Chile Trip Report. 15 th 24 th October 2011

Transcription

1 Chile Trip Reprt 15 th 24 th Octber 2011

2 Intrductin In Octber 2011 a grup f 16 Masters f Wine tured Chile with the supprt f Wines f Chile. This was the first time in a decade that the Institute f Masters f Wine had made a study tur f the cuntry s wine prducing regins. The trip was led by Lynne Sherriff MW, Chairman f the Institute. The fllwing pages prvide their wn reprts f their experiences in Chile, reprduced as they supplied them t the Institute. The views expressed are thse f the individual authrs and shuld nt be taken t represent the view f the Institute f Masters f Wine. Trip Participants Pedr Ballesters Trres MW Brussels, Belgium Mark de Vere MW Califrnia, USA Mary Ewing-Mulligan MW New Yrk, USA Patrick Farrell MW Califrnia, USA Adrian Garfrth MW Twickenham, United Kingdm Susan Hulme MW Berkshire, United Kingdm Melanie Jnes MW Glucestershire, United Kingdm Linda Jtham MW Lndn, United Kingdm Peter Kff MW Califrnia, USA Jnathan Pedley MW Surrey, United Kingdm Philip Reedman MW Adelaide, Australia Igr Ryjenkv MW Trnt, Canada Lynne Sherriff MW Lndn, United Kingdm Rd Smith MW Nice, France Philip Tuck MW Asct, United Kingdm Fergal Tynan MW Manchester, United Kingdm Cntents 1. Terrir Seminar 2. Falernia 3. Pisc Assciatin 4. Maycas 5. Tabali 6. Errázuriz 7. MOVI dinner 8. Leyda 9. Garces Silva 10. Matetic 11. Wines f Chile 12. Emiliana 13. Mntes 14. Casa Silva 15. Clchagua Generic 16. Luis Felipe Edwards 17. Valdivies 18. O. Furnier 19. J Buchn 20. Viñeds Chadwick 21. Santa Rita 22. De Martin 23. Almaviva 24. Cncha y Tr 2

3 1. Terrir Seminar (Rd Smith MW) The pening seminar f the trip was an enlightening intrductin t the vineyards f Chile given by Pedr Parra. Nt restricted just t the terrir f the cuntry's vineyard valleys, but als t the new develpments that have happened in the Chilean wine industry in the last 20, specifically the last 10 years, which have seen an influx f new, yung viticulturists and winemakers intent n creating the best pssible wines and nt simply satisfying the whims, financial aims, r traditins f the cmpanies and wners fr whm they wrk. Firstly, Pedr intrduced himself. 41 years ld, 12 years in wine, at first fr Cncha y Tr. Pedr studied fr his PhD, n Maip Terrir, in Paris at the INRO and in vineyard areas thrughut France, principally Burgundy and Brdeaux, specifically, "Micr Terrir Units", rather like thse f Burgundy. The aim was fr him t be able t find sme mre places t grw Cabernet Sauvignn t prduce the wine Dn Melchr, the vineyards fr which have been reduced by sme 40ha due t the encrachment f the city f Santiag. Pedr drew a parallel here with Pessac-Légnan and Brdeaux. Since returning frm France in 2005, he has started t cnsult fr ther wineries, as well as establishing tw prjects f his wn. "Arists" in Bi-Bi, where he lives (in Cncepción), with Luis-Michel Liger-Belair and Françis Massc (wh he met in Burgundy), and "Cls des Fus", bth cncentrating n Cabernet, Chardnnay and Pint Nir. His ulitmate aim is t make the vines grw slwly. Pedr then made his presentatin, which was s well dne that we requested a cpy t be sent t us as it explains its bjectives mre clearly than any summary culd. In essence: Tw types f rck. First f thse lder than 100 millin years: Sedimentary rcks - example Calcaire (which as Pedr pinted ut can als prduce pr wines. Given peple's subsequent bsessin with limestne everywhere, this was mre f a warning precursr than we realised...) Metamrphic rcks - example Schist/Gneiss, fund in Suthern Chile Intrusive rcks - example Granite (f which there are at least 15 types in Chile) Extrusive (Vlcanic) rcks - example Basalt, and many mre. Secndly, rcks yunger than 100 millin years: Alluvial gravels - left by rivers and seas Clluvial gravels - bught dwn frm muntains by rivers and seas. (This appears t be f rather mre imprtance fr Chilean vineyards than fr almst anywhere else, and was t becme smething f a theme.) Pedr then mentined that in classic wine areas, and in much f Chile, planting is dne in an expensive and time-cnsuming way, s it is nt nly sil that is f imprtance in understanding Terrir. Fr example, he shwed six different vineyard limestne sils, including five great vineyard terrirs, but als that f La Mancha. The relative yuth f winemaking means a lack f experience in Chile. He is a big believer in the quality f Schist, but currently in Chile nly 10ha are planted, and this despite land csts being as lw as $1000/ha. The subsil and rck is s imprtant, Pedr asserted, because the rts f the plant will nly take minerals frm rck, and nt sil. This led t a lively debate and request fr explanatins. A gd vineyard, Pedr explained will need "fractured active rck" fr the micrscpic rts t take minerals, and micrbilgically rich tpsil fr it t transprt them t the plant. Fergal Tynan cmmented that limestne seems t be treated rather differently in Argentina and Chile, and wndered what the explanatin fr that was. Accrding t Pedr, there are many different limestne patches in Chile, but the best full activated limestne has been raised in the Andes, at altitudes f up t 6000m, and washed dwn t the valleys. Nwadays the limestne prfile is similar in LimarÍ and, say, Altamira, but Argentina prbably has mre active limestne. Pedr cmmented that lts f vineyards in Chile were planted primarily fr ease and 3

4 cnvenience, limited frst risk, ease f irrigatin and s n. He pinted ut that the Chilean wine industry has largely develped pst-pinchet (arund 20 years), and that at first there was far t much "Napa Cpying", which prduced plantings that failed t suit r maximise their terrir. Where Chile was left t express herself, rather than cpying smething else, was when the best wines have arisen. Fr example, the maker f the best Chilean Chardnnay had never even heard f, let alne tasted, Premier Cru Puligny-Mntrachet. Chile is, Pedr cmmented, the mst gelgically active and diverse place n Earth, but it just "lacks the culture". Irrigatin is essential in sme places, but tends t be verused in many instances, and is ften unnecessary. Nw there is a big change in mentality, rather like, he said, Spain after Franc. Smene asked, prvcatively, "Are there sme terrirs nt wrth the effrt?" this neatly led t a discussin abut 'value wines' and the battle between winemakers, land wners, crprate culture, share hlders and the needs f the market. The prblem, frm Pedr's perspective is that Chile des nt knw hw t sell wine, and des nt cnsume its best wines lcally. It is difficult t get an imprter, and expensive nce yu have. Many winemakers dn't actually like the best wines they prduce, and end up "lsing" them in a blend. Gravel sils are regarded as "easy" with a hmgeneity f wine style as a result. The Alt Maip is the best area fr Cabernet Sauvignn n gravel, and a gd example wil be a blend f arund 40 different micr-terrirs. At this pint Pedr was asked t define "terrir". He summarised it: Sil is the primary cnsideratin but climate will give armas and luminsity will alter the temperature, fr example cld climates were t be fund in ElquÍ and LimarÍ, as well as by ging either up int the Andes, r suth (this was prved very crrect in the subsequent days!). But he warned that lts f sun, when it is cld, can lead t uneven ripening physilgically versus sugar. The ideal fr quality is t have abslute ripeness at lw alchl (h yes!). But this is a glbal prblem, and nt just Chile, r even nly the New Wrld. Chile, Pedr said, is t Santiag fcused, althugh I'm nt sure this cmment was nly in respect f wine... Pedr's presentatin then gave us a gelgical map f Chile and he detailed the varius rck types t be fund in each area, alng with sme insights int where planting densities were inapprpriate and where sil that is cnsidered gd can prduce pr wine thrugh bad viticulture: "vlcanic sil - where it's nt great, it's hrrible." We actually gt a small fretaste f a battle-tcme when Pedr mentined that the mst extreme recent planting has been made by Luis Felipe Edwards n upper slpes f Clchagua (a vineyard we were subsequently t visit) at 1000m, the highest such recent plantings in the cuntry. Althugh nt the highest in abslute terms as it transpired. These higher altitude vineyards have the advantages, cmpared t the lder nes in the river valleys, f shallwer tpsils, slpes, cler temperatures, all making fr mre elegance and better balance in the wines they prduce. Pedr remains uncnvinced by the large-scale planting f Cabernet Franc, but hpes it will add cmplexity t blends invlving Cabernet Sauvignn, which can be very harsh in all but the mst apprpriate gravel/clay terrirs. He believes that Malbec will cnstitute a superir blending cmpnent in this respect as Carménère can dminate and tends tward the green. We were then treated t a tasting f fur wines that represented their particular terrir. Amanya Sauvignn Blanc 2010 Leyda Valley 14.5%alc (arund 13 retail/uk) "N-ne will pay much mney fr a Sauvignn Blanc frm Chile" said Pedr. This is frm a cl granite plateau near the sea, and was picked ne mnth later than any ther SB in Chile. We were nt lking fr the limestne tuches that were t becme smething f a theme fr the early part f the trip, this instead had a richness that resulted frm its later harvest apprach, and less apparent acidity than was t cme in the fllwing days. 4

5 Cls des Fus Chardnnay 2010 Alt Cachapal 13.5%alc Frm tw vineyards at 800 and 900m, the latter planted by Ignaci Recabarren N MLF, which was als t becme quite a discussin pint subsequently n the trip, careful ak use, and an excellent wine fr its price pint f 9. O. Furnier Alfa Centauri 2008 Maule Valley Cabernet Sauvignn (40%) Cabernet Franc (45%) Merlt (15%) 14.5%alc Arund 13 Largely frm ld vines, sme dry grwn, and with a dry, grainy tannin quality as well as bright fruit, and gd acidity. If nly we had knwn then quite hw unique this wine was, we might have remarked upn it. Kai Carménère Errazuriz 2007 Acncagua Valley 86% Carménère 7% each Petit Verdt and Syrah Arund 30 Massive clur and depth, still purple tinged and nt shwing fur years f age. Plenty f ak (18 mnths, new, French). Deep black cherry nse with sme peppermint hints (greenness?) and a massive, extracted palate, residual sugar hints. Quite cmmercial, but extravagantly layered and cmplex premium wine. Further useful infrmatin: 5

6 2. Falernia (Igr Ryjenkv MW) This is ur 1 st full day f the trip. We arrived at La Serena after a shrt flight frm Santiag. On the apprach t ur destinatin thse n the right side f the plane can see that the pre- Andean ridges began changing their N-S rientatin t mre NW-SE angle. We spent the entire day in Elqui valley, Chile nrthern-mst wine regin, visiting with cusins Girgi Flessati, wh is in charge f winemaking and sales f the Falernia winery and Ald Olivier Gramla, wh is the President f the peratin. In the prcess we gt t see that what started as a little prject but had such a gravitatinal pull n Gergi, that he felt cmpelled t leave his senir psitin in Cncili winery in Trentin and mved half way acrss the wrld. Frm the first day the drive at Falernia has always been t aim high, and d smething fr persnal satisfactin. First wine plantings fr Falernia went int the grund nly in 1999, with all the vines planted n their wn rt, as the pest pressure in Elqui is lw (althugh there are nematdes) thanks t the islatin and the lcal cnditins (arid and lw rganic sil cntent). This allws layering prpagatin, nw pretty much extinct in mst ther wine prducing areas f the wrld. Falernia was the first t plant wine grapes in the area and still is the nly winery here (althugh there are ther wine grwers in Elqui). There had been grapes grwn in the area, but nly fr Pisc prductin and the varieties apprved fr it: PX, Trrntel, and 3 Muscats Blanc, Pink and de Alexandria. Mre recently, the area has succeeded in crnering the exprt market fr high quality table grapes. Other crps in the valley are citrus, avcad and Chilean papaya (which needs t be cked). First 3-4 years after the start f the Falernia they felt were very islated, n ne came t visit at all. It is really n surprise as it is a rather islated area, with n apparent thrughfares. Hwever, an award at the Wines f Chile cmpetitin changed that, and put them n the map, s t speak, althugh it is still a bit f a trek fr visitrs. One f the challenges frm the beginning was the access t skilled labr (a lt f hands-n learning and mistakes) and the different wrk ethics (still nt quite smth sailing) it rained the Friday f the precius week (an event s rare, we heard abut it everywhere we went in the nrth) and the vines at the castal area needed t be sprayed right away, that is, n Saturday. Girgi was able t get 3 peple t agree t cme ut n the weekend t wrk, but ne simply did nt shw. Hardly anyne speaks English. Grwing pains. Girgi had a visin f creating Venet style wines e.g. Valpl, Ripass and Amarne inspired wines using Carménère, with Sangivese and Syrah in supprting rles. Elqui Valley is unique in having E-W rientatin, with clearly defined maritime effect in the western part f the valley. The rainfall is nly mm a year (drip r furrw irrigatin is a must). The valley is at the suthern edge f a desert that did nt see rain fr 300 years. The irrigatin water is the Andes melt and Elqui river, in the inland areas using the still existing Inca aqueducts. The cst f the irrigatin is a significant factr, t a pint that the higher terraces in near-castal Titn vineyards were prepped but nt planted at all, as the cst f irrigating thse, still relatively lw hills, prved t prhibitive. Hwever, the castal area gets n-shre fg till just befre nn and the vineyards need t be treated fr idium we culd see that the leaves are actually wet. One f the wineries 4 vineyards Titn (Titan) is lcated here. It is 18 km frm the sea and has nly 350m elevatin, with 10C lwer temperatures during the day than further inland. The cl Humbldt current runs alng the Chilean shres and cls ff the castal area f the cuntry. White and cl climate reds are planted here n granitic sils SB, Chardnnay, Riesling (2011 first crp), Syrah, PN (mstly 777), RX and Trrntel. It is always windy in Elqui due t the fact that the valley pens t the cean. The wind can be quite stiff inland as the valley narrws away frm the cean. That means that all the treatments are mst effective if applied at night, thanks t less wind due t lesser water/grund temperature differential. 3 ther vineyards, all f which we gt t see, are further int the valley, with increasingly cntinental climate: ne arund the winery, at 6

7 515m, which is warmer and drier Syrah, Sangivese, PX, Trntel and Vignier are planted here. Next is yet further in-land, n the ld Elqui river bed, with Camenere and Syrah and the last ne at the narrw east end f the valley at ver 2000 m elevatin, with mstly ld vine Trrntel. But befre venturing further, we enjyed Girgi s and Ald s hspitality ver the lunch at the winery, and speaking f which it is 5 mln l capacity, they d nt use chips r staves, harvested everything by hand, and srting the fruit at the winery. We were greeted with cherimya (custard apple) juice, the fruit we will have seen mre f in days t cme. That was a perfect refreshing pener. The lunch cnsisted f delicius ccktail shrimp ceviche, pan seared sea bass with creamed spinach, and the sliced fresh tmat, avcad. The clsing chrd was the lcal cked papaya, strawberry and ice cream. The lunch wines were the Falernia s dry PX 2011, SB 11, Carménère/Syrah Rse and Syrah 2009 Reserva, all frm Elqui. I was partial t PX, Rse and Syrah, n their wn as well as with the fd, althugh, we had fans f SB at the table as well. Cuple f randm pints ver lunch: - Falernia UK imprters Guy Andersn and Entria, with Empsn lking after the US. On the way back we stpped at the last key surce fr Falernia - Pedregal vineyard, that is planted n the ld Elqui gravely riverbed, with Syrah and Carménère in the grund, the later an ideal match fr the sil (Ald had diverted the river t the side f the valley t make rm fr the vines Rman descendents meet Inca knw-hw water has t be harnessed, it is just the way it is). We finished the day with the tasting, delicius assad and the trip t the cnservatry within the Falernia vineyards. We tasted 5 Falernia and 4 Mayu wines (the latter is Ald s wn prject that Girgi makes wine fr frm the same vineyards). The wine were f high standard, with persnal highlights f Falernia Syrah 2008 textbk varietal prfile with the stern minerality f pr Elqui sils, Mayu Trntel 2011, pretty, flral yet dry with gd acid, Mayu Carmener Reserve 2009, 60% f which underwent appassiment prcess. Althugh I d nt have the ntes n the prices, I recall that what was mentined sunded very reasnable fr the quality f the liquid. The dinner was grilled beef and chicken and the preferences were split almst evenly. The last stp befre the well earned sleep, was a visit t the lcal bservatry, and the rings f Jupiter. What a day. - Carménère lves gravely sil, thus they have it planted n riverbed. - It csts $10,000 per ha t have the table grapes netted prtecting them frm the wind We set ut t see the furtherst inland pint where the Juanta vineyard is lcated, guarded by a cuple f pet llamas. This is at 2000m abve sea level and has the ldest PX vines. The plants are still n lder higher crdn training, with furrw irrigatin and remnants f Inca aqueduct feeding the water t the vineyard. It is a very arid landscape here, with beautiful rck f different shades and lunar like surface. One can see the Inka aqueducts tracing the ft f the muntains by the nly path f green in sight alng it. 7

