Apaltagua Reserva Carmenere 2008

The Carmenere is a varietal that is still unfamiliar to many wine drinkers, but it is catching on quickly.  I, like many of you, had not tasted the Carmenere until Cristobal Undurraga introduced me to it about 2 years ago.  This grape was originally from France and was actually 1 of 6 grapes that could be blended in Bordeaux wines.  Unfortunately, it was a late ripening grape and was not flourishing in the cold weather.  Since being planted in Chile, the varietal has really gained an audience in Chile.  Today, it is one of the most planted grapes.  Historically, it has been used as a blending grape but now it can stand on it's own.  The Apaltagua Reserva is a wonderful wine that is 100% carmenere which was harvested from 60+ year old vines in the Apalta Valley Estate.  This crimson colored wine starts off with aromas of a basket of black cherries and cassis along with some green herbs.  My wife compared it to a fir tree.  There was also a bit of smokiness and spices.  On the palate, the initial cherry and plum flavors are followed up by raspberries and then some spicy dark chocolate and a slight creaminess from the French oak back end.  This unfiltered Reserva was well structured with nice acidity and very smooth tannins with a long finish.  If you are not familiar with Carmenere, give it a try.  It might remind you of a cabernet franc.  For $10-$14/bottle, this might be the next big following.  We served it with a grilled (wood fired) flank steak with a smoked paprika chimichura sauce along with a side of grilled corn and tomato salad.  Paired well with both dishes.  I opened this bottle about 30-45 minutes before dinner was served.  Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar rated this 88 points.  This was a very enjoyable wine and it received two thumbs up at our house.  This was purchased at Wine Wise (see side bar for link).

Koyle Wines

My friend Cristobal Undurraga was in town last week and introduced several new wines from Koyle and one from Terrapura.  This is the 4th meeting I have had with him and I have to say the wines just keep getting better.  As mentioned in previous postings, the Undurraga's have been making wines since 1885 when Francisco Undurraga started the family business. They were the first Chilean winery to export to the US in 1903.   In 2006, the family sold the winery, vineyard and brand name to an investment group.  Shortly thereafter, Alfonso Undurraga Mackenna and his three sons, Max, Alphonso and Cristobal purchased 2,718 acres in Los Lingus, in the foothills of the Andes Mountain.  Also mentioned previously, Cristobal has learned the trade not only from his family but some of the top wineries in Argentina, Napa, Australia and France.  His last stop before coming back to the family business was with Aurelio Montes´s Kaiken.  Cristobal's grandfather's motto was "quality before quantity".  And the brothers have certainly lived up to that.  The Undurraga's began working on transforming their winery into a biodynamic winery in 2009 and expect to receive the official designation later this year. When you are ready to give Chilean wine a try, be sure to search out the Koyle and Terrapura wines.

We began the night with the 2010 Terrapura Sauvignon Blanc.  Terrapura is small production by Alfonso Undurraga.  Once I took a "sniffy sniff" (thanks Gary V), I was ready to dive in.  The rich intense aromas of exotic fruits and citrus were overwhelming.  These wonderful fruits followed onto the palate with smooth, crisp acidity.  A perfect aperitif or serve with appetizers.  This was one of the nicest sauvignon blancs that I have tasted in a long time.  Probably my pick of the year. This is a steal at $9.99.

Next we turned to the reds and the Koyle label.  We started with the 2009 Koyle Reserva Carmenere.  Until 2009, Carmenere was primarily used as a blend with other grapes, most notably Syrah at the Koyle winery.  However, the 2009 was so good that it could stand on it's own and then blended with 8% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Syrah.  Cristobal said they tried other grapes including Merlot but they just didn't work.  The carmenere grape is a late ripening grape with plenty of black fruit and cassis.  There is also a gentle as well as some minerality from the stony terroir.  60% of the wine was aged in French oak barrels for 12 months, while the other 40% was aged in stainless steel to preserve the individual characteristics of each grape.  This was served with a lamb chop appetizer.  The Reserva retails for $19.99.

