quality, decisions on what to bottle
and sell are made by a panel of 5 winery
personnel and must be unanimous. A range of
wines is produced under the Dona Dominga
and Casa Silva labels. Then there are two wines
under the Quinta Generacion label, and finally
a single and very expensive wine – Altura.
26
15. Colchagua Generic
been a bit hit and miss during the trip, in a rich
but balanced style which maintained elegance
despite its depth.
(Rod Smith MW)
Hotel Santa Cruz, Colchagua
Viu Manent El Incidente 2008 Colchagua
(87% Carménère, 11% Malbec, 2% Petit
Verdot) was powerful and closed to the aroma,
but its $50 price tag was justified by the depth
and concentration of flavours within, coupled
with a velvetty texture of tannins in the mouth.
Gail Thornton of Wines of Chile presented a
selection of wines from around the country,
including a couple we had already tried, and
across a selection of origins, styles and
varieties, and prices (although not the very
inexpensive).
Tierra Vientos Cabernet Franc Limited 2010
Cauquenes Valley was a good inexpensive
example of this grape that many had felt a little
overused in Chile, especially when presented
as a varietal wine, offering juicy crunchy fruit
flavours and no harshness.
Given how tired the rest of us were feeling by
the Friday of the trip, the fact that Gail
remained enthusiastic and continually happy
this Friday morning is astonishing. The rest of
us had enjoyed something of a lie-in, or at least
a relatively late start that allowed for work or
exercise, whilst Gail had been up as early as
ever preparing, arranging and opening
samples and printing tasting lists and so on
(which included all the relevant information
we needed). A very big thank you to her. Not
one out-of-condition sample bottle was left for
us to discover.
The most expensive wine in the tasting, Viña
la Rosa Don Reca Cuvée 2009 Cachapoal was
a bruiser of a wine, in a modern style with
great power and massive extract, although to
my mind it slightly lacked a degree of elegance
that its $125 price tag seems to warrant, but
nevertheless it is a powerhouse, and well
made.
There were 41 wines to taste in all, although
trying every one was not ‘compulsory’, most of
us did. (It was then to prove to be a 91 wine
day altogether for those of us that did…)
There were some notable problems with a
handful of the wines, mainly of reduction, but
on the whole the tasting line-up was all of
good, consistent quality. A positive sign for
Chile.
The highlights (for me) included:
Emiliana Signos de Origen Blanco 2010 (65%
Chardonnay 20% Viognier, 11% Marsanne, 4
Roussanne) which we had tried previously
with Alvaro Espinoza and was very popular
then, as well as a number of other Emiliana
wines that we had not and which were also
very good, especially the Novas Viognier 2010
A trio from Santa Carolina, not otherwise part
of the trip, showed very well: “Specialities”
Chardonnay 2009 (very ripe, rich, oaky but
balanced) and Carignan 2008 (spicy,
chocolatey and earthy, layered and complex),
and their top cuvee “VSC” 2008 an Alto Maipo
blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (80%)
Carménère (15%) and Syrah (5%) which was in
an arm-breakingly heavy bottle, but even at
$35 was an excellent wine for the money.
Ventisquera Herú Pinot Noir 2009 Casablanca
sported a label with what appeared to be a
“sorting hat” and was quickly referred to as
Herú Potter. Although expensive ($42) this
was an excellent example of a variety that had
27
16. Luis Felipe Edwards
(Mark de Vere MW)
Report to follow.
28
17. Valdivieso
quantity of the next vintage into the base wine
and bottled half the volume. The system
continues to this day with half the volume
being bottled and the remaining wine being
matured in barrel.
(Phil Reedman MW)
Vina Valdivieso was founded in 1879 as a
producer of sparkling wines and remains the
dominant producer of sparkling wines in Chile
with a 60% share of the market. It was not
until the late 1980s that Valdivieso began to
produce still wines. The half a million cases of
sparkling wines account for approximately
55% of total production. Valdivieso has little
presence in the domestic market for its still
wines with 97% of its 400,000 case production
exported.
Five Caballo Loco were tasted; numbers 3, 4, 6,
12 and 13. The older releases were showing
maturity but each showed the layered
complexity resulting from the multi-varietal,
multi-vintage approach to winemaking.
Caballo Loco No 12, the current release and a
blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot,
Carménère, Malbec and Cabernet Franc,
displayed bright, primary fruit, decidedly wellintegrated oak and background notes of
mushroom and leather, characters one
presumes are derived from the older elements
of the blend. Caballo Loco No 13, not yet
released, displays the marque’s characteristic
complexity and layered flavours although the
oak component is not yet fully integrated with
the fruit.
The visit commenced with a tasting in the
barrel hall, led by winemakers Brett Jackson
and Harold Pinter, of barrel samples from the
2011 vintage showcasing a range of varieties
and regions. Of particular note in this tasting
were the following:
A wild ferment Sauvignon Blanc from Leyda
which had fermented in one and two year old
500 litre French oak barrels. Clear varietal
characters underscored by a subtle, textural
oak character shows how barrel fermentation
can add interest to Sauvignon Blanc.
