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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
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 It was a fun filled weekend celebrating the 4th of July with friends. There were sunset parties, swimming, fireworks, great food and of course, wine! I brought a bottle of Château Gassier Ormilles Côtes de Provence Rosé 2015 to start off the evening at one of the dinner parties this past weekend. I reviewed this rosé a few days ago. http://thewineknitter.com/1/post/2016/07/day-484.html As dinner drew near, my hostess opened a bottle of MOMO Pinot Noir 2011. Momo is a line of wines produced by Seresin Estate in Marlborough, New Zealand. Momo means “offspring” in Maori. This wine is a certified organic wine, made with sustainably grown grapes that are hand picked and hand sorted from Seresin’s three biodynamic vineyards. After natural fermentation, the wine is matured for ten months in French oak. The color was garnet with cherry, strawberry, earth and a touch of herbs on the nose. The wine was medium-bodied, offering dark fruit, oak, spice and a hint of herbs on the palate. It paired well with the grilled lamb chops, beans and squash. http://seresin.co.nz  It’s a short week and so much to do!
Have a great Tuesday! Cheers! Penina So, before I “leave” the continent of Australia, I want to share some thoughts on their red wines. As mentioned in a previous post, Australia’s major red wine production is Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Grenache and Merlot. Below are a few examples of what I tasted.  Shiraz was one of the original varieties brought to Australia. It is grown in just about every region. With varying climates, the styles vary as well. The cooler climates generally tend to produce medium-bodied wines that are spicy, while warmer climates produce more full-bodied, richer Shiraz. Each region brings it’s own unique style to the wine. The Hickinbotham Clarendon Vineyard Brooks Road Shiraz 2013, from McClaren Vale, SA is 100% Shiraz. Deep purple in color, it was rich with dark berry flavors and spice. Firm tannins and a peppery finish made this medium-bodied Shiraz a standout. Heading north, I tasted Tyrell’s Wine Vat 9 Shiraz 2013, Hunter Valley, NSW. This Shiraz was very dark red with more herb and floral on the nose. Lots of berries with fennel, floral and a little earth mixed in. Gentle tannins added to a lengthy finish.  Charlie Seppelt Since Cabernet Sauvignon does not grow well with heat stress and drought, Coonawarra and Margaret River have developed the best reputation for growing Cabernet Sauvignon in Australia. However, there are other regions such as Langhorne Creek, McLaren Vale and Barossa in South Australia that also produce noteworthy Cabernet. At the tasting last week, I found most of the Cabernets to be “chewy” but very drinkable. Yalumba The Menzies Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 from Coonawarra was deep garnet with berry, plum and herbs on the nose. The palate was alive with fruit, oak and savory herbs. Tannins were high with more fruit on the finish. Pinot Noir grows best in Australian regions with cooling influences of the ocean or altitude. The state of Victoria produces a wide range of styles as does Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula and Macedon Ranges. Tasmania is surrounded by the cooling effect of the Southern Ocean and does well with this particular variety of grape. One of the Pinot’s I tasted was Giant Steps Yarra Valley, 2015 from Victoria. Floral and cherry were on the nose. Silky red fruits, spice and pepper greeted the palate with medium tannins and a hint of herbs on the finish. I have touched on just a few of the varieties of wine that Australia has to offer, so I suggest that the next time you’re in a wine store or out to dinner, try a bottle of Australian wine. You won’t be disappointed! Have a great Wednesday!
Cheers, Penina  My beautiful niece came to visit on Thursday. At the age of twenty, she has had more travel adventures than most of us achieve in a lifetime! She attended her first year of college in Florence, Italy with weekend trips all over Europe. The first half of her third year of college was spent in Paris. She plans on a 3-week excursion to Southeast Asia during her senior year and upon graduation, a month in Viet Nam. She has visited many museums, wineries and attended numerous cultural events throughout Europe. I asked her if she would please pack me in her suitcase next time she goes away! We shared many stories and got caught up on life while dining at an upbeat restaurant called Willy Nicks in Katonah, NY. Although the waiter kept calling us “girls” one too many times, the food was delicious! We dined on Sesame Tuna Crunch salad made with water chestnuts, carrots, pickled ginger, peppers and wakame with a chile-lime vinaigrette. The tuna was seared to perfection and every mouthful was a wonderful taste and texture sensation.   I enjoyed a glass of 2012 Rainstorm Pinot Noir from Oregon with the meal. The Pinot Noir grapes come from vineyards located in the Willamette and Umpqua Valleys. The Willamette Valley is situated in northern Oregon, which produces Pinot Noirs with more earthy tones and complexity. While the hotter and drier climate of Umpqua Valley located in southern Oregon produces a richer and fruitier flavor Pinot Noir. Rainstorm’s Pinot Noir is a 50/50 blend of these two wine regions. The color of the wine was soft ruby with subtle berry aromas. The palate had a fresh fruit feel, offering cherry, cranberry and a little spice. It was a little “chewy” with a warm finish. The label is a whimsical depiction of Portland showing salmon, coffee, guitars, clouds and wine grapes. http://pinotpassion.com This is going to be a whirlwind weekend. I’ll be back on Monday!