The 2008 Koyle Royale Syrah is a very dark colored wine that is a blend of 93% Syrah and 7% Malbec.  The Royale line of wines from Koyle are the top end wines.  This full bodied Syrah had a wonderful nose of fresh plums, coffee and notes of black pepper .  The black fruits overwhelm your taste buds along with cedar, some smokiness and  minereality from the granite slopes of the Andes Mountains.  The tannins were smooth and silky and long lasting flavors.  The wine was aged for 18 months with 1/2 being aged in new French oak and the other 1/2 aged in 1 year old used French oak barrels.  Just before bottling the wine is blended without filtration.  Although this wine is ready to be enjoyed now, put it away for another 5-10 years and you will have a great wine.  I recommend serving this with grilled meats or a BBQ sauce.  Only 2,200 cases of the 2008 Koyle Royale Syrah were made.  It retails for $25.99.  I really enjoyed this wine and would recommend buying a few bottles.

The 2009 Koyle Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon was a tighter wine with aromas of sweet blackberries and blueberries, along with some vanilla and green vegetables.  The black fruit flavor followed onto the palate along with some currants, tobacco and a hint of mint.  This is a blend of 90% cabernet and 10% malbec with the grapes coming from three lots in the Colchaua Valley: Los Lingues, Apalta and Lolol.  Following maceration, the wine is aged in French oak barrels for 12 months.  The Reserva Cabernet was not as bold as the typical California Cabernet, which also made this enjoyable but the young tannins were still chewy.   You will want to decant this for at least an hour to get the most out of it.  The 2009 Koyle Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon retails for $16.99.  A nice Cabernet that you won't have to break the bank.

The 2008 Koyle Royale Cabernet Sauvignon is a few giant steps above the Reserva Cabernet.  Koyle has 15 hectares (37 acres) of Cabernet.  The 2008 Royale is a dark ruby colored wine that is a blend of 85% Cabernet, 13% Malbec and 2% Carmenere.  Although the nose had more of a juicy  red fruit aroma along with cassis, the black fruits were prevalent on the palate, along with some spiciness and toasty oak.  Unlike the 2009 Reserva Cabernet, this wine had a much fuller and complex structure with perfectly silky tannins and flavors that were never ending.  As similar to the Royale Syrah, the Royale Cabernet is aged for 18 months in French oak and is also unfiltered.  This is a limited production with only 4,000 cases produced. If you are lucky enough to find it, be sure to treat yourself. I suggest decanting this for about an hour.    If this wine had a California label, it would likely be retailed for double the $25.99 that Koyle sells it for.  This will age well for the next 5-10 years.  This was probably my favorite red of the night, although each of the wines were very nice.

Last up was the 2007 CAYU.  This is a wine made from four producers: Larrain, Lasmatres, Toso & Undurraga.  Cristobal went back to Mendoza and created this wine with the five friends from his days working in Mendoza.  CAYU means the number 6 in the the local Mapuche dialect.  The CAYU is a 100% malbec with all grapes coming from a single vineyard in the Uco Valley, southwest of Mendoza City.  Malbec is a grape that came from Europe prior to the phylloxera infestation and thus the vines had the original roots.  Following the outbreak, vines would be grafted onto other grapes roots.   Today, it is one of the most widely harvested grapes in Argentina.  This aromas reminded me of a blueberry pie with some spices on top.  The rich anise and plum flavors were combined with the sweetness of the blueberries and some vanilla on the back end.  The acidity was higher but the tannins were soft and subtle.  Like several of the others, this wine is unfiltered and aged for 24 months in new French oak barrels.  Give this wine about 30-60 minutes of decanter time before serving. I generally have a tough time putting bottles away in the cellar but this will be outstanding in another 5 years.  This was tied with the Royale Cabernet Sauvignon as my favorite red wine of the night.  This is a very limited production with 1,200 (Six-bottle cases) produced.  It retails for $49.99.  

I highly recommend the Koyle and Terrapura wines from Chile.  If you can't find them in your local store, you can purchase them from Quintessential Wines (click on logo on sidebar).

