|
Join The WineKnitter in exploring the world of Wine, Spirits, Food, Travel and much more! |
|
Wines of Chile Visits Whole Foods Markets Over the past few months, I have written several posts pertaining to Chilean wines. I have described the land, talked to wine producers and reviewed some amazing wines. For a better understanding of Chile, its regions and grapes, please go to http://thewineknitter.com/1/post/2016/06/day-482.html.  Recently, Wines of Chile sent me nine bottles of wine to taste and review. These wines representing eight regions throughout Chile will be available in Whole Foods Markets nationwide for the “Country of Origin In-Store Program” from August 24th through October 26th, 2016.   Odfjell 2016 Armador, Sauvignon Blanc, Casablanca Valley Odfjell Winery is located in a small corner of the Maipo Valley. Started 25 years ago by Norwegian born ship owner, Dan Odfjell, it is a family run business carried on today by his sons Laurence and Dan Jr. Odfjell Winery prides itself in producing unique wines with an emphasis on sustainability. Armador, which is the Spanish word for “ship owner”, is 100% Sauvignon Blanc harvested from their vineyard in Casablanca Valley. The color is soft yellow with a green tinge to it. A floral bouquet with citrus and pear continues onto the palate with light fruit and citrus notes. This is a crisp wine that would make a great aperitif or served with light meals. http://odfjellvineyards.cl Alcohol: 14% Price: $12.99  Viña Errazuriz 2015 Max, Chardonnay, Aconcagua Costa Don Maximiano Errázuriz founded Viña Errazuriz in 1870. It is a fifth generation family owned winery. Eduardo Chadwick Claro is president of Viña Errazuriz and a descendent of the winery’s founder. Errazuriz was the first estate to plant vines and cultivate the coastal area of Aconcagua Valley and also one of the first wineries to be granted the Certification of Sustainability. The Viña Errazuriz 2015 Max Chardonnay Reserva is 100% Chardonnay. The color is straw with citrus, tropical fruit and pear on the nose. The palate is layered with citrus, lush fruit and a creamy mouthfeel. Lemon and flowers are persistent on a long crisp finish. This is a refreshing wine that would pair well with most meals. http://www.errazuriz.com Alcohol: 13.28% Price: $17.99  Autoritas 2014 Pinot Noir, Valle Central Autoritas wines are produced by Luis Felipe Edwards in the Valle Central region. The name Autoritas is derived from the Latin word Auctoritas that means respect and prestige. The 2015 Autoritas is 100% Pinot Noir. The color is dark cherry with aromas of berries, spice and pepper. The palate offers cherry, plum and spice with almost no tannins to speak of. This is a very clean and uncomplicated wine. You can’t beat the price! http://www.lfewines.com Alcohol: 13.5% Price $7.99  Boya 2014 Pinot Noir, Leyda Valley (San Antonio Valley) Boya Winery is a boutique estate winery located just five miles from the ocean. Matias Garces Silva is founder of Boya Winery and pioneered winemaking in Leyda, a sub-region of the San Antonio Valley in the coastal zone. Fittingly, Boya means, “buoy” in Spanish. Boya 2014 Pinot Noir is 100% Pinot Noir with a dark ruby color. The wine has intense aromas of fresh fruit, strawberry, tea rose and a hint of spice. The palate is nicely balanced with ripe fruit and spice. Soft tannins with a little pepper on a medium finish add to the character of this wine. http://www.boyawines.cl Alcohol 13% Price: $14.99  Criterion 2014 Carménère, Colchagua Valley Criterion Cellars is located in the southernmost region of Chile. Colchagua is the southernmost portion of the Rapel Valley and one of Chile’s best-known wine regions. It is noted for the Carménère grape. This is a dark skinned grape that was originally planted in the vineyards of Bordeaux and has found its home in Chile. The 2014 Criterion Carménère is 100% Carménère. The color is deep crimson, bordering on purple. The nose offers black fruits, spice and a hint of earth. The palate is layered with dark cherries, blackberries, pepper, cocoa, coffee and soft tannins. The finish is medium to short, but has all the elements for an enjoyable wine. http://www.criterioncellars.com Alcohol 13% Price: $13.99  Mayu 2014 Carménère-Syrah, Elqui Valley Mayu Winery located in the Elqui Valley at the northern edge of Chile, was founded in 2005 by Mauro Olivier. The focus of Mayu winery is “only the production of Premium wines originated in the Elqui Valley with unique style and personality.” The arid desert climate and cold nights are ideal for growing grapes, leading to more concentrated aromas, deep color and developed tannins. Mayu is the Incas word for “river of stars in the