For myself, I am fond of the grapes that are strongly identified with the area - particularly Argentina's Malbec. I think its because they tend to be fruity and simple and not pretending to be something they aren't. I also think that South America does a great job with white wines - particularly Chardonnay which is made in an unoaked style that I really like.
Anyhow, there was a Momentos de Chile Carmenere at the tasting that was pretty good. I'm not a big fan of the grape because I find it a bit bland. The wine specialist pouring mentioned that the same company made a Cab Sauv that I might like, so I picked up a bottle and opened it tonight to go with a steak dinner - and now I'm sipping a bit more with some cheese.
This is one of these wines that is quite changed for the better if it gets to sit opened for a few hours. When I first tried it, there was a lot of earthy roughness to it - I find that in a lot of Chilean wine - it just doesn't have the finished taste that most French and Californian wines have. But leaving it open while I went to bowling night smoothed it out nicely - it even smells more like fruit and less like dirt. Let me give you the official word.
"Wine with a very good color and an expressive nose. Red fruit notes dominating (cassis). Good example of Chilean Cabernet, well matured and tasty. In mouth, red fruit such as blackberry and cassis. Medium body wine that emphasizes the fruit and a touch of vanilla from the barrels. The finish is medium bodied with a touch of vanilla and caramel. "
I'm not sure that I'll buy it again - there are lots of inexpensive blends that I like better, but for a cabernet drinker, I think this is worth trying - if you open it at least an hour before pouring.
Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend - we may have some snow coming but I think it's only predicted to be a couple of inches....not enough to cause problems.
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