Maipo Valley Winery Open for Tourists

Chile has been chosen as the spotlight country for this milestone festival, and some 30 South American producers are expected to make the trek to Vancouver to pour their wares.

One of the oldest names likely to participate is Viña Santa Rita, a Maipo Valley-based winery whose labels first appeared in Chile in 1880. It was founded by Don Domingo Fernández Concha, a distinguished local politician who, along with others at the time, changed the face of Chilean viticulture by using vinifera grapes imported from Western Europe.

A hundred years later, Chilean industrialist Ricardo Claro invested in Santa Rita, and by the late 1980s had purchased the property outright. Today the Claro family continues to reinvest in the winery, and in new projects designed to support wine tourism.

Santa Rita is now one of a handful of wineries in the country to offer food and accommodation. The old master house that belonged to Domingo Fernández Concha has been refurbished as the beautiful Casa Real Hotel, and a restaurant, Doña Paula, welcomes visitors.

Although the majority of Santa Rita's vineyards lie in the Maipo Valley at Alto Jahuel, about 40 km south of Santiago, in recent years several vineyards have been acquired in other wine-producing regions of Chile.

Eighty km west of Santiago, near the Pacific Ocean, Santa Rita's Casablanca Valley vineyards offer ideal conditions for cool, slow ripening, so they've seen key plantings of chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, pinot noir and merlot.

Some 160 km south, at Rapel, inland vineyards protected by the Cordillera de la Costa (Seashore Mountains) are home to deeply coloured red grapes that are among the first in the country to be harvested each year. And 200 km from Santiago, in cool Lontué, the winery grows some of its best sauvignon blanc.

The Santa Rita pecking order for labels begins with the 120 series, moves up in price and quality through the reserva labels followed by Medalla Real line, and finally reaches the single-vineyard Casa Real wines and a series of top-of-the-line blends sold under the Floresta label.

Today, a look at some of the more affordable offerings widely available in B.C.

The 120 series is purely varietal, with no oak aging (except for the cabernet sauvignon), which is why the 120 Sauvignon Blanc 2002 is extremely fresh on the nose, with gooseberry and grapefruit aromas and very similar flavours. The tangy grapefruit rind aftertaste is slightly alcoholic. Serve well chilled; ideal for summer entertaining.

The Chardonnay Reserva 2001 comes out of Maipo, yet offers quite a restrained, cool, fruit nose with hints of green apple skin. Its flavours are similarly cool and crisp before they flatten out on the mid-palate and finish slightly tart. Quite warm (alcoholic) in the finish. A solid, if unremarkable, chardonnay.

The entry-level 120 Chardonnay 2001 sports a Maule appellation and an attractive open, buttery, baked-apple nose with plenty of vanilla in the background. The flavours are similar, with more vanilla and sweet oak in the finish. Reminiscent of inexpensive Oz chardonnay in style and flavour.

Even more impressive for the price is the 120 Merlot 2001. It is made with Rapel fruit and has a smoky leather/green-bean aroma with leafy/minty highlights. There's fine balance here (especially given its low price), with smooth, round textures and an inviting smoky prune-fruit and savoury fruit finish. Excellent value.

The Merlot Reserva 2001 comes with plenty of smoke and leather too, this time mixed with compost, prune and cherry aromas streaked with mint and cassis. On the palate, its round, ripe, cassis/cherry flavours, flecked with olive and smoky vanilla, are delicious. This is a merlot that will improve even more with another year or two of bottle age.

It's back to Rapel for the 120 Cabernet Sauvignon 2001, with its smoky/peppery dill aromas and spicy underbelly. As inexpensive cabernet tends to be, this one is more leafy than fruity, but it goes in soft and round before drying out in the finish. This is a gritty, chewy, serviceable cabernet that's not quite as polished as its "120" merlot cousin.

VINA SANTA RITA, CHILE

Wine: Sauvignon Blanc 2002 Valle del Lontué

Price: $10.99

UPC: 089419007091

Score: 14.5/20

Comments: Fresh, tangy grapefruit flavours.

Wine: Chardonnay Reserva 2001 Valle de Maipo

Price: $15.99

UPC: 089419007190

Score: 14/20

Comments: Cool fruit, big alcohol.

Wine: 120 Chardonnay 2001 Valle del Maule

Price: $11.95

UPC: 089419007183

Score: 13.5/20

Comments: Soft, buttery, baked-apple flavours.

Wine: 120 Merlot 2001 Valle del Rapel

Price: $11.99

UPC: 089419007237

Score: 15/20

Comments: Tasty, savoury fruit finish. Great value.

Wine: Merlot Reserva 2001 Valle de Maipo

Price: $16.99

UPC: 089419366921

Score: 15.5/20

Comments: Delicious round, ripe, cassis/cherry flavours.

Wine: 120 Cabernet Sauvignon 2001 Valle del Rapel

Price: $11.99

UPC: 089419007114

Score: 14/20

Comments: Gritty, chewy, serviceable cabernet.