Veramonte's Back in the Game

The original Chilean project was launched with little fanfare back in 1990 when Agustin Huneeus Sr. purchased a piece of land in the Casablanca Valley some 45 minutes to the west of Santiago. I remember speaking at the time with people who thought Huneeus was crazy. Casablanca was far too cold to produce red grapes. What could he be thinking?

One thing about Huneeus Sr.: He has vision, and it's been my experience that the people with vision in the wine business are the ones who take chances and ultimately raise the bar. Huneeus Sr. often talks about the concept of "somewhereness" when he talks about wine. It's been well over a decade since he told me that future consumers will associate top quality wine with a specific vineyard or piece of dirt that, as he put it, "has a sense of somewhereness." He was right.

Interestingly, when you are standing in the heart of the 445-hectare Veramonte compound of vineyards along the eastern edge of the Casablanca Valley, a mere 30 kilometres from the very cold Pacific Ocean, you could mistakenly think you were somewhere on the Sonoma Coast or in Carneros just north of San Pablo Bay. This is cool climate country, the perfect home for sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, pinot noir and possibly merlot and syrah. Many of you who attend the Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival will know Agustin Huneeus Jr., a frequent visitor in the 1990s when he was working for the likes of Caliterra, Errazuriz and Franciscan Estates in Napa before returning to Veramonte to launch the brand internationally.

More recently, he has returned to help his father run a group of family-owned wineries that include Quintessa, Faust and Veramonte. He brought six wines to our tasting and, while I expected several to be good, even excellent, I wasn't prepared for the reds to be as inviting and tasty as they are.

There are two key developments at Veramonte that are making the difference. Superstar consulting winemakers Alvaro Espinoza and Paul Hobbs have been working closely with the family. Espinoza is the owner of Antiyal, a biodynamic, super Chilean red. He is also the man behind Vinedos Orgánico Émiliana (VOE), a brand doing well in this market, and he is tasked with getting Veramonte's Primus to a new level. Hobbs is a Sonoma-based producer with deep wine roots in Argentina at Cobos and Pascual Toso; he is tinkering with the Veramonte pinot noir.

We begin with the Veramonte Sauvignon Blanc Reserva 2008, an ultra-crisp, juicy, grassy gooseberry-scented white with bits of green peach and apple. On the palate, its clean, mouth-watering style offers up cool kiwifruit, with melon and dried herbs. Bring on the shellfish or chicken dishes. Great value here and it's a full other dimension under screwcap.

The Veramonte Chardonnay Reserva 2007 may be the best grape variety grown in Chile's Casablanca Valley, especially if it is lightly treated with oak. With only 25 per cent new oak in the mix, this Veramonte jumps from the glass with clean fresh fruit flavours of nectarine and melon, all with a light twist of minerality and lees. Modern, stylish and again affordable.

Price: $14

UPC: 00083085611293

Score: 88/100

Remarks: Great value here and a full other dimension under screwcap.

VERAMONTE CHARDONNAY RESERVA 2007, VALLE DE CASABLANCA, REGION DE ACONCAGUA, CHILE

Price: $14, coming soon

UPC: N/A

Score: 87/100

Remarks: Modern, stylish and, again, affordable.

VERAMONTE PINOT NOIR RESERVA 2006, VALLE DE CASABLANCA, REGION DE ACONCAGUA, CHILE

Price: $16, coming soon

UPC: N/A

Score: 88/100

Remarks: Affordable pinot that would pair well with duck confit or roasted chicken.

VERAMONTE MERLOT RESERVA 2006, VALLE DEL MAULE, REGION DEL VALLE CENTRAL, CHILE

Price: $16

UPC: 83085630997

Score: 87/100

Remarks: Silky-rich palate mixing black cherry, mint, ash and smoky vanilla flavours.

VERAMONTE CABERNET SAUVIGNON RESERVA 2006, VALLE DEL MAIPO, REGION DEL VALLE CENTRAL, CHILE

Price: $15, private wine shops

UPC: 0830856630294

Score: 88/100

Remarks: The perfect steak wine at a bargain price.

VERAMONTE PRIMUS 2005, VALLE DE CASABLANCA, REGION DE ACONCAGUA, CHILE

Price: $24, private wine shops

UPC: 083085612399

Score: 89/100

Remarks: Tobacco, dried cherries and chocolate with finesse.