This was an excellent visit which saw us
greeted with coffee on arrival, printed tasting
sheets and a thoughtful selection of wines. The
visit concluded with the excellent hospitality
with which it had begun when we enjoyed a
fine dinner overlooking the La Primavera
vineyard.
A Cabernet Franc from Sagrada Familia
planted in the 1920s. This dry-farmed
vineyard clearly shows the benefits of well
managed, old vine fruit resulting in a wine of
great poise and bright varietal character.
Notes on taxonomy and nomenclature:
The cyst stage of this species was first
described as a nematode, Heterodera vitis
Philippi, and only later as an insect
Margarodes vitium Giard. It is often referred
to by the latter name in publications from
South America.
Three Syrahs from Aconcagua, Colchagua and
Limari showed distinct varietal characters and
regional differences. Evidently Chile has a
great deal of potential with Syrah and there is
an opportunity to produce a broad range of
styles from the more elegantly structured
Limari to the robust style of Colchagua.
After the barrel sample tasting Valdivieso
shared a comprehensive range of their bottled
wines including a vertical line-up of the
Caballo Loco red.
Caballo Loco (Crazy Horse) is a non-vintage,
blend of varieties produced by a solera-style
system. What appears to have been a
serendipitous accident some years ago when
sales of a particular blend did not meet a
forecast meant that a portion of the wine was
left in barrel for an additional year. The
winemaking team of the time blended an equal
29
18. O. Fournier
(Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW)
The Spaniard José Manuel Ortega Fournier is
one of those passionate people that, in one
moment, decided to convert their activities
from top-money businesses into top- value
wine making. While many others invested
their wealth in glossy wineries and hightechnology irrigated vineyards, Mr. Ortega
Fournier looked for old vines and understated
terroirs. As a banker, in the best style of global
players, he searched and found in three
countries: Ribera del Duero in Spain, Uco
Valley in Argentina and, since 2007, Maule
Valley in Chile.
O. Fournier’s Chilean holdings consist of two
plots totalling 60 ha, planted with Cabernets,
Merlot and Syrah, plus a small area dedicated
to Sauvignon Blanc. They also buy grapes from
other regions, upon quality-oriented
conditions: fixed price per ha, rather than per
kilo of grapes and supply contract with
detailed technical specifications for viticulture.
Their vineyards are spectacular, with
extremely old vines producing very little fruit
and showing most impressive contoured
shapes. They are so delicate that they cannot
be worked mechanically; in some plots horses
are used to labour the soil. Vineyards are
cultivated dry, with no irrigation.
The combination of a fresh climate with
enough rainfall and very old vines results in
wines of delicacy and complexity, even at entry
levels. Their ‘Urban’ series was highly
appreciated by most tasters, and considered by
some of them as under-priced. Up the ladder,
we were positively impressed with the Centauri
‘08, a smooth and powerful Carignan-based
blend and the Alfa Centauri 2008, complex
and deep Cabernets-based blend. The O.
Fournier, their top wine, is a blend of 80%
Cabernet-Franc with Cabernet-Sauvignon and
Carignan, that showed extremely fine grain,
lively and elegant fruit, and a most promising
potential for ageing. A great wine indeed.
30
19. J Bouchon
Patrick Valette has a specific regime for this
wine: the vines are encouraged to carry a
slightly heavier crop, the harvest is a little
earlier than normal and the juice is liberated
by direct pressing.
(Jonathan Pedley MW)
The MW group was met by four members of
the team at J.Bouchon:




Julio Bouchon
Brian Pearson
Pedro Iribarren
Patrick Valette
Merlot Reserva, Maule, 2010, 14%
Deep purple core. Crunchy black cherry and
blueberry fruit. Dry, low acidity, warm alcohol.
Some toasty oak. Slightly dry tannins. Mid
length.
Julio gave a brief history of the estate, which
was founded by his great grandfather in 1890.
Given that the founder was from Bordeaux, it
is somehow appropriate that Patrick Valette,
whose family used to own Château Pavie, acts
as consultant winemaker.
Carménère Syrah Reserva, Maule, 2010, 13.5%
Deepish purple. Dark berry fruit. There is a
sappy note. Dry, lowish acidity, mid bodied.
Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva, Maule, 2010,
13.5%
It was Julio’s father who actually started to
make wine, before that the property had sold
all of its grapes. The first bottled wine was
released in 1995.
Mid pink. A bit sappy and vegetal on the nose.
Dry, lowish acidity, mid bodied. Some
tannins. A bit simple. Shortish finish.
Key export markets include Russia, Canada,
Netherlands, Germany, UK and Ireland.
Marketing is focused on the on-trade.