Milky Way”. The 2014 MAYU Carménère-Syrah Reserva is a blend of 55% Carménère and 44% Syrah. The color is deep ruby with purple hues. It is an interesting combination of aromas, from ripe fruit to earth and spice. The palate offers dark cherry, plum, spice and hints of vanilla lingering on a medium finish. It has depth, but yet light enough to serve in the warm days still ahead. http://mayu.cl Alcohol: 14.5% Price: $12.99  Erasmo 2010 Reserva de Caliboro, Maule Valley In 1995 Count Francesco Marone Cinzano, owner of the Col d'Orcia estate in Montalcino, Tuscany, brought his expertise and knowledge to "Riserva di Caliboro" in the Maule Valle of Chile to produce high quality wines from grape clones imported from France. The 2010 Erasmo Reserva de Caliboro is a single vineyard handcrafted wine. The blend is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. The color is deep ruby with aromas of dark berries, earth and a hint of floral. This is a full-bodied wine with a beautiful richness to it. Layers of blackberry, cherry, candy apple, licorice and pine give way to soft tannins and a long velvety finish. This is a wine to drink now and right through winter. Alcohol: 14.5% Price: $19.99 http://www.erasmo.bio  De Martino 2014 Estate Organic Cabernet Sauvignon, Maipo Valley De Martino winery was established in 1934 when the De Martino family moved to Maipo from Italy. The winery is now run by the family’s third and fourth generation and is one of the leading organic producers in Chile. They have vineyards in seven regions throughout Chile. The 2014 Estate Organic Cabernet Sauvignon is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. The color of the wine is ruby with subtle aromas of cherry, red and black fruit with a hint of mushrooms. The palate offers lush fruit with traces of tobacco, earth and lingering spice on the finish. Medium-bodied with mild tannins. Very nice! http://www.demartino.cl Alcohol: 13.5% Price: $12.99  Casa Silva 2014 Los Lingues Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon, Colchagua Valley Viña Casa Silva is a family owned winery that was established in 1997 and is located in Colchagua Valley. Although recently under a new name, the family’s passion for winemaking began in 1892, when Emilio Bouchon arrived from France. The fourth and fifth generation decided to make wines under their own label, creating a new family winery, Viña Casa Silva. The 2014 Los Lingues Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. The color is deep garnet with lovely aromas of dark fruit, strawberries, anise and pepper. The palate is lush with juicy red fruit, hints of tobacco, and soft tannins. The finish is medium with a touch of pepper lingering. This wine would pair well with a hearty meal! http://www.casasilva.cl/home Alcohol: 14% Price: $17.99 With all the above wines costing below $20.00, this is a great opportunity to “visit” Chile at Whole Foods Market and experience some wonderful wines. There is a wine for everyone and every occasion!
Salud! Penina
0 Comments
It was the perfect evening to sit out on the deck, watch the sunset, share stories and drink wine. There was a delightful breeze and NO humidity!  The empty bottles and the last few mouthfuls of some nice wine…  We started with Montes Spring Harvest 2016 Sauvignon Blanc from the cool coastal region of Leyda Valley, Chile. The grapes are handpicked one month early, making the wine available 2 months earlier than other wines of this variety. Aurelio Montes, the chief winemaker, says this wine is “ideal to celebrate the beginning of the spring season.” The color was light yellow with a green hue. Aromas of citrus, grapefruit, mango and a hint of herbs tickled the nose. The palate offered citrus, grapefruit, lemon zest and hints of pepper. A bitter edge followed at the finish, making this a most delightful experience. Full-bodied with racy acidity makes this wine a perfect accompaniment to most food. Alcohol: 12.5% Price range: $13 to $16 http://www.monteswines.com For our dinner, I made pan seared Halibut with charred corn, mint, scallions, cherry tomatoes and fresh lime juice. A side of pear, walnut and Gorgonzola stuffed ravioli drizzled with balsamic & fig dressing, and homemade country French bread completed the meal.   We chose a 2014 J. Lohr Riverstone Chardonnay from Arroyo Seco Monterey, Central Coast, CA to drink with our dinner. This is a “tried and true” chardonnay. I reviewed the 2014 vintage in November. The color was pale yellow with aromas of peach, strawberry, honeysuckle and nuts. The aromas carried over onto the palate with oak and a smooth buttery feel on the finish. Alcohol: 13.5% Price is approximately $14 It’s time for a swim.