8 3. Pisc Assciatin (Linda Jtham MW) In keeping with this being a family-wned business, we were greeted warmly n the steps f the winery in Puquillay, Clchagua by Luis Felipe Snr. (Directr and wner), his sn Ignaci (Directr f Nrth American markets), sns-in-law Niclas Bizzarri and Eugeni Cx (respectively, Directr f Suth American and Far East markets and Head f Winemaking, and Agricultural Directr), tgether with their clleague, Marj Milanen. Luis Felipe explained that the lwer area f the estate was still in re-cnstructin fllwing the 2010 earthquake, which had destryed the tasting facility as well as his wn huse. We wuld cnsequently be travelling by truck up t 900m alt, t taste amngst the estate s highest vineyards. Ascending t 900m Over the nise f a cnvy f suitably furwheel-drive vehicles, Niclas and Eugeni explained that the estate as a whle cmprises 1000ha: 350ha in Puquillay, 550ha elsewhere in Clchagua and the balance divided between Leyda, San Antni (clse t the Pacific) and Maule. The cmpany als buys in grapes frm abut 50 grwers. LFE was apparently the fastest grwing cmpany in Chile ver the last six years and is nw the cuntry s fifth largest exprter, exprting much f its 2.4 millin case prductin t 51 cuntries. The UK is their biggest market with mainland Eurpe als very imprtant. Fllwing research int sil prfiles with cnsultants Eben Archer and thers, LFE began planting n slpes in Further research established a beneficial mes-climate at 900m, leading t plantings here in Althugh the cst f wrking the slpes is duble that f the valley because f the need t pump water up, the lwer average daytime temperature 27 C, cmpared with 30 C n the valley flr is beneficial fr grape quality. Additinally, the many different altitudes planted, the range f varieties that can be ripened there and the varied vineyard rientatins, all cntribute t greater fruit cmplexity. High altitude plantings cmprise Cabernet Sauvignn, Syrah, Carménère, Durif, Malbec, Merlt, Murvedre, Grenache, Tempranill and a small amunt f Pint Nir. The cmpany s better quality Pint Nir and Syrah, and its Sauvignn Blanc and Chardnnay, are grwn in the cler Leyda vineyards. Once disgrged frm ur trucks at 900m having stpped at 500m t view the Hermitage-style plantings f Grenache and Murvedre we tasted 14 wines, seated at tables under the trees. The tasting cmprised: Sauvignn Blanc Marea 2011 and Pint Nir Marea 2009 frm Leyda; LFE900 Blend 2008 and 2009; LFE900 Malbec 2009 and 2010; a vertical tasting ( ) f the estate s icn blend, Dña Bernarda, named after Luis Felipe s wife; and sme 2011 tank samples f Grenache and Murvedre, much praised by the MWs. Finally, we were privileged t taste Luis Felipe Edwards Cabernet Sauvignn 1994, a graceful wine f a welcme 12.5% alc.. The prduct f 70-year ld vines and predminantly aged in cncrete tanks with very little ak, it was an illuminating illustratin f the ptential lngevity f Chilean Cabernet. Luis Felipe Edwards Cabernet Sauvignn 1994 Mid-garnet cre with widening ruby rim, generating beguiling armas f leather and cassis. A beautiful, runded palate with all elements perfectly balanced, flavurs reflecting armas, and culminating in a lengthy and gracefully harmnius finish. 8

9 Ready fr tasting A delicius cld lunch was served n ur return t Luis Felipe Snr s characterful new hme. We lk frward t tasting the finished 2011 Grenache and Murvedre, which shwed s much prmise; t fllwing the develpment f these prmising varietals in the cming years; and perhaps t re-tasting the 94 Cabernet n ur next visit With many thanks t Luis Felipe Snr, his family, Marj and all thers invlved in making ur visit s memrable. Mr Garfrth, in full flw f thanks. 9

10 4. Maycas (Philip Tuck MW) Viña Maycas is situated in the Limari Valley 400km (a 40 minutes flight) nrth f Santiag in the viticultural regin f Cquimb in the 4 th regin. Maycas means piece f land in the ancient language f the Incas, whse empire reached its suthern brder in this area. Initial plantings at Maycas, which is fully wned by Cncha y Tr, were in 2005 when they acquired the hldings f Francisc de Aguirre wh was the first t really invest in the regin prir t There are still nly 7 prducers here. This windy, brad valley is characterised by vineyards planted n largely flat, pr, alluvial and cluvial sils with sandy clay (25%), lam (15%) and a significant amunt f calcium carbnate which they all get terribly excited abut, thinking it brings added minerality t their wines. We are n the nrth side f the Limari river where there is less clay. Clluvial sils cntain angular stnes frm previus hillsides whereas alluvial sils cntain runder stnes riginally part f a riverbed. Bth cntain the magic CaCO3. Being between 23 and 50km frm the sea, Limari has what they term a castal climate (Winkler 2) with plenty f cling breeze frm the nearby Pacific. As elsewhere in Chile, the vineyards get warmer the further east ne ges. Rainfall is very lw at mm per year nly s this is a semi-arid envirnment where irrigatin is essential t grw vines. Hwever, this year s influence frm El Niň has bught 250mm! There are apprximately 1800 hectares f vineyard in Limari tday f which Maycas have 300 and Cncha a further 400 fr their ther brands. We were hsted fr the mrning by the tw winemakers, Javier Villarrel and his bss, Cncha s main man, Marcel Papa. We were lking at a part f their GuebradaSeca (Dry Creek) vineyards where they have Sauvignn Blanc, Chardnnay, Pint Nir and Syrah planted. It is t cl fr Cabernet Sauvignn. The ppular rtstcks seem t be 110R and SO4 nrth f the river and 1103 Pulsn suth f the river. Phyllxera has nw been fund in Chile s it is nly a matter f time befre it begins t appear here. Oidium is als a prblem because f the humidity brught in n the mrning mist frm the cast. Vines are cane pruned with apprximately 5,500 vines per hectare althugh there seems t be a trend t increase planting densities in general. This is certainly a cl climate area and this was clear in the ten wines we tasted. All were clean and crisp with the Chardnnay perhaps shwing the best ptential. The wines fall very much int the middle grund categry with little t suggest they will be prducing super premium wines in the near future. Certainly they were nt as gd as thse f ur next hst, Viña Tabali. We were shwn an experimental sparkling wine as an aperitif t a delicius lunch at the Hacienda Santa Carlina next dr. Again, wrk in prgress with interesting ptential after 24 mnths n lees. 10

11 5. Tabali (Fergal Tynan MW) Limari is the secnd mst nrtherly f the prducing valleys (abut a five hur drive nrth frm Santiag up the Pan - American highway) r fr us a little ver an hur suth frm La Serena (and Elqui). The winery is in the middle f the valley and here as elsewhere during the visit the difference in this narrw cuntry between the climate in the east and west was marked. As n the previus day in Elqui when the first stretch f ur jurney thrugh the castal area was cludy and cl, we left an vercast La Serena driving Suth fr an hur and then turned inland t drive alng the valley by the time we arrived the sky was clear, the sun was beating dwn but the strng winds that characterise the valley were already building The strikingly mdern winery at Tabali is built int a ravine, the main part f the winery (receptin/presses/tanks) with fruit receptin n a higher level, presses just belw and then the main wrking area laid ut n a large area belw this again - all f the tanks and the main wrking area is utdrs (n walls but an eyecatching wavy rf structure) with a subterranean barrel cellar. During the tur f the cellar we were shwn images f the nearby Enchanted Valley (an imprtant archaelgical site which brders the estate) and replicas f sme f the stne carvings and Tacita stnes which prvided the inspiratin fr the Tabali labels. The climate mid valley (arund the Tabali winery) is characterised by very lw rainfall with less than 100 mm per year n average, all cntained within the tw r three mnths f winter with clear skies fr mst f the year. Limari is als marked ut by its lw maximum summer temperature due t the strng castal breezes that develp thrugh the day cntrary t expectatins it cler here in summer than it is in Santiag r in almst all f the main grwing areas further suth with a nrmal peak temperature during the day f cmpared t in Santiag fr instance. The main vineyards at Tabali are arund the winery in the central part f the valley, a mix f the usual main varieties grwn here (Sauvignn, Chardnnay, Pint and Syrah) but they have als recently acquired a very prmising new site near the cast at Talinay, which has already becme the surce f their tp Chardnnay and Pint Nir bttlings. This castal area is significantly cler and is ften affected by the lcal Camanchaca fg. Tabali have als recently started develping new sites further inland at high altitude which will include sme new varieties fr the winery including Grenache and Murvedre. The tasting was cnducted by Felipe Muller, the head winemaker wh was als recently appinted general manager. Stars f the tasting were Chardnnay (especially frm the newly acquired Talinay vineyard). Pint Nir (again especially the Talinay wine) and Syrah. The Chardnnays were unusually fresh and elegant and the Talinay in particular displayed memrable pise, elegance and minerality. The Pint Nirs were all gd but again the Talinay std ut, taut, linear with fine fruit - unusually delicate and with well judged, balanced ak. The Syrah frm mid valley vineyards shwed a fine balance f bright fruit and a distinctive savury garrigue character which many in the grup fund in Syrah frm the nrthern valleys but ccasinally t excess here it added cmplexity and the wines were cnsidered by mst in the grup t hld their alchl levels well (c.14%). The tp Syrah, Payen was partly fermented in barrel (30%). It shwed real depth and cncentratin whilst retaining the hallmark freshness and bright fruit f Limari. Overall the wines were very cnsistent, marked ut by unusually lively fruit, bright pure flavurs, relatively taut linear structures and subtle use f ak. Oak use was a ht tpic thrughut the ten days f the visit but perhaps less s here where the levels were held t be appraching balance (by smething resembling cnsensus, if such is pssible in a grup f MWs) althugh a few viced that they thught ak influence culd be reigned back even further. As we had already discussed with Pedr Parra n the first day, limestne is relatively rare in main wine valleys and there is much interest in the few pckets that have been fund, especially the alluvial limestne pckets in Limari. Felipe explained that Talinay is a new and very distinctive area within Limari very clse t the cast but mre than anything else 11

12 prized fr its unique gelgy. This is an islated small valley within the castal muntain range where the bedrck is limestne. This blck f slid limestne is quite different t the pckets f calcium carbnate fund in the main alluvial sectin f the valley which were washed dwn as slute ver time frm limestne sectins in the high Andes. Interestingly these alluvial pckets are similar t the prfile f Alta Mira in the Uc valley n the ther side f the Andes which is als much in demand nw. Felipe s recunting f the stry f this new area illustrates much abut the pace f develpment in Chile and the yet untapped ptential. The Talinay vineyard was planted speculatively by a lcal farmer wh was aware f the valley s emerging reputatin fr wine (almst all f the plantings in the valley until the very late nineties were Muscat and PX fr Pisc) but this relatively hidden area in the middle f the castal muntain range area had nt been identified by the any f the main players in the valley. Having received a speculative phne call t gauge his interest in buying in additinal fruit, Felipe tld us he was intrigued t hear abut this significant planting in a cmpletely new area and agreed t visit. Realising the significance f the find he was in the frtunate psitin t be able t make an ffer t buy the whle estate. As evidenced by ur tasting, this site has in its first few vintages already prduced sme fine wines. With a few years t make sme tweaks Felipe hpes it can deliver even mre, althugh he was realistic abut the time needed t achieve increasing refinements and admitted that that the ultimate assessment f the vineyard wuld need anther twenty years at least. t lcatin and the explratin f terrir in the search fr far higher quality, with many f the best sites in the cuntry nly just planted and many mre yet t be discvered. That said, he felt great prgress had already been made, that Chile s tp wines were already very gd and getting better, that the future wuld be much mre diverse but equally that it wuld take time t draw ut the real ptential at the very highest level f quality. It was a wide ranging and very engaging presentatin. Felipe s brad utlk, enquiring attitude, clear purpse and quiet cnfidence bde well fr Tabali and fr Chile. In the curse f the tasting Felipe gave a very pen and engaging assessment f the state f the Chilean industry, its develpment ver the last 20 years and sme f the emerging themes and trends in the industry s pursuit f quality and identity. His main pints were that it was still a yung industry (especially in terms f the search fr higher quality and fine wine) and that his generatin were lucky as the industry was well resurced because the cuntry was ding well. He cited the large number f well educated, well travelled and very driven yung viticulturalists and winemakers actively fcused n matching vine 12

13 6. Errázuriz (Pedr Ballesters Trres MW) Viña Errazuriz is ne f the mst ntewrthy and ldest wineries in Chile. Funded in 1870, it was nt until the 1990s that it became well knwn in the wrld scene, thanks t Eduard Chadwick. He tk ver the cmpany in 1983, starting frm a bankrupt business and develping it int a majr internatinal quality prducer. They exprt nw 95% f their prductin. The key fr the success is t be fund in the vineyards. Frm the beginning, Eduard s idea was t prduce premium wines frm his wn vineyards, rather than buying grapes. Errázuriz s seven majr vineyard plts are planted in the Acncagua Valley, where the thermal gradient fllws des nt fllw latitude but an East-West pattern: areas clser t the Ocean are cler than inland areas. The main varieties planted in their 1200 ha are Cabernet Sauvignn and Carménère, with bits f Petit Verdt and Cabernet Franc. Fr new vineyards, Eduard Chadwick, a pineer by nature, fllws his wn way. While the rest f Chile is searching fr the cler areas, Eduard explres the warmer areas in the valley. The best cmplement t excellent vineyards being an excellent winery, Errazuriz are in the secnd year f peratin f a brand new winery, a benchmark fr state-f-the-art quality winemaking: biclimatic design, gravity and circular mvement patterns, gethermal energy fr air cnditining, tank sizes adapted t vineyard plts. and, beauty, sheer beauty. The result f all f this? Tp wines such as Seña and Dn Maximian, and a large prductin f ther valuable wines. Eduard s ambitin is t have his wines recgnised as part f the small family f the wrld s best. His marketing strategy is simple: having his wines blind-tasted tgether with thse cnsidered t be the best in the wrld. Eduard tk the pprtunity f the presence f a bunch f Masters f Wine, rganising a 12-wine blind tasting fr us. The theme was ageing ptential, and we were infrmed that there culd be Eurpean wines in the list. We were required t rate the wines accrding t quality alne. The list f the five tp wines in the tasting speaks fr itself, and serves as a nice cnclusin: 1. Seña Seña Château Latur Seña Château Haut-Brin 00 13

14 7. MOVI dinner (Mel Jnes MW) We met sme f the MOVI winemakers at Espiritu Sant, a restaurant in the Cerr Bellavista area f Valparais. This is a grup f independent wine makers wh gt tgether three years ag, t make wine persnally, and n a human scale. Originally started with just twelve members, MOVI nw has ver twenty but is unlikely t exceed thirty five. Membership is limited t hands-n winemakers wh craft wine t reflect a particular visin, beynd rigin and terrir, which are givens, and membership is nly awarded after extensive tastings. Our meeting with them was tremendus fun and their enthusiasm infectius. While they are serius abut wine quality, they d have a tngue in cheek air abut them, smething f the Mnty Pythn, which ur hsts, Derek Mssman (Garage Wine C) and Ed Flaherty (Flaherty Wines), appeared keen t prmte. This alternative style is an attractive USP but we abslutely needed a list f wines because time was wasted asking repeatedly fr infrmatin, which resulted in a nisy and shamblic tasting. Sme members have winemaking day jbs, but their MOVI wrk is separate, sme have cmpletely different careers and really are making their wines in the garage, and fr sme this is the day jb. Prductin levels are lw. MOVI s tp market is Brazil, and wines are available in the UK at Naked Wines and Bibendum, and in Denmark. Persnal wine highlights were: Erasm 2004, a beautifully evlved Brdeaux blend ($US30); Garage Wine C Carignan 2010, dry-farmed and aged in ld French and American ak, with refreshing acidity and dark, liqurice flavurs; Vn Siebenthal Mntelig 2006 (Carménère, Cabernet Sauvignn and Petit Verdt) which was fragrant but als darkly spicy; Meli Carignan 2009, which had a warm, cmpsty nse and lifted, slightly herbal, palate. 14

15 8. Leyda (Igr Ryjenkv MW) This winery, the first in the area, gt its name befre they stpped allwing the wineries use the appellatin/do names fr the wineries. We were greeted by Raul Beckdrf, cmmercial directr and Cristbal Mujica, viticulturist, wh gave us the verview f the key pints f Leyda, the area and the winery, in their vineyard verlking river Maip. The Viña Leyda was funded in 1996 with fcus n the high quality wine prductin. They were the first t plant in the valley, which here-there-fre had been used t sheep grazing. Leyda is a bwl-like valley with a narrw utlet t the cean in its nrth-east crner. The grapes planted here are SB, Chardnnay, PN, as well as Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Syrah, all cl climate suitable varieties. Viña Leyda has 250 ha f ttal area with 35 ha f their ttal planted as recently as 2004 n 3 terraces. They had t build a 7 km water line frm Maip river t the vineyards and the winery, as irrigatin is nce again necessary with nly 200mm annual rainfall (which was 400mm years ag, we were tld).the 100,000 cases the winery prduces are exprted mainly t UK, US, Brasil, Chile. The area has a lw frst risk being just 4 km frm the cean. 1 st terrace has 10 ha planted with 6400 vines/ha density. It is primarily alluvial and granitic sil here. In ttal Viña Leyda has abut 74 ha with 37 ha f PN, 17 f SB, 5.5ha f Riesling, 10 f Ch and 4 ha f Sauvignn Gris. Btrytis and rabbits are the key challenges in the area. Lcal village Sant Dming n the shre is the nly clse urban spt in the area. This clse t the cean, there is a near cnstant cean breeze in the vineyard (which we gt t experience), planted with all white, cl climate suitable, varieties with PN the nly red. The ther vineyard name El Granit, named fr its granite sils. It is nt pssible t ripen CS, Merlt r Carménère here, way t cl fr thse grapes. The vines planted mstly n rtstck SO4, , with 1 and 242 SB clnes, 1114, 777 Chard clnes and mre, t address the cmbinatin f breezes and sil minerality (alluvial, granite and clay-y rganically sils, nt very deep, nly 1 meter, and then the mther rck). The newer vineyard has a new management system t implement what the winery learned s far it has higher density, aiming fr the lwer per vine yield, in kg/vine zne and better ripeness. The area, being a virgin land fr vine, des nt have nematdes. The sil was pretested prir t planting. Why the rtstck then? Basically, t cntrl the vigr and match it t the site ptential, e.g. in higher limestne sil better limestne tlerant stck. The terraces cnturs define the rw rientatin t capture the n-shre breezes. It is als hard t wrk the slpes if the rws are planted against the cntur althugh n the lwer aspects, sme vineyards in fact are planted up and dwn. Everything is hand harvested. The Maip river is the main surce f water. The water is pumped t the pnds, allwed t settle and neutralized, as therwise it is quite heavy and sediment rich, hwever it has a lw nitrite levels. It is then distributed t the vineyards. Sil has neutral 6.5 ph and salinity is nt a prblem. Water rights in the valleys are fully subscribed, and sld by the gvernment, but ne des nt need t have physical access t the water. The drip irrigatin is at 0.3 ltr/sec/ha rate during the grwing seasn f Nvember t February with abut 1600 cube meters (tns) f water per 1 ha cnsumptin per seasn. They use sil prbes befre irrigatin and t adjust the rate. They aim t deeper sil prfile irrigatin t encurage deeper rts. All varieties are trained t duble-guyt. After the vineyard visit we were met fr the tasting by Viviena Navarrete, the Head winemaker and Daniella Quezada, marketing fr the utside tasting near the in-vineyard hspitality building. Althugh it was a very sunny day, we certainly gt t feel the ff-shre breezes that were strng enugh t tip ver the glassware and made it very chilly in the shade. 11 wines were tasted with entry level SB and the PN range presenting the strngest case, with my persnal highlights f Pints frm the SW facing, granitic Single Vineyard Las Brisas 2010 bttling (abut $20 US) as well as the Lt ($30-35 US), bth high level PNs and gd values in the respective price bands, if 15

16 still representing a bit f a challenge t cnvince the glbal cnsumer f that. 16

17 9. Garces Silva (Fergal Tynan MW) Frm the hill at Vina Leyda we culd see the Amayna winery and vineyards acrss the valley. After a five minute jurney we were met by Matias Garces Silva (wner), Francisc Pnce (winemaker), Ignaci Casali (viticulturalist) and Maurici Figari (general manager). We started with a quick tur f the vineyards, sme f the first t be planted in the Leyda Valley in The estate is planted mstly t Sauvignn, Chardnnay, Pint and Syrah. Of particular nte was a plt f Syrah planted with 10,000 vines per hectare n a granite utcrp - newer plantings aiming at tp quality in Chile are generally being planted at higher densities and ften n slpes (in the case f Syrah) but very few at 1x1. The sil here is divided between granitic hillside sils and mre mixed alluvial sils in the lwer sectins. We lked at sme sil prfiles with Ignaci, a hillside Syrah site with a very shallw rganic layer and then varying depths f red clay (with a high irn cntent) t abut 60cm ver a bedrck f heavily fractured granite. Cl climate Syrah planted n granite sils here is challenging the reputatin f Leyda as an area fr Sauvignn and Pint Nir. The gravity-fed winery is built int the hillside with all f the fruit stred vernight in a cl rm befre intensive srting. Francisc is a man driven by detail and the winery is ne f the cleanest and mst rdered I have seen n my travels, a great winery t wrk in with clear flw, fully enclsed but with lts f natural light and air. Every detail here has been given great thught. Prductin is quite small at abut 15,000-20,000 dz. Ntable winemaking techniques include very lng prefermentatin cld maceratin n Pint Nir, in sme years up t 20 days and fining musts prir t ferment t reduce ttal bentnite usage by abut a third. The tasting was led by Francisc and Matias and started with Amayna s benchmark Sauvignn Blanc which was well received. Francisc attributed the signature ripe and very intense style t his dislike f any green flavurs and a preference fr the richer, almst trpical style f Sauvignn that Leyda can prduce whilst still retaining great natural acidity. The Chardnnay was again quite rich in style but fresh. The ak level was a surce f much discussin but the fruit cncentratin and cmplexity came shining thrugh. The highlight was a flight f lder vintages f barrel fermented Sauvignn which shwed real cmplexity with age. The Pint Nir shwed the ptential f the area fr this variety, the vines are still quite yung (a mix f lder Chilean massale selectins and mre recent French clnes) but the wine had great depth f flavur and that rare textural quality that hints at even greater things t cme as the vineyards develp. The Syrah was utstanding, fragrant red fruit and spice, the fruit prfile surprisingly reminiscent (t me) f a really tp flight mdern Crzes r St Jseph. We finished with a very relaxed lunch n the terrace n a beautiful spring day with great fd, lively cnversatin and a chance t retaste the wines as they were meant t be enjyed. It was fascinating t get such a detailed insight int the develpment f a new area and a new winery, bth frging their wn identity. We left this ambitius venture and the Leyda valley keen t return sn t watch the stry unfld. 17

18 10. Matetic (Adrian Garfrth MW) One f the highlights f the visit t Chile was the discvery (fr me at least) f the increasing cmmitment twards sustainable agriculture thrugh the adptin f rganic and bidynamic farming practices. In this regard, the visit t Matetic was a real treat, and prved t be the tuchstne t much animated discussin n the imprtance and relevance f bidynamics (see later) whilst the use f innvative winemaking practises (belw) created near applexy amngst certain Institute members. A little cntrversy is n bad thing in helping raise awareness but given the sceptical nature f the audience this culd have prven t be a duble edged swrd; thankfully the quality f the wines was equal t the task with sme prvcative styles and truly stunning creatins laid befre us. Histry Established in 1999, the Matetic family purchased land in the Rsari valley (a sub divisin f San Antni) because f its agricultural ptential. Wrking with cnsultants Ann Kraemer and Alan Yrk, they sn established that the cl climate, lw sil fertility and limited water supply (a cnstant challenge fr Chilean vineyards) prvided ideal, yet challenging cnditins fr the develpment f a bidynamic farm. Of their 10,000 Ha f land (spread ver 4 estates) the cre vineyard is situated at Rsari in which nly 120Ha are in rganic prductin with 70Ha fully accredited as bidynamic. The scale f the farm therefre has created an enclsed ecsystem in which the full winemaking ptential f their sustainable philsphy can be mnitred, cntrlled and explited t prduce the best wines pssible. Althugh they initially experimented with 9 different varieties, the likes f Carménère, Cabernet & Vigner were sn shwn the dr, and Matetic cncentrated their effrts n Syrah, Pint Nir, Chardnnay and Sauvignn Blanc t stunning effect. The Winery & The Egg Grapes are hand harvested t tw srting tables befre passing int the Laurence Odjfell designed winery which incrprates what ne wuld expect frm a quality rientated business. Everything is gravity fed int small tanks whse size crrespnds t the grape varieties, varying clnes and diversity f vineyard sites. Temperature cntrl f the fermentatin vessels, strage tanks and barrel cellar (which is stcked with 99% French ak) is managed thrugh a PLC. As a result, everything that is happening as the vineyards develp is carefully mnitred and cntrlled, althugh there is a clear emphasis is n nninterventinist winemaking. The cmmitment t bidynamics may be seen in sme quarters as a sufficient USP but innvatin cntinues in the winery thrugh fermentatin trials using the latest cncrete egg technlgy. I believe (althugh I culd be wide f the mark n this) that advice was sught frm Mr J. Pedley MW n the relevant size, shape and cncrete wall thickness, and there was certainly cnsiderable interest in cmparing traditinally barrel fermented & matured Chardnnay with the same wine prduced in egg. I will at this stage try and refrain frm all egg based puns (srry, I can t help myself, particularly as Michael Cx will be reading this) but there was a lt f eggcitement prir t tasting fllwed by cmments f eggscellent, eggsquisite and in ne case, I 18