Barrel Fermented Sauvignon Blanc, Maule,
2009, 13.5%
Mid gold. Some roasted and toasty notes. A
touch of green fruit. Dry, highish acidity, mid
bodied. Mid length. This wine is branded “Las
Mercedes”.
Three wine ranges are produced: Reserva,
Reserva Especial and Premium.
The vineyards are planted at relatively high
density with between 5000 and 8000 vines per
hectare. Very little irrigation is used. The aim
is to limit vine vigour.
Malbec Reserva Especial, Maule, 2009,
14%Deep purple. Some dark fruit but not very
complex. Dry, low acidity, mid-full bodied.
Shortish finish.
The estate is trying to make wines that have
freshness. Hence the harvest date is not too
late.
Carménère Reserva Especial, Maule, 2009,
13.5%
The following wines were tasted:
Deepish pink. A bit closed on the nose. Some
green notes. Dry, mid-full bodied, a touch of
tannin.
Sauvignon Blanc, Maule, 2011, 13.5%
Very pale lemon. Light, simple and clean.
Restrained white fruit. Dry, mid acidity,
lightish bodied. Mid-short finish.
Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva Especial, Maule,
2009, 14%
Unoaked Chardonnay, Maule, 2011, 13.5%
Mid-deep pink ruby. Some dark fruit. Dry,
lowish acidity, mid-full bodied, softish tannins.
Palish straw. Fresh and clean. Subtle peach
and mango notes. Dry, highish acidity, midlight bodied. Pleasant but not particularly long
on the finish.
Las Mercedes Ensamblaje, Maule, 2008, 13.5%
Mid-deep pink. A big hit of oak followed by
some jammy fruit. Dry, lowish acidity, midfull bodied, some dry tannins. Sweet fruit is
present but rather dry on the finish. This wine
is a blend of 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40%
Syrah and 15% Malbec.
Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé, Maule, 2011, 13.5%
Mid orange salmon. Elegant and pure on the
nose. Dry, high acidity, light bodied. Decent
fruit on the palate. This was one of the most
successful rosés tasted on the whole trip.
Mingre, Maule, 2008, 14%
31
Mid-deep pink purple. A little understated on
the nose at first but some dark fruit notes
come through. Dry, low acidity, mid-full
bodied, warm alcohol, a touch of tannin. Mid
length. This wine is a blend of 32% Syrah,
30% Malbec, 20% Carménère and 18%
Cabernet Sauvignon.
After the tasting lunch was taken outdoors. A
booklet of photographs showed how badly
damaged this property was by the recent
earthquake. Clearly a huge amount of
restoration work has been undertaken to
return it to its former state.
32
20. Viñedos Chadwick
lot of leaf plucking in this site as a matter of
course. Now the leaf removal is done in a
much more careful manner with some leaves
from the inside and the middle of the canopy
being removed. This has resulted in slightly
higher acidity levels in the grapes, but less
alcohol. Barley is used as a cover crop to
absorb humidity and to control vigour. The
approximate yearly rainfall is around 400mm.
In this area frost is a risk and in September
2011 there was a frost, and in 2010 there was a
frost as late as November. Overhead sprinklers
are used to minimise this risk. If one
compares this to the region of Casablanca,
where Chadwick also has vineyards, it is
common to have 3-5 frosts in any one year.
(Lynne Sherriff MW)
For me the visit to Viñedo Chadwick was one
of the highlights of the trip, not least for the
quality of the wines, but more especially for a
lively and spirited presentation in the
vineyards by Francisco Baettig, the winemaker
for the Errazuriz Group. These vineyards are a
tribute to both Eduardo Chadwick, but also to
his father, Alfonso. Eduardo's father, Alfonso,
was a world class polo player and was captain
of the team when Chile won the World Cup.
In 1992 Eduardo convinced his father to
uproot the polo field which was on the
property, and to plant 20 hectares to vineyard.
This was done with the polo posts remaining; a
tribute to a former polo field. The vineyards
were planted in 1992, and in 1999 the first
wine was made under the Viñedo Chadwick
label. Today 15 hectares are planted, 12 of
these to Cabernet Sauvignon. The vineyard
itself is particularly close to the Andes, and is
therefore too cool a region for Carménère. In
2005 some Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and
Merlot were planted. These three varieties
have not yet been included in the blend, as the
vines are considered too youthful, and the
variety not complex enough to go into the final
wine.
A JCB had been used dig a hole in the soil in
order to give the group an idea of the soil
profile. The soil here is mainly alluvial with
deposits from the Maipo River. The best soils
on this property have a higher proportion of
rocks and stones with organic matter on the
surface. Francisco also commented on the
differences between vintages, which although
might not be as marked as they are in the old
world, are still quite significant. An example of
cooler years were the vintages 2010 and 2011.
Examples of warmer years were the vintages
1999 and 2003. Today most plantings are done
with root stocks to ensure protection against
phylloxera.
Most of the vineyard is spur-pruned, with just
a small section of the vineyard planted to cane.