Happy Thursday! Cheers! Penina  Another week has flown by and we are fast approaching the lazy days of summer. The peeper frogs and crickets serenade me at night and a chorus of birds has replaced my alarm clock in the morning. It was a warm and beautiful day on Friday that segued into a lovely evening. After a long day of work, it was nice to sit and enjoy a glass of wine and watch the sunset with a few friends.  We opened a 2014 Simi Chardonnay from Sonoma County. The color was golden with wonderful aromas of lemon zest, pear, peach and oak. It was crisp and fresh with juicy notes of pear, apple and honeydew. The texture was creamy with oak and toasted nuts on the finish. It was well balanced and surprisingly expressive for a wine in the $10 to $14 range. It’s worth picking up a few bottles to keep on hand for those summer sunsets! http://www.simiwinery.com  Have joyous Saturday!
Cheers! Penina  All my “wine” friends are talking about Australian wines. The Australians recently came to town and wowed us. After spending the beginning of the week at a seminar and tasting these magical wines, I’m ready to dive in and start sharing some of my thoughts. I was very impressed with the Chardonnays. I had the opportunity to taste these lovely wines from different parts of Australia. They all had a unique style and range of flavors. Hunter Valley, one of Australia’s best-known wine regions is located north of Sidney in the New South Wales region. It is home to some of the oldest vineyards in the world and was spared from the phylloxera epidemic that wiped out vineyards of Europe in the 19th Century. It is in this “sacred site” that some of Tyrrell Wines premium vineyards are located. The vines (Chardonnay, Semillion and Shiraz) are over 100 years old and still produce and grow on their own roots. I tasted Tyrrell’s Vot 47 Chardonnay 2010 that came from Hunter Valley, NSW. The wine was creamy with soft citrus, peach, hints of vanilla and oak with nice acidity, length and balance. I had the pleasure of meeting with Bruce Tyrrell, 4th generation and managing director. He chose some outstanding Shiraz for me to taste (which I will reflect on in another post.)  Chester Osborn of d'Arenberg  Another impressive Chardonnay came from Eden Road Wines located in Tumbarumba, NSW. Eden Road is a boutique wine company and fairly young but is producing award-winning wines. I was bowled over by their 2013 Chardonnay. Aged in 15% new oak, the aromas were heady with citrus and fruit. The palate offered creamy peach, nectarine and a hint of hazelnut. Nicely layered and a stunning finish.  The Leeuwin Estate is located in Margaret River, WA. The Winery is one of five founding wineries in the Margaret River district in Western Australia. It is family owned and they have given themselves quite a name for combining fine wine, food, art and music. Now that’s what I like, all my favorites under one roof. They have an award winning restaurant, art gallery and concert arena. Their Art Series Chardonnay 2012 was extremely good. The “Art Series” represents Leeuwin’s most opulent and age worthy wines. The aromas were heady with floral, caramel and oak. Aged in 100% new oak, this wine was unbelievably rich in texture, with fruit, citrus and hints of oak and nuts on the palate. The finish was seductively long. It was a “wow”! All the whites that I tasted at this event were focused and consistent with ripe fruit. Australian Chardonnays have certainly broadened my palate! More to come…
Happy Wednesday! Cheers! Penina  With the wide swing in temperatures from one day to the next, it has made my choice in wine and food quite mercurial as well. Saturday brought blue skies and warm temps making it conducive for a long power walk and sunset drinks on the deck. I opened a bottle of 2014 Napa Valley Mockingbird Hill Chardonnay that was perfect for the occasion. This is a very noteworthy wine with lots of depth and character. The color was pale straw with lovely aromas of citrus, pear and vanilla. The palate revealed lush layers of honeysuckle, pineapple, and honey crisp apples with hints of oak and vanilla. The finish was long with a touch of creamsicle lingering. Nice acidity and very clean. Aged in 25% new French oak, this chardonnay is a winner!   It’s a rainy Sunday and quite chilly. I’m thinking Cabernet and soup tonight! Have a peaceful Sunday.
Cheers! Penina  Monday was a beautiful day filled with lots of sunshine. It actually felt like the middle of summer but without the benefit of a pool to dive into. However, in just a few more weeks, I’ll be swimming again!  The mild temperatures continued throughout the evening, which made it ideal for sitting outside and watching the sunset with a few friends. My host provided an array of cocktails that included wine, Tequila Sunrise and my recipe from last summer, Tequila Sunset. I opted for the Ram’s Gate 2012 Chardonnay Carneros Sonoma, CA  The Chardonnay had a soft yellow color with rich aromas of oak, hazelnut and tropical fruit. Citrus, pear, mango and honeysuckle entertained the palate. The wine was crisp and lush with a hint of spice on the finish. It was a definite thumb’s up! http://www.ramsgatewinery.com  If you’re a New Yorker, please get out there and vote today! Have a great Tuesday!