Llai Llai Pinot Noir 2009

Now there is an interesting name.  However, llai llai in the local mapuche language means wind.  And this wine comes from a windy and rainy area of Chile known as the Bio Bio Valley.  The region is located approximately 300 miles south of Santiago and 30 miles from the Pacific Ocean and is rich in red clay soils and volcanic stone.  The Bio Bio (pronounced Bee o) region is slowly catching on for wine making compared to the easier growing climate in northern Chile.  Moscatel is the most prevalent grape in the Bio Bio, followed by Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, with Pinot Noir taking up a close 4th.  The Llai Llai is made by Louis Vallet, who is the 5th generation family member that has gone into the wine business.  His father, Bernard Vallet, is well known in the Burgundy circle.  Louis spends 6 months a year in Chile and the other 6 months back in France also making Pinot Noir wines.

Upon opening the 2009 vintage, I immediately thought of meat.  My wife went one step further and said grilled pork.  She was right on.  I had smelled this once before in a wine from Koyle wines, also from Chile, but it was a completely different grape.  Although it had a rather deep red color, it was a very light bodied wine.  It had been aged for 16 months with 40% aged in 2nd use French oak barrels and the remaining 60% aged in stainless steel.  Once you got past the meat aromas, there was some raspberries and cherries along with herbal notes.  On the palate, the initial flavors were black cherry, followed by some currants and some oakiness.  In addition, there was a minerality that came thru on the back end.  The alcohol content was 13.8% and the acidity was medium.  The tannins were also fairly mild.  Overall, an interesting wine that would be the perfect match for fish.  Yes, a red with fish.  We agreed that it might not be a wine that we would pick up again, but would certainly be enjoyed by others.  This can be purchased for $12.98 at "Buy Wine Online" located on the right sidebar of this blog.

Koyle & Terrapura

Last week, Cristobal Undurraga was back in the States and invited me to dinner at Churrascaria Braza in Hartford, CT.   I met Cristobal last fall for the first time and jumped at the opportunity to join him again.  His love and passion for wine can't be matched.  The famed Undurraga family has been making wines for six generations dating back to 1885 with their first imports to the US in 1903.  The family sold the eponymous winery, vineyards and family name to a banking consortium two years ago.  As the old saying goes, "you can't keep a good man down".  Shortly after the family business was sold, Cristobal, his father and two brothers jumped right back into the business with the Koyle and Terrapura wines and continue to carry on the quality wines that were always associated with the Undurraga name.    In addition to having wine in his veins, Cristobal has learned the business from some of the best around the world having worked at Franciscan Winery in Napa, CA; Rosemont Wines in Barossa Valley, Australia; Chateau Margaux in Bordeaux, France and Vina Kaiken in Mendoza, Argentina. 

We started the evening with the 2009 Terrapura Sauvignon Blanc that was produced by Cristobal's brother Alfonso.   I had tasted this last year with Cristobal and thought it was a nice wine, but it was even better this time around.  There is plenty of grapefruit, lime and kiwi on the nose and a hint of summer flowers.  The flavors of this 100% sauvignon blanc include the grapefruit and lime, along with some lemon, orange peel and lemongrass.  It is a light bodied sauvignon blanc with perfect acidity.  Great for appetizers or would pair well with a shell fish dish or a mild fish.  A must try. The 2009 Terrapura Sauvignon Blanc retails for $10.

Next came the 2009 Terrapura Carmenere.  Carmenere is a grape that is finally starting to get recognized.  As I mentioned in my previous post, this grape was originally grown in the Bordeaux region of France until it was almost wiped out by disease in the mid 1860's. There has been long speculation as to the grape as a possible clone but in 1998 it was officially recognized by the Chilean Department of Agriculture as a separate distinct variety. This wine is aged in steel tanks for four months with innerstaves of French and American oak. The Carmenere has a very deep red color and starts off with some strawberries, cherries and spicy peppers and then a hint of chocolate.   This silky wine had a medium body filled with red fruits and a touch of tobacco and a slight cedar flavor on the back end.  In my opinion, the 2009 we tasted at this meal was better than the 2008 we had last year.  Cristobal told me that the 2009 season was a warmer season and and the grapes developed better.  The tannins were much smoother and the tastes reminded me of a nice French wine, although it is from Chile.   The 2009 Carmenere retails for $10.  A great pairing for lamb chops.