The cane and the spur prunings are harvested
separately, and the vineyard itself takes 2-3
weeks to complete harvest.
The irrigation regime is such that irrigation is
practiced once a month until November.
Towards the end of December or beginning of
January a marginal top up might be needed in
the case of very hot seasonal weather.
The vineyard is planted east/west. In warmer
years the sunlight side in the morning or
afternoons are harvested separately, and
sometimes there is one week's difference
between the two sides. In warmer years the
fruit from the south side, which is fresher, is
preferred. In cooler years, such as in 2010 and
2011, the fruit from the north side and south
side is harvested together. Nets are used for
protection against too much sunlight on the
north side in warmer years.
Asked to comment on the performance of
young vines by varietal, Francisco mentioned
that young Carménère often showed a high
aromatic profile of pyrazine, whereas very
often good wine can be made from young
Syrah with Cabernet Sauvignon being
somewhere in the middle of the two. His
experience in Chile is also that Pinot Noir
needs age in the vineyard to show well,
whereas Sauvignon Blanc often produces fine
wine from very young vineyards.
Francisco Beattig was very honest with the
group and said that in the case of any new
plantings in these vineyards, he would have a
preference to actually use north/south facing
vineyards. He also added that they used to do a
We were then showed the Polo Room, which is
divided into two sections:

33
one a tribute to Alfonso and all his
polo achievements

the second to the wine achievements
of Viñedo Chadwick
There is some amazing photography of the
Berlin tasting, which had the following results:











1st place Viñedo Chadwick 2000
2nd Sena 2001
3rd Chateau Lafite 2000
4th Chateau Margaux 2001
5th Sena 2000
6th Viñedo Chadwick 2001
7th Chateau Margaux 2000
8th Chateau Latour 2000
9th Don Maximiliano 2001
10th Chateau Latour 2001
11th Solaia 2000
There were three wines tasted:
1.
1999 Viñedo Chadwick - this wine was
in great condition, and although
showing signs of sous bois, it was
complex, multi layered and with a very
long finish.
2. 2001 Viñedo Chadwick - this wine is
still quite youthful on the nose, and
quite subdued. It is still very fresh for
2001 and has plenty of life left in it.
3. 2007 Viñedo Chadwick - this wine
showed an incredible depth of
aromatics with complex linear fruit
and a very long finish.
Francisco mentioned that the 2007, which was
a cooler vintage, was one of the best he had
thought he had made. This particular vineyard
visit was marked by a healthy balance between
an explanation of what is done in the vineyards
and then the tasting of some truly superb
wines.
34
21. Santa Rita
aromatic bouquet of red fruits, berries and
black pepper. The palate seamlessly combines
these primary fruit and spice elements with
carefully managed oak and fine structural
tannins to produce a wine which will develop
well for at least ten years.
(Phil Reedman MW)
Established in 1880 in the Alto Jahuel region
of Maipo, Santa Rita is today owned by the
Claro Group. With 3000 hectares of vineyard
in Limari, Colchagua, Maipo and Curico Santa
Rita is one of the largest wine producers in the
country.
Casa Real 1997, 2002 and 2007
We were treated to a vertical tasting of Casa
Real, the Icon Cabernet Sauvignon of Santa
Rita which was first produced in 1985 from an
8.7 hectare vineyard block close to the winery
in the Alto Jahuel section of Maipo.
Approximately 2000 cases are made each
vintage by Casa Real’s long-term winemaker
Cecilia Torres.
Santa Rita produces a large range of brands
but chose to concentrate our tasting on three
of their flagship wines: Pehuén, Triple C and
Casa Real.
The tasting was conducted out of doors on the
patio of the Museu Andino, the late Ricardo
Claro’s astonishing collection of preColumbian art.
The 1997 vintage displayed excellent maturity
with a tea leaf and leather aromas
complemented by a palate of floral characters,
fine tannins and a persistent finish.
Pehuén 2007. Apalta.
95% Carménère, 5% Maipo Cabernet
Sauvignon
2002 Casa Real was for me the pick of the
three vintages for current drinking; primary
fruit still showing though the added
complexity of bottle developed aromas and
flavours gave the wine extra dimensions of
interest. A vintage which should continue to
develop for another decade.
Apalta (see Montes visit) is a sub-district of
Colchagua and renowned for its Carménère.
Soil, slope and relatively high winter rainfall,
circa 700mm p.a. combine in Apalta allowing
Carménère to ripen.
Dense purple colour with smoky and dark
berry aromas. The palate is smooth with
extremely fine-grained tannins, cassis,
mulberry and coal tar. An extremely graceful
example of this variety it combines power with
responsibility to give a wine of elegance and
persistence. Arguably too youthful to drink
now, Pehuén 2007 has at least a decade of
maturation ahead of it.