19 think sighs f eggsasperatin (Jnathan Pedley perhaps?). Interestingly n-ne asked what they used t fine the wine. The Wines The histry, bidynamics and innvative wine making apprach cunt fr nthing unless the wines deliver in the glass, hence we apprached the tasting with baited breath. The winery has segmented its wines int 3 distinct tiers but thankfully nt n yet anther Riserva, Riserva Especial and Icn platfrm. The EQ (shrt fr equilibrium) ffer f Sauvignn, Chardnnay and Pint Nir all shwed gd typicity and clearly demnstrated that this is a cl climate area with the ptential t prduce wines f elegance and finesse. Cralill (named after the riginal 100 year ld winery) had an excellent Pint Nir and als demnstrated why the winery has given s much attentin t the Syrah grape. The Cralill Syrah 2010 is a dry style, with gd structure, tight tannin structure and lean acid backbne, plenty f black fruit character and great minerality. It will be a delight t see hw this evlves. The EQ Syrah shwed even greater cncentratin and richness n the mid palate Metatic is the single vineyard ffer with a limited prductin f apprximately 300cases. Whilst relatively expensive, it is a wnderfully intense wine shwing greater flesh and ripe silky tannins, but withut cmprmising the refreshing acidity, pure Syrah fruit and lng cmplex finish. It is a real ww wine but ne with depth and cmplexity and ptential t age gracefully. At this stage in the tasting the debate pened up t address the imprtance f rganic and bidynamic wines fllwing the rather bneheaded cmments made by a senir UK buyer that there was n interest frm cnsumers. I believe there was universal agreement that sustainable agriculture (be it fr wine prductin r any ther crp) is the nly way frward and that this will happen thrugh enlightened crprate pressure and cmmitment, as witnessed, as an example, thrugh the tender prpsals frm the Systemblaget, Vinmnplet and Alk. Cnsumers will naturally fllw prvided that the wines deliver n quality, but clearly we need t be prviding encuragement t all wineries that embark n this path Which brings me neatly t the Cheeps Cheeps a small wlly animal used t graze between the vines and cntrl the cver crp withut cmpacting the sil between the vines At least that s what I thught I heard him say Very many thanks t everyne at Matetic fr an enlightening visit and fr the chance t taste their excellent wines 19

20 11. Wines f Chile Dinner (Patrick Farrell MW) A grup f sleepy MWs were led by ur charming, Wines f Chile hstess, Gail Thrntn, and ur ever-energetic Chairman, Lynne Sherriff MW t a bistr/wine bar just several blcks frm the Radissn Plaza Htel in Santiag. The evening was bth casual and enjyable as the drinks were beer and pisc surs. A gd time was had by all. 20

21 12. Emiliana (Mel Jnes MW) Our hsts at the Ls Rbles vineyard, where Cyam, Nvas and Gê are made, were Alvar Espinza (Winemaker Cnsultant) and Jsé Guilisasti (General Manager). In 1987 Emiliana split frm Cncha y Tr and the family s fruit farm business and by the mid 90s had mved twards Integral Pest Management and rganic viticulture. Jsé was uncmfrtable abut the way that fruit farm wrkers were badly affected by sprays and Alvar wanted t lk after the land. This way f farming, and f living, Jsé cnsiders, takes ten years t shw in the wines, frm switching ver. All grapes are rganic, but nly thse fr Gê and Cyam are bidynamic. There s a fcus n wrker welfare, with each being given a hme and a vegetable plt (with mandatry tending n Saturdays traditinally a wrk-day in Chile). The aim is fr each farm t be a clsed system f prductin with minimum utside inputs. All bidynamic preps are grwn n that farm, with deer bladder a by-prduct f deerhunting further suth. The preps are the nly aspect that Demeter insist n and Emiliana ges thrugh certificatin partly fr cmmercial reasns, but als because the system helps them structure their bidynamic tasks. Care is taken t listen t csmic rhythms, s the Maria Tun calendar is strictly adhered t. Jsé cnsiders that plants are csmic panels, receiving infrmatin and energy if nt, vines wuld budbreak in the middle f winter. This vineyard sunds, lks and smells different frm thers visited. There s the sund f wild birds, and hens, glriusly brightly-clured cver crps and a whiff n the air f cmpst r maybe it s llama dung. While the questin asked by wine prfessinals and cnsumers alike must be But des this make the wine better that desn t seem t be the pint f the wrk at Emiliana. They re a public cmpany and s need t make a prfit the wines must be gd but there s very much a feeling that the rightness f what they re ding is at least as imprtant. And the wines? We tasted frm the Nvas and Signs de Origen ranges, and als Cyam and Gê. Several f us agreed that the Signs de Origen blend f Chardnnay/ Vignier/ Marsanne/ Russanne was a very interesting wine. It was heavily perfumed, with a spicy and rich palate, but with well-judged ak and balanced alchl. Amng the reds, clurs were rich and flavurs intense. Alchl levels were pretty high at between 14.3 and 15.1, but the wines had enugh weight and fruit intensity t appear balanced. A memrable visit. 21