0 Comments

Email to a friend

Printer-friendly

Add to myNUVO

Digg this

Food
The Cork Dork
by Neil Charles
Dec 11, 2002

Food
The Cork Dork
by Neil Charles
Jan 8, 2003

Food
The Cork Dork
by Neil Charles
Mar 12, 2003

Food
The Cork Dork
by Neil Charles
Apr 9, 2003

Food
The Cork Dork
by Neil Charles
Jun 11, 2003

The Wines of Chile and Argentina
by Neil Charles May 7, 2003

No longer just bargain-basement swill

When Chilean wine first started to gain popularity in this country about 15 years ago, much of it was available only in 1.5 liter bottles that sold for around $4 a pop. Although by no means wines of distinction, these early offerings represented excellent value for money, being fruit-driven, clean and straightforward. These wines took on California at its own game, and pretty soon names like Concha Y Toro had established themselves firmly as brands right alongside Gallo and Mondavi. For centuries, the potential of the cool climate growing regions on the western slopes of the Andes had been well-recognized. The Spanish produced their first wines there in the mid-16th century, and it wasn’t too long before the wines from this newly colonized country were beginning to rival those from the homeland. Such was the quality of these upstart wines, in fact, that the King of Spain eventually banned their importation, fearing that they might put domestic producers out of business. In the 19th century, the French recognized Chile as a region free of the dreaded phylloxera louse (which had devastated their own vineyards) and embarked on an ambitious program of planting the noble varieties such as Cabernet sauvignon and Merlot. Chile to this day remains one of the very few places on earth where grapevines may be safely planted without having to be grafted first onto phylloxera-resistant vines. During the 20th century, a time when Chile could surely have asserted itself as a major player in the global wine market, a succession of political and economic setbacks effectively shattered any hopes Chilean producers may have had, and their market remained largely domestic. After the demise of the Pinochet regime, however, things picked up considerably, and Chilean producers began their assault afresh on foreign markets. Having established a strong image at the lower end of the price pyramid in the 1980s, Chilean producers in the early 1990s began to scale the heights of quality, albeit from a considerably disadvantaged position. If Chile has ever had a problem with achieving the levels of quality attained in other New World regions such as California and South Australia, it has largely been because of a lack of serious funds and adequate technology. With a massive influx of capital from France and the United States, wineries have finally been able to invest in essentials such as new barrels, stainless steel tanks and drip irrigation. There can be no doubt that the wines of Chile have improved dramatically over the past decade or so, but there are still some glaring problems. Too many wines remain muddy and uninspired: the result, no doubt, of overcropping and less than perfect winery hygiene. At the higher end of the price spectrum, there are too many mediocre wines competing for the trophy-hunting customer. Along with cash and technology, a number of consulting winemakers from France and Australia, as well as the U.S., have striven to make their mark with big, ripe, oaky monstrosities that rely more on wood for flavor than fruit. For the time being, there is an unnerving gap between wines under $20 and wines over $50. There is very little in between, which forces consumers to make some pretty tough decisions when choosing a Chilean wine. If Chile is still wrestling with technological issues, Argentina, where they have been making fine wine for almost as long, seems to be on a straighter path to excellence. Although a popular wine publication recently trashed just about everything from this country, I have found many wines recently that recommend themselves very highly. Although similar political and economic woes have beset Argentina, their recovery rate seems remarkably rapid. As far as technology is concerned, Argentina would appear to be on the cutting edge, making good use of steel, oak and modern viticultural techniques. There’s also a strong French and Australian influence, although many of the top producers are originally of Italian descent. As far as pricing is concerned, Argentinian wines range from the ridiculously cheap to the wallet-clenchingly expensive. There is, however, almost nothing made that costs over $100, which should keep the trophy hunters at bay for a while. Here are a few wines from Chile and Argentina that I’ve enjoyed over the past couple of weeks. Prices are approximate Indiana retail. Alamos Chardonnay ($12) Argentina 3 stars A very ripe style, with aromas of lychee, peach and pineapple, with spicy nutmeg undertones. Full bodied (13.5 percent) and spicy on the palate with moderate extract. Nicely balanced with a juicy citrus acidity vying with a creamy, yogurty mid palate. Only a slightly charry, woody aftertaste detracts from this otherwise excellent wine. Alta Vista Cosecha ($7) Argentina 3 stars A lovely, lip-smacking blend of chenin blanc, torrontes and chardonnay. Light, clean and crisply refreshing, this is a perfect white for drinking on the deck, or while you’re getting the grill ready for dinner. Alta Vista Torrontes ($10) Argentina 3 1/2 stars This now native Argentinian grape has an attractive floral character and a touch of citrus on the nose. Made entirely without oak, this crisp and refreshing white has the same palate feel as a medium-bodied Pinot Grigio, but is more grapey and succulent. Catena Chardonnay ($19) Argentina 3 1/2 stars A very well-made, reined-in style of Chardonnay for those who like their oak, but just not too much of it. A lovely nose of ripe tropical fruits and figs leads to a ripe, rounded palate, well-balanced with citrus acidity and spicy French oak. A long creamy finish rounds things out nicely. A flawless wine with a modicum of character. Catena Malbec ($25) Argentina 4 stars The nose combines bright, almost jammy, raspberry fruit, with overtones of dusty blueberries. Ripe, soft and fleshy on the palate, this low acid red shows how this classic French grape variety can adapt to the long, sunny summers of the Mendoza region. A long, chocolate-inflected finish rounds out this excellent offering from one of the top producers. Escudo Rojo ($20) Chile 4 stars Translating as “Red Shield,” this collaboration with the family of Baron Philppe de Rothschild owes more than just its name to this legend of French winemaking. Very lean and firm in structure, this deep red blend of Cabernet sauvignon, Carmenere and Cabernet Franc is a classic 19th century blend (Carmenere used to be the principal red grape of Bordeaux, and now only exists in Chile in any quantity). The addition of ripe, fleshy fruit places it squarely in the New World, however, along with the tell-tale bright red cherry fruit so typical of Chile. This is a stylish and elegant red that will almost certainly improve with a couple of years in the cellar. Hear each Friday morning at 9 a.m. on WXNT-AM, 1430.

Email Print Digg this