Now we switch to Cristobal's Koyle wines.   One trait that he seems to maintain from his days in the Bordeaux region of France is blending of wines.  The first wine from this label was the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon. This was one of my favorites last year, and it didn't leave me down this year. This dark ruby colored wine is a blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon and 12% Carmenere that came from two regions in Chile - Maipo and Colchagua Valley. There was a wonderful blackberry and blueberry aroma along with tobacco and coffee. The Carmenere added some spiciness to the taste. 60% of the wine is aged in French oak for 12 months and the remaining 40% is aged in stainless steel tanks to preserve the aroma and taste of the grape varietals. They recommend decanting this wine for at least 30 minutes before serving and also feel that this will cellar well for another 5 years. Only 4,000 cases of the Cabernet Sauvignon were produced and it retails for $17. A must buy.  The restaurant owner said he normally does not like cabernets, but he really did enjoy these. They are not as hearty as the CA Cabernets, but are just as good.  Wine Spectator rated this 87 points.

Next up, the Koyle Syrah 2007.  This was the first vintage of this wine and is a blend of 87% Syrah and 13% Carmenere. It is dark violet in color with creamy, intense cassis and graphite notes, along with some chocolate and toasty oak on the nose and palate. The tannins were still a little chewy on this vintage, like the previous tasting, but should evolve nicely over the next 5-10 years. This is slightly less acidic than the Cabernet. The Carmenere really started to stand out this time around.  Be sure to decant the Syrah at least 30 minutes prior to serving, but 60 minutes is better if you have the time. Again, only 4,000 cases were produced. The 2007 Syrah retails for $17.  Wine Spectator rated this 86 points.

Many producers call their better wines Reserves or Reservas, Cristobal calls his Royale.  Great name!!!  The 2007 Royale Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Malbec and 6% Carmenere. The Cabernet grapes are harvested from vines planted in the early 20th century. This dark ruby Cabernet has a complex aroma of black currants, blackberry, violet and black tea. The black fruits continue onto the palate along with some spiciness from the Carmenere, followed by a nice long lingering finish. Following fermentation, the wine was aged in French oak barrels for 18 months. The barrels included 20% new oak, 20% 1 year used, 20% 2 years used and 40% 3+ years. Again, be sure to decant this wine. The 2007 Royale Cabernet, which retails for $26.  This is a great bargain buy.  If it was from CA, it would likely retail for around $50+.  It pairs nicely with a beef tenderloin or fillet.  This was my favorite of the Kolye wines. Wine Enthusiast rated this 92 points and Wine Spectator rated this 89 points. Blogger Top 10!

The last wine of the evening was the 2007 Koyle Royale Syrah which is a blend of 85% Syrah, 11% Malbec and 4% Carmenere.  I was curious to try this again as the last time it opened with a big nose of grilled meats. This time, it was still there but not as pronounced as last year.  The extra bottle time seems to be reducing that aroma.  Now I picked up more of the cherry and mulberry aromas along with some herbs and a little chocolate. In addition to the blackberry flavors from the Syrah, the Malbec and Carmenere added some plum, cedar and peppery flavors. As with the Royale Cabernet, this wine was also aged in French oak barrels for 18 months. This is a very complex wine that should age well. This Syrah also retails for $26.00  This is a a perfect match for a stew or red meats.  Wine Spectator rated this 85 points.

On your next visit to your local wine store, be sure to ask if they carry Terrapura or Koyle wines.   You can check out some of my other Koyle and Terrapura wine reviews in my October 11, 2009 posting, or click on Chile in the "Labels" section on the sidebar.  Thanks Cristobal for another great evening of conversation and tasty wines.  I look forward to visiting Chile next Spring.