2007 Casa Real is in the first flourish of youth
and in its fruit-filled richness very tempting to
drink now though one suspects that the great
balance between fruit, tannin and oak will
make this ultimately the best of the three
vintages.
Post the wine tasting we visited Santa Rita’s
vine and rootstock nursery which has been
established to provide the company with
appropriate rootstock and scion combinations
for their vineyards. Planting on rootstocks is
increasingly common in Chile to manage
vigour and to combat nematodes. Santa Rita
has imported a number of rootstocks and
clonal selection scion material to add to the
relatively limited assortment currently
available in Chile.
Triple C 2007, Maipo Valley
Triple C refers to the varietal composition of
this wine; a blend of Cabernet Franc (65%)
Cabernet Sauvignon (30%) and Carménère
(5%). It is refreshing to see Cabernet Franc
accorded the respect that it can deserve.
As was a feature of the all the wines we tasted
here, oak was not a dominant character in the
wines despite them having been matured in
new oak for extended periods. The practice of
allowing fruit to show over the oak is to be
encouraged.
A key discussion point during the nursery visit
was of the Margarodes, a vine pest said to be
similar to phylloxera. Santa Rita viticulturist
Sebastian Warnier explained that the company
was experimenting with the use as a rootstock
of the vitis vinifera variety Romano which is
Triple C 2007 is still showing primary
characteristics; deep purple colour with
35
resistant to Margarodes, though a producer of
wine of poor quality. Research is on-going.
For clarity, see
http://www.eppo.fr/QUARANTINE/insects/
Margarodes_prieskaensis/MARGSP_ds.pdf
Name: Margarodes vitis (Philippi)
Synonyms: Coccionella vitis (Philippi)
Margarodes vitium Giard
Sphaeraspis vitis (Philippi)
Taxonomic position: Insecta: Hemiptera:
Homoptera: Margarodidae
Common names: Ground pearls,
margarodes (English)
Cochenille du Chili, perles de terre (French)
Perla-de-terra, perlita, margarodes de la vid
(Spanish)
Pérola-da-terra (Portuguese)
Notes on taxonomy and nomenclature:
The cyst stage of this species was first
described as a nematode, Heterodera vitis
Philippi, and only later as an insect
Margarodes vitium Giard. It is often referred
to by the latter name in publications from
South America.
36
22. De Martino
sample in the winery which, as one might
expect, had earthy aromas but it had more
character than most Cinsault I have tasted.
(Susan Hulme MW)
Family-owned De Martino has a long tradition
of winemaking but is also at the forefront of
innovation when it comes to discovering
Chile’s new wine regions and expressing her
diverse terroir. When we visited they were
keen to show us a presentation of some of
these up and coming regions through a power
point presentation with a series of stunning
photographs.
On our visit Marecelo Retamal, consultant
winemaker at De Martino, led a wide-ranging
discussion on vine growing in Chile where the
diversity of soils and conditions require a
variety of approaches. Unusually, perhaps, he
feels that high-density bush-trained vines are
best for quality wines in many areas as this
system helps to control the amount of light the
vines get. However, in Pisco Elqui, for
example, vines are at 1700 - 2200 metres on
very steep slopes; in winter the vines are snowcovered and in summer temperatures are 2834o C. Here the training system used is Parron
Elquino, as it works well to protect the vines
from excess sunlight. They use this with Syrah,
Grenache, Petit Verdot and Carignan at 7,000
vines per ha, on soil that he describes as 'pure
granite and like a beach'.
De Martino was established in 1934 by Pietro
De Martino Pascualone who arrived in Chile
from Italy. Looking for the perfect site to plant
vines, he found Isla de Maipo in the Maipo
Valley, just 50 km from Santiago between the
Andes and the Pacific Ocean. The village
earned its name because it had been
surrounded by a number of tributaries of the
Maipo River until the early 20th century. A
powerful earthquake and changes in climate
have since dried up all but one large branch of
the river. The third and fourth generations of
the De Martino family now own and run the
company and their vineyards stand on one of
those former river branches.
Marcelo made the point that in a hot area like
Elqui the climate is more important than soil
or geology but in a cool climate, soil and
geology become more significant. Between
Elqui in the north and Bio Bio in the south
there are a lot of different mesoclimates. Being
further south does not always mean it is cooler
- the middle of Bio Bio can be hotter than
Santiago. The type of wind and whether it is an
earth-sea breeze or sea-earth breeze is
important.
De Martino was one of the first companies to
identify Carménère in their vineyards and
started bottling and labelling it as a named
variety in 1996. Carménère has become a
speciality for them and while we were in Chile,
they were presenting a Carménère seminar in
London for the CWW. The vertical tasting
from 1996 to 2010 showed how the style has
evolved from the richer, fuller bodied more
alcoholic styles that often win critical acclaim
to a less alcoholic and more restrained style.
To achieve this they have dramatically cut all
use of new oak and now use 5,000 litre foudres
to age their wines; the wines also spend less
time in oak. Since the 2010 vintage they pick
their grapes earlier thereby getting lower
alcohol levels, better acidity and pH.
