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Seven wonderful white wines from Chile
Following an extensive ‘blind’ tasting of Chilean wines earlier this year, we have picked out seven first-rate whites, including some fine Chardonnay from Limarí, a flor-aged Semillon, and a brand new multi-regional top-end blend.
LA CANTERA
- Producer: Casa Del Bosque
- Region: Casablanca Valley
- Vintage: 2023 Grape varieties: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
- ABV: 13.5%
- Approx. retail price: £15
- Score: 92
This wine has pungent, clean, inviting Sauvignon Blanc aromatics from capsicum to riper notes of passionfruit. The palate has a similar mix of ripe tropical fruit, almost a touch of sweetness, then green crunchy cool-climate characters, particularly green pepper and some pea shoot, with a long, clean, zesty, citrusy finish, and a touch of chalk too. Intensely-flavoured and refreshing, with some texture, richness, but no alcohol warmth.
LEYDA COASTAL VINEYARDS SAUVIGNON BLANC
- Producer:Viña Leyda
- Region: Leyda Valley
- Vintage: 2022
- Grape varieties: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
- ABV: 13%,
- Approx. retail price: £17
- Score: 91
A nose of pear but also some tinned greens, with crunchy capsicum too. The palate is clean, green and citric, with a mix of pear, then lemongrass, pea shoot, lime zest, and touch of grapefruit pith too. Really intense and persistent, with a cool and slightly tart character. For those who like high-acid whites with green bell pepper power – and a nettle-like note.
BOYA SAUVIGNON BLANC
- Producer: Garces Silva
- Region: Leyda Valley
- Vintage: 2023
- Grape varieties: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
- ABV: 12.5%
- Approx. retail price: £11
- Score: 90
Pungent Sauvignon Blanc aromatics, with some sweat and passionfruit, but lots of citrus too. While the palate features some slight sweetness and ripe pear, it also contains some searingly fresh citrus notes, with green lime zest, capsicum, and a touch of nettle too. Intensely citrusy finish, lingering and bright, but rather tart too. In short, a super-fresh youthful light wine, with plenty of flavour.
AMELIA CHARDONNAY
- Producer: Concha y Toro
- Region: Limarí Valley
- Vintage: 2021
- Grape varieties: 100% Chardonnay
- ABV: 13.7%
- Approx. retail price: £42
- Score: 95
A lovely nose with some roasted peach, toast, pineapple, and peanut too; scents that are suggestive of very fine Chardonnay. The palate is fresh, with a gently oily texture, some nectarine and a hint of peach, some toast, then a salty finish, with a subtle peanut note, followed by some grapefruit, bringing freshness. Not heavy, with a nice persistence – there’s intensity and a lingering salty finish. It’s hard not to drink, and seemingly a slightly more refreshing expression of the reliably outstanding Chardonnay that is Amelia – Concha y Toro’s flagship white wine.
CROMAS CHARDONNAY
- Producer: Los Vascos
- Region: Colchagua
- Vintage: 2022
- Grape varieties: 100% Chardonnay
- ABV: 14.5%
- Approx. retail price: £20
- Score: 90
Fresh aromatics dominate the nose, with pear and melon, a hint of peanut, and bell pepper, giving a green edge. The palate is similar, with a nettly note, some pear and peach, then blackcurrant leaf, and a hint of peanut. The finish is fresh, with a lemon-lime character, making this an intense, bright, persistent style, with a touch of green fruit. Flavour-wise, this is a skinny style Chardonnay, but with quite a high ABV of 14.5% – not that one can sense it.
CARMEN D.O. FLORILLÓN N°5
- Producer: Carmen
- Region: Apalta Valley
- Vintage: NV
- Grape varieties: 100% Semillón
- ABV: 11.5%
- Approx. retail price: £30
- Score: 91
The latest and fifth release of Carmen’s flor-aged Semillon from Colchagua. Aromatically, it’s salty and fino-like, with citrus and yeastiness. The palate has the same dry Sherry-like notes, with sourdough, then fresh apples and zesty citrus; it’s salty-fresh, lingering, complex, bone dry, and rather delicious, but very different, unless you’re a regular sipper of fino. Just needs salted almonds or cured ham.
CABALLO LOCO BLANCO
- Producer: Valdivieso
- Region: Central Valley
- Vintage: NV
- Grape varieties: 45% Chardonnay, 55% Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Moscatel, Semillon & Viognier
- ABV: 13%
- Approx. retail price: £60
- Score: 93
A fascinating set of intriguing aromatics, from cashew and pear to peach and tangerine, along with some grapey characters, and smoky tea leaves. The palate has the same complex set of characters, with a gently oily texture, some floral notes, then some nuttiness, and fine chalky tannin, with a grape, peach and orange core followed by some grapefruit pith bitterness on the finish, as well as lemon-lime freshness. Layered and persistent, and different to anything else on the white wine scene in Chile.
How the wines were chosen
The wines featured in this selection were taken from some of the leading producers in Chile. Wines of Chile asked them to submit no more than two wines for sampling. The wineries put forward commercially available samples that they were most proud of, representing new and exciting bottles, along with the latest vintages of established labels. The wines are listed in the order they were tasted, which was arranged by variety and region. All the samples were assessed blind. The bottles listed above are the white wines from the tasting.
For a full report on the Chilean wine scene, and to read about all the top-rated drops from the tasting, please see the September issue of the drinks business.