All of these wines are imported by Quintessential Wines.  See sidebar link for their entire portfolio.

Los Vascos Sauvignon Blanc 2008

Last week's 92 degrees got me thinking about some new summer wines. What would be a nice light-bodied, crisp, refreshing white wine that could be enjoyed as an aperitif on the patio or served with dinner? I have had other wines by the Chilean Vina Los Vascos-Peralillo winery, but never the Sauvignon Blanc. A more recognizable name on the label is Domaines Barons De Rothschild (Lafite) who manages this property and supervises in the winemaking. Just like their great French wines, this is the perfect summer wine. The color is very clear and brilliant with just a hint of green. The pineapple, lime, grapefruit and lemon aromas just explode from the bottle when the cork is popped. The fruits don't stop there as they hit the palate along with some mango and granny smith apple on the mid palate and green herbs and a small amount of stone on the back end. The Central Valley is one of the largest grape regions in Chile which is nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes Mountains. This would be the perfect wine for relaxing along the Ocean, or on the patio. It has a well balance acidity and crisp refreshing flavors that last longer than the wine. I highly recommend this wine. BUT, be sure to keep it cold. The 2008 Los Vascos Sauvignon Blanc was given a 90 point rating by Wine & Spirits. This is a steal at $10.

Koyle and Terrapura

This past week I had the priviledge of having dinner with winemaker Cristobal Undurraga of the Koyle wines from Santiago, Chile. Cristobal's enthusiasm and love of not only his wines but of the wine industry cannot be matched. The famed Undurraga family has been making wines for six generations dating back to 1885 with their first imports to the US in 1903. Cristobal has learned the business from some of the best around the world having worked at Franciscan Winery in Napa, CA; Rosemont Wines in Barossa Valley, Australia; Chateau Margaux in Bordeaux, France and Vina Kaiken in Mendoza, Argentina. He then returned to Chile to join his father, two brothers and sister to start the Koyle wine label in 2006. The Koyle name came from Cristobal's love of a purple flowering vine that dates back to the Indians. These once endangered vines still grow on the family property.

We began the dinner with four wines from the Terrapura label made by his brother Alfonso. The first wine served with appetizers was the Terrapura Sauvignon Blanc 2009 which is a single-vineyard wine that has an intense aroma of tropical fruit. The flavors follow on to the palate along with some citrus and nice acidity. This does not have the crispness and exotic flavors as a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc but a wonderfully structured Sauvignon Blanc. This is a must buy! This retails for $11.

Next up was the Terrapura Chardonnay 2008. This 100% Chardonnay has a light yellow color with aromas of apples, pears and slight hints of tropical fruits. Alfonso says there is also a mandarin orange aroma but I did not pick this up. The soft Chardonnay flavors were complimented with some amber honey. This wine is aged in steel tanks for four months with innerstaves of French oak. This will pair well with appetizers as well, or a mild white fish. The 2008 Chardonnay retails for $11.

Those were the only whites we tasted. The Koyle label also has a Sauvignon Blanc, but it has not been shipped to the US as of now. The first red for the evening was the Terrapura Merlot 2008. This had a nice cherry and mulberry aroma, along with some spices and pepper. On the palate, the fruits were well balanced with soft tannins and a medium finish. Like the Chardonnay, this is aged in steel tanks for four months with innerstaves of French and American oak. For the $11 price tag, this a nice Merlot.

The next wine may not be known to alot of people. The Terrapura Carmenere 2008 is a red wine made from 100% Carmenere grapes. This grape was originally grown in the Bordeaux region of France until it was almost wiped out by disease in the mid 1860's. There has been long speculation as to the grape as a possible clone but in 1998 it was officially recognized by the Chilean Department of Agriculture as a seperate distinct variety. As with the Terrapura Merlot, this wine is aged in steel tanks for four months with innerstaves of French and American oak. The Carmenere has a very deep red color and starts off with an abundance of green bell pepper aromas along with some strawberries and spicy peppers. The flavors remind me somewhat of a Cabernet Franc with the more vegetable and herbal notes along with fresh red berries.  The tannis were smooth and mellow. You could pair this with an entree of pasta or would go well with a pork loin. The Carmenere retails for $11. Give it a try.