The orientation of the vines is also very
important. Marcelo showed a slide of grapes,
sunburnt due to the wrong exposure, despite
being in the cooler climate of Limari. A
southern exposition in mountain areas is
preferable to a northern exposition because
the sun is too strong. All of the De Martino
vineyards are oriented east to west. Vineyards
with southern exposure can usually be
identified by the fact that they have native
trees behind them. If you want really cool
climates you need to go south but southern
Chile can be too cool so you need to be near
the Andes on soils of limestone, schist or
granite to get the best out of these climates.
South of Maule you get 200mm of rain in
summer but in the more northern regions of
Chile you get less than 90mm.
A more unusual approach is taken with their
Cinsault – fermenting and maturing in clay
amphora called tinajas. After carbonic
maceration, the wine is drained, the skins are
removed, the tinajas are cleaned and the wine
is then put back into the tinajas. The amphora
are then covered with wooden lids, sealed and
then covered with earth to mature. We tasted a
37
De Martino do not use rootstocks because
Marcelo feels they have 'the most distorting
influence on terroir '. I asked about
margarodes, an insect which lives on the roots
of the vine and is related to phylloxera but is (I
was assured) not the same. It is prevalent in
some parts of Chile such as Maipo. Marcelo's
response was that it wasn't such an issue - the
plant survives and continues to grow and yield
is reduced; here they are interested in very low
yields of 2 t/ha so it doesn’t matter to them.
This concurs with what the viticulturist at
Santa Rita said about margarodes - quantity is
greatly reduced but quality of fruit is very
good; they are still however trying to develop a
resistant rootstock, a task they expect to take
10-15 years. In the meantime, margarodes acts
as a natural yield restrictor.
Single vineyard Carménère 2010, Alto de
Piedras.
Grown on old riverbed soils – only 1200 cases.
Rich, dark and velvety but not heavy. Very,
very smooth but balanced but vivid acidity. Old
fashioned liquorice flavours, velvety texture
surrounding a fist of tannins. “The first
Carménère from Chile was made from grapes
from this vineyard and is, therefore, part of the
history of Chilean viticulture.” 93/100
Also tasted – Tinaja Cinsault 2011, 30 year old
vines, fermented and aged in tinaja.
Asked if he wasn’t worried about planting
without rootstocks in the light of this problem
Marcello replied, "It's a risk but it's like
gambling. If you take a risk you might win a lot
of money".
Below is brief impression of a selection of the
wines tasted.
Quebra da Seca Chardonnay 2009, Limari,
13.5%, £8-9.
Subtle aromas of cream, melted butter, nut
and gentle oak spice. Creamy and subtle
without being over rich, a contrasting core of
sharper grapefruit flavours adding freshness.
92/100
Parcels Sauvignon Blanc 2011, Casablanca
Valley, 13.5%.
Intense, ripe tropical aromas and flavours of
passion fruit and pink grapefruit but
fortunately manages to avoid the overlyherbaceous notes tyical of SB. Good flavour
intensity that lasts the length of the wine and is
balanced by vivid acidity. 91/100
Legado Reserva Syrah 2010, 13.5%, £10.
From the Choapa vineyard, 200km north of
Santiago in the Andes at 500m altitude.
Big soft gravelly-textured tannins, melting
texture and dark chocolate, boldo (native
Chilean plant) & bay leaf like flavours
balancing the silkiness. 92/100
38
23. Almaviva
underground irrigation system at a depth of
80-90 centimeters. The feeling was that this
encouraged a deeper root structure than
superficial drip irrigation. A combination of
the two systems was in use with superficial
irrigation taking place earlier in the season,
giving way to deeper waters as the season
progressed. The superficial lines were added
in 2008 to bring nutrients from the topsoil to
the new plants. Both the new and older
vineyard are dominated by 75% plantings of
Cabernet Sauvignon with the remainder split
between Carménère, Cabernet Franc, and
Petite Verdot (a very small amount of Merlot is
also planted). Older vines are spur pruned
while the newer plantings were double cane
pruned.
(Patrick Farrell MW)
Our visit to Almaviva began the last day of the
2011 Chile trip. I remembered fondly a visit a
decade ago and looked forward to the wines.
Commercial Director, Juan Carlos Pagola, and
Winemaker, Michel Friou greeted our group
and led a tour of the vineyards and winery.
1996 was first vintage of Almaviva, coming
from vines that had been previously used by
Concha y Toro to make their flagship wine,
Don Melchor. The vineyards are located in
Maipo Alto (630 meter) adjacent to the
Chadwick vineyards. Relatively close proximity
to the Andes Mountains has a cooling effect
while increasing the risk of spring frosts. A
helicopter, on prominent display as we drove
in, is seldom needed to combat the inversion
layer trapped frosts. The influence of the
Andes leads to 15-20 degrees Celsius of diurnal
temperature changes.
We then visited the modern winery having a
wave like design to mirror the Andes peaks.
The design of the winery is strikingly similar to
that of Opus One in California, having the
same two floor, gravity fed design and the
same exact equipment. Grapes undergo
sequential sorting and then are de-stemmed
and crushed using moveable equipment.
Winemaking was traditional, as expected, and
takes place in a pristine, hygienic winery. After
a cold soak (12C) for three days, fermentation
takes place at 25-28 C. The must spends a total
of 25-35 days fermenting and macerating with
the harvest from newer vines taking less time.
The winery was in the process of switching
from inoculated to spontaneous fermentations.
Approximately half the ferments were
inoculated.
The Almaviva soils are alluvial, well drained
and located 4 kilometers from the Maipo
River. Pebbles and river stones are prominent
on the surface and can be found down 4-5
meters, then giving way to sandy soils. The
water table does not come into play as it is
found at a depth of 150 meters.
60 ha of vineyard are planted. The original
ungrafted 40 ha were planted in 78 at a density
of 2000-4000 vines per ha. Rainfall takes
place during the winter and averages 300 mm
per year, requiring irrigation. The initial vines
were flood irrigated which has given way to
drip. In 2001 an additional 30 ha land were
planted at much higher densities (8000 vines
per ha) and using 101-14 and 3309C
rootstocks. It was felt that the rootstock
yielded more homogenous ripening. The initial
plantings have been interplanted with nongrafted vines to increase vine density.
As much of the building is made of wood,
monitoring for TCA is carefully done. The 12
thousand case production of Almaviva spends
its first year in new French barrels placed in
the beautiful show cellar at 13-15 C, 65%-80%
humidity. Racking was less frequent than at
Mouton, taking place every six months. 85% of
the barrels were new. After an albumin fining
and a polishing filtration, the wines are bottled
at 16 months.
A wood disease similar to esca has affected
some of the old vines, requiring replacement.
The older vineyard has been mapped out into
60-70 micro-zones that have been chosen by
terroir and tastings over time. The team was
collecting data so as to divide the newer
vineyard into similar micro-zones. The drip
irrigation for the newer plantings was unusual
in that Israeli technology was used to create an
55-60% of the produced wine goes into
Almaviva. 33% is sold in bulk to Concha y
Toro. The remaining 7% is used for the 2nd
wine, Epu, which is sold in Chile. Epu means
second in the Mapuche language. At the time
of this write-up, best on-line prices of 2009
39
Almaviva were $92 per bottle when sold by the
case, exclusive of sales tax.
2005 Almaviva 14%
Almaviva Tasting
74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Carménère, 5%
Cabernet Franc
The tasting room was elegant into which opera
was gently piped. Four vintages were
presented: 1998, 1999, 2005 and 2009.
2005 had good conditions with a dry summer
and a normal heat profile. This was the first
year of double sorting in the winery and the
first year harvested using micro-zones. The
goal was that of more finesse and elegance.
1998 Almaviva 13.8%
72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Carménère, 2%
Cabernet Franc
Dense garnet red with rim clearing. Red fruits,
anise, oriental spices on the nose along with
some quince/slightly green, Chilean notes. Full
bodied with a nice balance of elegant fruit and
a firm tannin structure. Astringency shortens
the length and the wine is age worthy. Needs
5-8 years prior to drinking. With time in the
glass, the wine softened a little, though still
needs time to show its best. That said, it is very
good in quality.
1998 was an El Niño year marked by much
winter rain prior to the vintage. Weather was
wet (750 mm rainfall) and cooler than usual.
An unusual 30-40 mm rainfall fell in April.
Garnet red with trace brick color. Aromas of
warm bread, cassis, leather, cedar, violets and
integrated toasty French oak of good intensity.
The wine was very Medoc-like on the nose. It
was medium-plus bodied though elegant in the
mouth with complexity and a long finish. The
initial taste showed softened tannins though
still with a fine structure. With time in the
glass, the tannins began to dry out somewhat.
Similarly, the wine tasted younger on first
taste and then picked up a more developed
flavor profile. The overall quality was very
good as the finish was long. Though probably
past its prime a couple of years, the wine was
still a delight.
2009 Almaviva 14.5%
73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Carménère, 4%
Cabernet Franc, 1% Merlot
2009 Good conditions for fruit set. Green
harvest to control yields. Warm ripening
conditions. Early budding and harvest, 10 days
early. 1% Merlot. Dense purple garnet. Juicy
blackberry aromatics with toasty French oak.
Tannins are riper than the 2005 and the finish
is less astringent. Violets, leather and toasty
notes linger a long time on the palate.
Drinking surprising well now though has the
balance, concentration and structure to last a
couple of decades. Will drink at its best in a
decade or so. This has the best fruit quality of
the four vintages tasted.
