| 2013 Viña Leyda 'Garuma Vineyard' Sauvignon Blanc - $22.99/$19.54
The Estate: Viña Leyda was founded in 1998, in Leyda Valley, place today recognized as the last great innovation of Chilean viticulture. Traditionally, Leyda Valley has been an area of natural pasture lands and basic crops such as wheat and barley.
After evaluating the potential conditions of the area, a crucial investment was made which enabled water to be brought from the Maipo River through an eight kilometer pipeline. Actually, Leyda has planted vineyards for a total of 230 hectares.
The Wine: Strong cool climate character, this Sauvignon shows the maritime influence of Leyda terroir with a nice minerality. Herbal aromas together with citric fruit such as grapefruit and lime,
makes this Sauvignon not only an elegant wine but complex as well. In palate it has creamy texture, herbal notes, crisp acidity and a persistent and lingering juicy ending.
Critical Acclaim:
93 points Wine & Spirits: "This wine shows its minerality through the force of its acidity; it’s completely focused on flavors of stones and salt, as if there were no grapes involved in making it at all. The wine is refreshing and firm, poised to take on anything you might find at a raw bar. Garuma is a 20-acre vineyard, planted mostly with Clone 1, the first of the sauvignon clones to be imported into Chile, and one that gives wines with a lot of structure and acidity." (2/ 2014)
91 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The 2013 Single Vineyard Garuma Sauvignon Blanc is produced with grapes from a south-facing vineyard, which in the Southern Hemisphere is the cooler orientation, and is the last Sauvignon Blanc to be harvested. The soils where the vineyards are located are rich in calcium carbonate. The must fermented in stainless steel, where the wine aged in contact with the lees for six months. The bottled wine has notes of gooseberries and tomato leaves, and is clean and focused, expressive and direct. It has superb freshness, and in a cold vintage like 2013, it has a razor-sharp palate with pungent flavors, and is refreshing and long, with a mineral finish. A very good Sauvignon at a great price. Drink now-2016." (6/ 2014)
2010 Cousiño-Macul 'Finis Terrae' Cabernet/Merlot Blend - $27.99/$23.79
The Estate: In 2006, Cousiño-Macul celebrated its 150th anniversary. The Cousiño family's wine estate in Santiago was established in 1856. Five years ago, the Cousiños moved many of their vines to a new estate at Buin, and built a new winery there. Few wine producers have the opportunity to make a completely new start, incorporating the best of their age-old experience, their unique vines from their personal greenhouse and the most contemporary technology available. As the technology continues to advance in the vineyards and in the wineries around the world, Cousiño Macul has seized this opportunity and taken a grand leap into the future. Although moving quickly into the future, they take with them the most important part of their long history - their genetic plant material that was originally brought into Chile in 1863. The Cousiño's vineyard and winery in Macul became the proudest achievement of the family. The new vineyard and winery in Buin are now in the hands of the sixth generation.
The Wine: With a bright and clean deep purple color, this wine offers a complex nose, in which notes of wild berries, blueberry, raspberry, and blackberry can be felt, as well as a subtle French oak aroma, in perfect balance with the fruit. In the mouth plum and strawberry, accompanied by a slight sweetness, principally from the merlot, can be found. It's intense, balanced and round, with ripe tannins and a long finish.
Critical Acclaim:
90 Points, James Suckling: "A red with dark berries, walnuts, lightly toasted oak and cocoa. Full body, firm tannins and a flavorful finish. Attractive austerity. A blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and syrah. Traditional style."
2008 Terranoble 'CA2' Carmeñere Costa - $29.99/$25.49
Wine Description: This Carmenere is sourced from our vineyards located on the coastal mountain range of the Colchagua Valley. Benefiting from a strong maritime influence, this is a very unique Carmenere, as it offers both a refreshing elegance and character.
The constant breezes off the Pacific Ocean cool the grapes, slowly maturing the intense aromas of dark fruit and spice. Grapes were picked at maximum of maturity to maintain all of the aromatic potential. Together with the soft texture and intense flavors on the palate, this wine is a perfect expression of Carmenere from the coast of Chile.
Tasting Notes: A deep, intense red color with blue reflections. Complex and elegant aromas of species, smoke and some earthy notes from coastal terroir. Incredible freshness with intense, silky and well- balanced tannins; an elegant combination with the oak after the twelve months of aging. Pair with rabbit fricassee, turkey osso buco, or lamb chops.
Critical Acclaim:
92 Points, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The 2008 Carmenere CA2 Costa was produced from lower yields and displays slightly greater concentration. It gives up aromas of lightly roasted black fruits, Asian spices, incense, and floral notes. Velvety textured, multi-dimensional, and pleasure bent, this rich effort will evolve for 2-3 years but there is no compelling reason to delay your gratification."
2008 Cousiño-Macul 'Lota' Cabernet/Merlot Blend - $89.99.99/$76.49
The “LOTA” project started in 2003, when the Cousiño family decided to create a world class wine for the 150th anniversary. Lota gathers two passions of the family: the coal mining and wines. Both began in the XIX century and were the starting point of the great legacy of this traditional family. Lota is a wine that combines tradition, the history of the Cousiño and the distinctive elegance of the Cousiño-Macul wines, with the cohesion of a winemaking team that is guided by excellence.
Tasting Notes: A deep dark red color with violet tints. Complex aromas of dark fruit with cassis, hints of cedar and spice. Full-bodied and elegant with luscious flavors of blackberry, currant, cocoa, soft oak and warm spices. A core of concentrated and delicious black fruits is framed by light toast oak and ripe tannins, which continues into a long, ultrasmooth finish.
Food Pairing: A wine for sumptuous meals based on braised or roasted red meats. Gigot of oven-roasted lamb, Beef Wellington, marinated venison and wild boar, Civet of hare, lamb ragout, confit of rump steak or simply steak au poive.
92 Points |Stephen Tanzer's IWC
"(70% cabernet sauvignon and 30% merlot, aged for 18 months in new French barriques): Inky ruby. Smoky and ripe on the nose, with scents of exotic oak spices, cassis and cherry-vanilla. Broad, weighty and chewy, offering dense dark berry and bitter cherry flavors and a building note of candied licorice. Finishes rich, round and smoky, with appealing sappiness, supple tannins and impressive persistence."
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