Wines of Chile tasting revisits London

This year’s annual Wines of Chile Trade Tasting takes place a week today and organisers are gearing up for their biggest event yet.

The generic body’s bicentenary celebrations will see over 80 individual wineries descend on London’s Royal Horticultural Halls on Wednesday 8 September.

They will be joined by the Movimiento de Viñateros Independientes (MOVI) – a group of small winereies that came together to boost their marketing powers and reach. Two wines each from 19 MOVI member wineries will be available to taste.

This year there will be two trade briefings including an on-trade discussion led by Gerard Basset MW, the 2010 ASI World Sommelier of the Year, as well as three focus tastings.

FOCUS TASTINGS

2010 Award Winners

Taste a line up of Chile’s gold and trophy winning wines from a variety of 2010 competitions, including The Annual Wines of Chile Awards.

Regional Chile

During Chile’s bicentenary year, it seems appropriate to put all of Chile in the spotlight and not just one region or grape variety.
 
The tasting will therefore look at each of Chile’s premium wine regions using up to 10 wines that show true regional character, from each of the following valleys: Elqui, Limarí & Choapa, Aconcagua, Maipo, Casablanca, San Antonio/Leyda, Cachapoal, Colchagua, Curicó, Maule and Bío Bío.

Carmenere Made for Curry

Following the success of the Carmenere Made for Curry tasting at Benares Restaurant in June, Wines of Chile is bringing the concept to its annual tasting. Test out the Carmenere and Curry match for yourself with sauces specially created by Benares.

Matt Wilson Photographic Exhibition

In addition to all the wine activity, the event will also have set aside a space to exhibit some of Matt Wilson’s photographs that document the aftermath of the earthquake that struck Chile earlier this year.

The exhibition will also be raising money for the Levantando Chile Fund in this area – a fund which was set up to specifically help those people in the wine regions whose lives were devastated by the earthquake.

To help raise money visitors to the Wines of Chile Annual Trade Tasting will have the opportunity to win a portrait taken by Matt Wilson (to be taken on the day).

For more information on the event email info@winesofchile.org.uk

To read this year’s in-depth focus on the Chilean wine industry, pick up a copy of September’s edition of the drinks business.

db, 01.09.2010