Thursday, April 1, 2010

Top Chilean Winemakers, " The Ultimate Tasting "

Hi there,

I was really looking forward to this occasion. Finally I was able to host a wine tasting of the ‘Top Winemakers’ bicentenary selection for my family.

In the past I have given you some information about this unique project ( To see it click :http://wineswithchile.blogspot.com/2009/08/top-winemakers-2010.html). In summary it is the ultimate expression of our winemaking, the 10 most renowned winemakers of the Chilean Wine Industry come together to each create a unique bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon, our most awarded grape variety, followed by Carmenere, the most fashionable nowadays.

Rafael Prieto and Irene Paiva are the organizers of this project, and I have to say, thanks for the great effort and the experience. As a Industry these things are very necessary. We are a wine country with character and we have to share it. From its origin wine is being made to celebrate and to enjoy as an experience of sharing.


‘Top Winemakers’ is made with the intention of celebrating Chile's 200 years of Independence, and certainly, it is a great gift for all wine lovers out there.

Lets have a look at my wine notes. I’ve divided the tasting in 3 sections, to create a structure to the tasting.

More Cabernet than anything else

Ignacio Recabarren, winemaker of Concha y Toro Winery.

Blend: 93% Cabernet Maipo Alto / 2% Cabernet of Pirque / 2% Cabernet franc of Maipo Alto /
2% Carmenère,Peumo, Cachapoal.

Tasting Notes
This is a wine with a perfect balance between the powerful and the elegance of the Cabernet. A flashy wine with nice structure and firm tannins. Great cellar potential.

Cecilia Torres, Winemaker of Santa Rita winery.

Blend: 89% Cabernet de Maipo Alto / 7% Cabernet / 4% Syrah Alto Jahuel, Maipo.

Tasting Notes
This is a gentle and friendly Cabernet, soft tannins, red fruits, and a silky long finish. Ready to drink now.

Marcelo Retamal, Winemaker of De Martino winery.

Wine is a 100% Cabernet Maipo Alto.

Tasting Notes
The wine is very structured. It displays black fruits, with a very sweet and juicy palate. The aftertaste is very long and dark. So far one of my favourites of the tasting.

MultidimensionalBold

Pablo Morandé, Winemaker of Morandé winery.

Blend: 71% Cabernet Maipo Alto / 12% Cabernet San Bernardo Maipo / 8% Cabernet franc San Bernardo, Maipo / 5% Carignan Loncomilla, Maule / 4% Syrah Loncomilla, Maule

Tasting Notes
The nose has got very ripe black fruits, and it warms your face a bit. The tannins are firm and wild, the carignan component shows a strong and direct aftertaste, adding a great acidity, excellent now and even more interesting in a couple of years. This is in my top 3.

Aurelio Montes, Winemaker of Montes winery.

Blend: 70% Cabernet de Maipo Alto / 15 % Cabernet de Marchigüe, Colchagua / 15% Syrah Apalta, Colchagua.

Tasting Notes
Black and ripe fruit over the barrel makes this wine very friendly and fresh, oily and juicy and with a great structure. Is a wine in the style that Montes has been making in the last decade, quite successfully I have to say.


Adolfo Hurtado, Winemaker Cono Sur winery.

Blend: 70% Cabernet Maipo Alto / 1% de Cabernet Puente Alto / 8% de Syrah de San José, Maipo / 7% Carmenère de Peumo, Cachapoal / 4% Malbec de Peralillo, Colchagua.

Tasting Notes
Fruity and fresh, soft tannins up front and intense and meaty at the back of the palate. It is probably quite honest in the way that it illustrates his very recognisable winemaking style.

Andrés Ilabaca, Winemaker of Santa Rita winery.

Blend: 78% Cabernet Maipo Alto / 20% Cabernet franc / 2% de Cabernet Alto Jahuel, Maipo.

Tasting Notes
This is a wine that doesn’t show much from the beginning, it has got earthy notes but not an expressive nose, and firm tannins which are very alive. You can cellar this bottle for a long time.

A bit of everything

Alvaro Espinoza, Winemaker of Emiliana winery.

Blend: 70% Cabernet Maipo Alto / 5% Cabernet Los Morros, Maipo / 14,4 Syrah / 6.6% Carmenère / 3,2% merlot /0.8% mouverde de Los Robles, Colchagua.

Tasting Notes
Probably the most complex wine of the selection. Very black colour, nose of very ripe dark fruits, the palate is quite broad, covering different areas of it. The tannin structure is balanced and it is surprising the way it shows many aspects of the different varieties that the winemaker used. Is Not my personal favourite, but is definitely a super wine.

Enrique Tirado, Winemaker of Concha y Toro winery.

Blend: 76% Cabernet Maipo Alto / 15% Carmenère Peumo, Cachapoal / 7% Cabernet franc Puente Alto, Maipo Alto / 2% Syrah de Buin, Maipo.

Tasting Notes
This is a wine with a intense dark colour, smells of plums and blackberries, elegant and meaty, powerful but with a nice balance on the palate. A great wine to drink on a special occasion.

Marcelo Papa, Winemaker of Concha y Toro winery.

Blend: 70% Cabernet de Maipo Alto / 22% de Syrah de viñedos propios en Maipo Alto /
6% de Cabernet de Maipo Alto / 2 % de Carmenère de Peumo, Cachapoal.

Tasting Notes
Elegant and delicate in nose, fruity, juicy and fresh. It showed different facets as I let it breathe and I feel like I can drink it at any time. My favourite of the selection.


2 comments:

  1. Mi opinión no es la del experto, sino la del bebedor casual, diría que todos los vinos eran ricos menos el de Cecilia, quizá para un paladar más refinado.

    Oye, lo mejor de tu artículo son las fotos, jeje

    Un abrazo!

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  2. Gracias Vicente por tu comentario.

    En lineas generales el vino de Cecilia Torres fue el que menos gusto.

    Fran encontro ese el mejor de todos, los paladares son distintos, el Chileno en general quiere algo que tenga " gusto ", asi como dice el Papa.

    La tendencia mundial es a vinos livianos, frescos y frutales, listos para tomar hoy. Asi Como el de Cecilia Torres.

    Saludos mi buen hermano.

    DSC

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