Happy Saturday! Cheers! Penina  Once again, I’m taking a deep breath and exhaling. The last 24 hours has really tested my patience for insensitive people and chronic complainers. However, it’s a brand new day and it's getting closer to the weekend! Yippee!!  I need to backtrack to Tuesday night. A mellow evening with a good friend and a bottle of 2008 Miguel Torres Mas Borràs was pure bliss. This 100% Pinot Noir comes from a small single vineyard in the Penedes region of Spain, close to the Mediterranean. The color was deep garnet with heavenly aromas of cherry, pomegranate, spice and rich loam. The palate was packed with red fruit, purple plums and a hint of spice. Soft tannins and a jammy mouth-feel gave way to a long and silky finish. http://www.torres.es/en/home  This might be a good night to curl up by the fire with a good book and a snifter of cognac.
Have a great Thursday! Cheers! Penina  Last evening I had a few friends over for “cocktail” hour to celebrate the onset of the weekend and holidays. Even though it was unseasonably warm out, the decorations helped to put us in a more “winter” frame of mind.  In addition to serving other spirits, I opened a 2013 Saddlebred Cellars Pinot Noir from Sicily. This inexpensive 100% Pinot was bright crimson with aromas of cherry and raspberry. On the palate, hints of floral along with dark cherry, pomegranate and strawberry were present. The finish was long with a touch of white pepper. It was a very smooth and silky Pinot Noir. I couldn’t find any info on the vineyard itself, but I will continue to research it.  For appetizers, I served baked Cranberry Brie, Spinach Quiche and assorted cheeses and fruit. I’m off to embrace this beautiful spring day on December 12th!
Happy Saturday! Cheers! Penina  I hope that everyone had a great Thanksgiving! I certainly did! Family and friends filled up my home with good cheer as well as the wonderful aromas of food emanating from the kitchen.  As usual, I made more food than was necessary and now I will have fun getting inventive with all the leftovers. Of course I overdid it with the desserts, so perhaps I’ll put together little dessert packages for a few people today.  Two wines graced the Thanksgiving table yesterday. We opened a 2013 Acrobat Pinot Noir from Oregon and a 2011 I Balzini Black Label. Both wines complemented the meal from appetizers to dessert. I reviewed the I Balzini a few weeks ago. You can read it at http://thewineknitter.com/1/post/2015/11/day-375.html The Acrobat Pinot Noir comes from the King Estate Winery, founded in 1991. The color of the wine was cherry red with aromas of expressive berries and spice. The palate offered smooth and velvety flavors of cherry, plum and cranberry with hints of oak and spice. The finish was long. https://www.kingestate.com It’s a beautiful day and time to start changing the décor inside and outside to acknowledge the upcoming holidays.
Have a great Friday! Cheers! Penina  It’s a very rainy day here and as much as I would like to snuggle in for the day, I have much to do.  However, before I run off, I’d like to tell you about a wine I had last evening that would pair well with any Thanksgiving feast. We opened a 2009 Ketcham Estate Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. The color was deep ruby red with delightful aromas of cherries, strawberry, a bit of raspberry and spice. This medium bodied wine offered ripe fruit, black cherry and subtle spice on the palate with a long fruit filled finish. Soft tannins, balanced acidity and smooth texture had us all agreeing that this would make an excellent wine to serve with the assortment of food that usually graces the Thanksgiving table. http://www.ketchamestate.com I’ll return tomorrow with a fantastic side dish recipe!
Happy Wednesday! Cheers! Penina  It was a productive but long day on Monday. I rewarded myself with a 30-minute swim before heading out for the evening. I was looking forward to a nice and relaxing dinner with a friend.  We dined on grilled swordfish basted with teriyaki and sesame seeds. The asparagus and mushrooms were seasoned with herbs that I brought from my garden.  I also brought a bottle of I Balzini Cabernet, but he wanted to open a 2012 Pinot Noir CrossBarn by Paul Hobbs from the Sonoma Coast. It was heavenly. The color was deep ruby with a nose full of ripe fruit, anise and spice. The palate offered layers of dark cherry, raspberry, plum, licorice and oak. The texture was velvety with a long finish of lingering licorice, spice and berry. The grapes were hand-harvested from select vineyards across the Sonoma Coast AVA and the wine was aged in 10% new oak for 10 months before bottling. This was a real treat! http://www.crossbarnwinery.com I have another non-stop day ahead of me.
Happy Tuesday! Cheers! Penina  I took advantage of the rain on Saturday afternoon and curled up with a good book. Although I should have been knitting, the lure of a quiet read while the rain tapped at the windows was just what I needed.  I roused myself a few hours later (yes…it was indulgent) to tidy up the house and start prepping food for my dinner guest. The rain continued, but that didn’t stop me from going outside to pick fresh herbs from my garden for the dinner. I roasted vegetables, made linguini with fresh shrimp and tossed it all together with olive oil, garlic & fresh herbs. It was yummy!  When my friend arrived, I decided to open my last bottle of 2012 Nieto Senetiner Pinot Noir from Mendoza Argentina. I reviewed this wine in September of 2014, but had a slightly different opinion of it this time around. The color was dark ruby with the same aromas of cherries, plums and spice. However, on the palate, it seemed much sweeter than the last bottle. The taste of dark cherries and cinnamon dominated the more subtle flavors of black pepper and spices. The tannins were softer with almost no acidity. It was a little too sweet for my taste, but my friend seemed to enjoy it! The winery dates back to 1888 and is one of the oldest wineries in Mendoza. Check it out at http://www.nietosenetiner.com.ar/ES/ARG/ It’s another rainy day, but I must attend to “projects” today!
Have a peaceful Sunday! Cheers! Penina |
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