1999 Almaviva 14.2%
78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Carménère, 3%
Cabernet Franc
In contrast to 1998, this was a dry year, having
only 80 mm of rainfall. Harvest was in March
(opposed to April as normal). Small berries
and small yields marked the vintage. The wine
retained surprising youth, while being
structured and closed. Garnet red and trace
brick color. Aromatics were leaner than the
1998, with cassis, oak, cedar and autumnal
notes. Moderately green, leafy notes are found
both on aromatics and palate. Bolder, richer
style with deeper fruit character. Tannins
bolder, more astringent and tighter than the
‘98. More concentrated and tannic than the
1998 and very good to excellent in quality.
Needs 5 or more years to soften. As the wine
sat in the glass, cedar notes increased while the
tannins became less astringent, yielding a
more elegant wine.
All four wines had an element of elegance,
both in terms of fruit quality and tannin
structure. The wines handled the oak
treatment seamlessly. The group of MWs was
impressed with the mouth feel and quality of
all four. The feeling was that wines were very
good and among the most elegant wines tasted
during the trip to Chile.
40
24. Concha y Toro
Cloudy. Mid greenish lemon. Ripe citrussy
fruit. Dry, highish acidity, mid-light bodied.
Clean and pure.
(Jonathan Pedley MW)
For the first time in recorded history, an MW
group arrived early for a visit. This allowed
some members to indulge in a stiff coffee
whilst others underwent retail therapy in the
Concha y Toro shop. A lot of Manchester
United branded kit was available in the shop as
Concha y Toro is the official wine partner of
the Reds. It was somewhat ironic that the
previous day United had been thrashed at Old
Trafford 6-1 by Manchester City. Not
surprisingly strains of “Blue Moon” were not to
be heard on the canned music loop.
Wine Society Chilean Chardonnay, Limari
2010
Mid lemon gold. A decent attack of pineapple
and tarte au citron aromas. Developing some
oily and waxy notes. Dry, high acidity, mid
bodied. Just a tad loose knit.
Terrunyo, Riesling, Casablanca Valley 2011,
11%
Mid-pale lemon. Simple floral and confected
aromas. Medium, very high acidity, light
bodied, moderate alcohol. Short finish.
Ignacio Recabarren, winemaker at Concha y
Toro, led a tasting of the company’s wines.
The wines were chosen to show what Concha y
Toro is achieving in coastal regions such as
Casablanca, Leyda and Limari.
Marques de Casa Concha, Pinot Noir, Limari
Valley 2010 13.9%
The following wines were tasted:
Mid pink purple. Vibrant berry fruit. Quite a
bit of oak. Dry, mid acidity, mid bodied, midhigh alcohol.
Marques de Casa Concha
Terrunyo, Syra, Casablanca Valley 2009 13.5%
Sauvignon Blanc, Leyda, 2011, 13.1% (tank
sample)
Deep purple. Very marked oak. Plum. Dry,
mid acidity, mid-full bodied, mid alcohol.
Cloudy. Mid lemon. Still showing fermentation
aromas. Some underlying ripe white fruit.
Dry, high acidity, light bodied. Very lemony
and citric. Tart phenolic end.
Terrunyo, Carménère, Peumo, Cachapoal
Valley 2008, 14.4%
Deep purple. Herbal and lifted. Dark fruit – a
little jammy. Some spice as well.
Terrunyo, Sauvignon Blanc, Casablanca Valley
2011, 13.5% (tank sample)
Dry, mid-low acidity, fullish bodied, high
alcohol, fleshy tannins. Warm, spicy and
slightly dry end.
Mid lemon. Clean and light. Simple fruit. Dry,
high acidity, light bodied. A hint of
herbaceousness. Slightly aqueous and a little
phenolic. Short finish.
Carmin de Peumo, Carménère, Peumo,
Cachapoal Valley 2007
Deepish pink ruby. Rich dark fruit, particularly
blueberry. Dry, mid-low acidity, full bodied,
warm alcohol. Succulent tannins. Plenty of
fruit. Mid length. Slightly hot on the end.
Marques de Casa Concha, Chardonnay, Limari
2010, 14.4%
Mid yellowish lemon. Marked oak. Ripe fruit.
Lemon meringue pie. Dry, mid-high acidity,
mid bodied, high alcohol. Ripe and juicy. Mid
length.
Wine Society Chilean Merlot, Casablanca
Valley 2010
Mid-deep pink purple. Simple plum fruit. A
bit leafy and vegetal.
Amelia, Chardonnay, Casablanca Valley 2010
14%
Dry, low acidity, mid bodied, warm alcohol, a
touch of tannin. Slightly angular finish.
Mid lemon gold. Slightly oily and waxy. Less
obvious oak. Dry, very high acidity, mid-light
bodied, high alcohol. Very bony.
After the tasting lunch was taken in the
original family house at Concha y Toro. Our
host was Isabel Guilisasti.
Wine Society Chilean Chardonnay, Limari
2011 (tank sample)
41