The final four wines are from the Koyle label. Presently, Cristobal grows seven different varieties of grapes, but hopes to expand to 14 and then eventually to 21. The main vines include Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère, Malbec and Syrah. They also grow a small amount of Tempranillo, Petit Verdot and Mouvèdre that they use for blending.

The Koyle Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 was one of my favorites. This dark ruby colored wine is a blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon and 12% Carmenere that came from two regions in Chile - Maipo and Colchagua Valley. There was a wonderful blackberry and blueberry aroma along with tobacco and coffee. The Carmenere added some spiciness to the taste. 60% of the wine is aged in French oak for 12 months and the remaining 40% is aged in stainless steel tanks to preserve the aroma and taste of the grape varietals. They recommend decanting this wine for at least 30 minutes before serving and also feel that this will cellar well for another 5 years. Only 4,000 cases of the Cabernet Sauvignon were produced and it retails for $17. A must buy.

The Koyle Syrah 2007 was the first vintage of this wine and is a blend of 87% Syrah and 13% Carmenere. It is dark violet in color with creamy, intense cassis and graphite notes, along with some chocolate and toasty oak on the nose and palate. The tannins were a little chewy on this vintage but should evolve nicely over the next 5-10 years. This is slightly less acidic than the Cabernet. Be sure to decant the Syrah at least 30 minutes prior to serving, but 60 minutes is better if you have the time. Again, only 4,000 cases were produced. The 2007 Syrah retails for $17.

Another favorite of mine was the Koyle Royale Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, which is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Malbec and 6% Carmenere. The Cabernet grapes are harvested from vines planted in the early 20th century. This dark ruby Cabernet has a complex aroma of black currants, blackberry, violet and black tea. The black fruits continue onto the palate along with some spiciness from the Carmenere, followed by a nice long lingering finish. Following fermentation, the wine was aged in French oak barrels for 18 months. The barrels included 20% new oak, 20% 1 year used, 20% 2 years used and 40% 3+ years. Again, be sure to decant this wine. The 2007 Royale Cabernet, which retails for $26, will cellar nicely for the next 10 years. Another must buy.

The final wine of the night was the Koyle Royale Syrah 2007, which is a blend of 85% Syrah, 11% Malbec and 4% Carmenere. This bright purple full-bodied wine SHOCKED me with a big aroma of grilled meats. Once I got beyond this, there was some cherry and mulberry aromas along with some herbs and a little chocolate. In addition to the blackberry flavors from the Syrah, the Malbec and Carmenere added some plum and peppery flavors. As with the Royale Cabernet, this wine was also aged in French oak barrels for 18 months. This is a very complex wine that should age well.   This Syrah retails for $26.00

Overall, I had a tremendous evening listening to Cristobal's excitement and knowledge of his wines and the wine business and tasting the above noted wines. You really can't go wrong with any of the wines from the Unduragga family. The Chilean wines are still at the lower end of the price scale and have some outstanding buys. If I ever get a chance to visit Chile, Cristobal Undurraga and Koyle Wines will be the first stop on my trip.

Viu Manent Secreto Sauvignon Blanc 2008

According to the bottle, Viu Manent is a family owned winery in Chile that has been in operation since 1935. This particular sauvignon blanc comes from San Carlos, Cunaco in Colchagua Valley. It is made from 85% sauvignon blanc and 15% of other grapes, which the vintner keeps as a secret. Secreto has a golden color with soft citrus, pear and melon aroma. The tropical fruit flavors of passion fruit, nectarine and kiwi transforms you into a vacation mood. There is a sharp acidity and a long finish. This is one of my wife's favorite Sauvingon Blancs, and ranks with the best from New Zealand. Great value wine that retails for about $10-$12. Nice pairing for appetizers or scallops and shellfish.