Cheers! Penina  In yesterday’s post I asked which wine you would have opened with the pasta and shrimp dinner. The Burgundy was favored by most of you. It was a tough decision, but I opened the Burgundy!  The 2014 Domaine Dutron Pere et Fils Saint- Véran is produced by the Dutron family who has owned the estate since 1835. “Pere et Fils” means “father & son” in English. Denis Dutron now continues the family tradition of making these delicious wines. Saint- Véran is located in the southernmost appellation of the Mâconnais region of Burgundy where wines are made exclusively from the Chardonnay grape. The Saint- Véran was pale gold with aromas of pear, honeysuckle, nuts and sweet spice. The palate offered lively fruits such as guava and pear, bursts of citrus and hints of hazelnut and floral. Full-bodied and fresh with a nice finale...it was an excellent choice! It’s a rainy day with snow expected this evening! Spring is taking a backseat this weekend.
Happy Saturday! Cheers! Penina  In the midst of spring cleaning the other day, I unearthed a box of family photos dating back to the late 1800’s. I was so totally immersed in the images before me that I didn’t realize that a good portion of the day had slipped by.  Storing memories on computers, digital cameras and phone cameras may be more convenient and easier to share with everyone, but there is something special about actually holding a photograph or browsing through an album that connects one to the visuals. In some ways, it’s akin to my drinking wine. It’s not only the sense of smell and taste of the wine, it is also the feel of the glass in my hand that makes for the total experience. Okay…I’ve gone too far. But speaking of wine… Last evening I cooked a wonderfully simple meal of baked salmon in a basil, shallot and wine sauce. Mashed potatoes, a simple salad of greens and sliced avocado drizzled with balsamic dressing accompanied it.   The wine was a 2007 Beringer Private Reserve Chardonnay from Napa Valley. This full-bodied wine had a beautiful bouquet of apricot, ripe peach, citrus and oak. The palate was layered with peach, honeysuckle, pear, lemon zest and a hint of caramel. It had a rich and creamy mouthfeel that continued on to a long finish. Being a 2007, I didn’t expect it to be so vibrant, but we were pleasantly surprised and enjoyed every sip! http://www.beringer.com Have a great Thursday!
Cheers! Penina  It was an extremely cold day yesterday and I was supposed to attend the Benvenuto Brunello wine event, showcasing Brunello di Montalcino 2011 4-star vintage. However, I never made it into the city. Oh, for the days when I still owned my pied-à-terre there. How simple it was to just roll out of bed and easily walk to most places.  Instead, I met up with a friend for a quick lunch and then headed back home to work for a bit while sitting by the fire.  The evening brought more cold weather along with my friend at the door with dinner and wine. The wine was perfectly chilled from his ride over, but the food needed reheating. As we caught up on the past few days, we sipped 2013 J Vineyards Russian River Valley Chardonnay while munching on Thai cuisine. Although one might think of serving this wine with more “mellow” dishes, strangely enough, it complemented the spicy flavors of the food. It was a lovely golden color with inviting aromas of citrus, floral and peach. The flavors were resonating a tropical paradise of citrus, pear, peach and apple. It was smooth and silky with a long finish. https://www.jwine.com  It’s another cold day with a snowstorm looming over the weekend. My skis and snowshoes are standing by. Happy Wednesday.
Cheers! Penina  Sunday was a beautiful day and perfect for outdoor activities. It began with a brisk nature walk and taking in the last of the leaves that were still clinging to the trees. Although I had much to do that required me being indoors, I found an abundance of reasons to keep me outside.  As the sun began to set, I turned my thoughts to creating a seasonal dinner for my friend and I. It was too late to start making bread and soup, so I went “simple”. I baked acorn squash with cinnamon and maple syrup; roasted brussel sprouts in olive oil and tossed them with toasted almonds. I then seared sea scallops with capers and shallots. The whole dinner took about 30 minutes to prepare!  We opened a 2014 J. Lohr Riverstone Chardonnay from Arroyo Seco Monterey, Central Coast, CA that complemented the meal beautifully. I reviewed the 2013 back in June and this vintage was just as good. The color was pale yellow with aromas of peach, strawberry, honeysuckle and nuts. The aromas carried over onto the palate with a hint of oak and a smooth buttery feel on the finish. I have a few more bottles, one of which is already in the refrigerator on standby! You can’t go wrong with this chardonnay or the price. It retails for around $14.00. http://www.jlohr.com I’m off to the city on an adventure!
Happy Monday! Cheers! Penina |
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed