Chile is Going Coastal

Each year, the Chileans organize a rotating panel of critics from their leading export markets, hoping to gain some insight into which wines work best for each market.

Even for someone who has been covering Chilean wines for two decades, my latest experience in the long thin country brought many new revelations -- none more important than the impression that there is, and continues to be, huge investment in vineyards, wineries and exports in Chile.

Chile is not going to surrender its market share to Argentina any time soon and it looks as if they are poised to grab a chunk of any other country's wine share should they falter. Attention Australia, Canada, California and South Africa.

The current Chilean mantra is to get to the coast or up the mountains. Both areas provide challenging and barely hospitable sites to grow grapes. What the Chileans now know and embrace is that this is where their finest quality grapes will eventually be grown. As an industry, Chile boasts a healthy mix of large and small companies, turning out a wide variety of highly trained agronomists and winemakers, who are spreading across the country, embracing what appears to be an endless supply of exciting new regions, sub-regions and vineyards.

Limari Syrah, Bio-Bio Pinot Noir, Marchigue carmenère, Leyda sauvignon, Colchagua cabernet sauvignon, San Antonio chardonnay or Elqui Riesling -- well, you name the region, and they have a wine.

Despite a wealth of choices, there is still an attempt by some to rally around carmenère, trying to make it the country's signature grape. I'm going to politely ignore the pitch, on the strength of the large number of ordinary carmenère that clouds the issue for what is really just a handful of outstanding examples. And those are spread among an even smaller number of producers.

In my opinion, Chile as a country would be crazy to hang its hat on this temperamental grape that can be as green as a Christmas tree at one end of the spectrum and as sublime a red wine as you can taste at the other. The problem is in Canada, where distributors and government buyers tend to specialize in the cheapest editions of anyone's signature wine, it is difficult to establish a signature reputation when most examples are mediocre. Unless you ruthlessly control which so-called "signature" examples leave the country, you'd best let the category fend for itself.

Chile's strength is its fabulously natural and isolated wine regions, uncontaminated by most of what goes on in North American. Natural wines, all of them, should be its focus for the next decade. Certainly, my notes from the trip would suggest Syrah, Pinot Noir and sauvignon blanc will likely be more interesting in the years to come.

That said there are some excellent carmenère s made in Chile and, today, I've gathered some of the best sold in B.C., and one blend, that you may want to experiment with this weekend.

There's no mistaking the leafy, spicy carmenère in the Emiliana Novas Carmenère Cabernet Sauvignon 2005, but the blend is alive and fresh. Look for a juicy, spicy red that is not only organic but delicious drinking. Try this with flank steak.

Another solid, chunky carmenère with controlled green is the Natura Carmenère Organic 2007. The palate is dry with cedar-y, resin aromas and chocolate, black olive, earthy, peppery, resin flavours. Perfect for hamburgers.

The Viu Manent Reserva Carmenère 2007 comes from near the town of Perallilo in the warm Colchagua Valley. Aged in mostly French oak, the textures are suave and supple with that espresso, chocolate cigarette ash nose and dark chocolate, dried herbs, plummy fruit flavours. Well done every year.

Carmenère fans will enjoy the Marques de Casa Concha Carmenère 2007, from Valle del Cachapoal. It is round and supple with the classic dried crushed leaf nose, dark chocolate and resiny, black cherry, earthy flavours. There is fine length here with finesse and should further improve in the bottle. Cellar through 2013-2014.

Tamaya Winemaker's Selection Carmenère 2006 is the real deal carmenère with soft, supple, peppery black fruit with bits of leafy earth and chocolate. It's richer and fatter than its price might indicate and completely ready to take on the heartiest of winter dishes. Try this with a classic roast beef and mashed potato dinner, or cellar for another three to four years.

Aurelio Montes was one of the last producers in Chile to launch a super-carmenère waiting to get the style right. The result is the highly regarded Montes Purple Angel 2006 made from a blend of warm and cool fruit grown in the Valle del Colchagua. The Purple Angel blend is 92 per cent carmenère and eight percent petit verdot. The palate is glossy and supple with plush textures that are suave and balanced and flavoured with chocolate, coffee, menthol, tobacco, black cherry jam, licorice and sage. It's a touch alcoholic yet well-balanced and showing some finesse. This is the best Purple Angel yet.