Altaïr Sideral 2014, Cachapoal, Chile (£20 Hanging Ditch) Desperately young wine, very Chilean in its blackcurrant intensity, and with the imprint of new oak still to the fore, but behind the currently shouty youthful flavours, there are notes of spice, tobacco and herbs, and enough of a backbone to support […]
Rapel
Marques de Casa Concha Merlot 2012, Peumo (Rapel), Chile (~£12 for current vintage) Impressive style, balancing plummy berry richness with fresh acidity and fine-grained tannins, plus just the right amount of toasty oak and notes of mint and chocolate to add further layers. Very tasty now, but still bags of […]
Two Marques de Casa Concha Chilean reds
Casillero del Diablo Merlot 2010, Rapel, Chile (£6-£8 widely available) Quite a flashy, fleshy style, with rich ripe blackcurrant and blackberry plus touches of vanilla, but there’s also a more restrained leafy, cedary edge to add some freshness. B+ Groote Post Merlot 2010, Darling, South Africa (£11-13 Francis Fine Wines, […]
Wine Tasting Video: Merlot & Malbec from the southern hemisphere
Yali National Reserva Cabernet Franc 2009, Colchagua (£8.19 Morrisons) Has the typical Chilean blackcurrant pastille character, along with quite rich, earthy, chocolatey richness, but ultimately misses out on the Cab Franc fragrance, and feels just too warm and rich. B- Torres Cordillera Carmenère/Merlot/Petit Verdot 2007, Central Valley (£11.99 Partridges, Gales […]
Wine Tasting Video: Seven reds from Chile
Snoqualmie Naked Merlot 2007, Columbia Valley, Washington State, USA (~£11.50 Stratfords Wines) Starts with a pleasant leafy edge, a touch of tobacco and reasonable plummy fruit, but then goes rather dilute, with clunky oak coming through. C Snoqualmie Naked Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, Columbia Valley, Washington State, USA (~£11.50 Stratfords Wines) […]