Vina Cono Sur

The Oxford dictionary defines a connoisseur as "an expert on matters involving the judgment of beauty, quality or skill in art, food or music," and no doubt that kind of connoisseur was who Cono Sur was after. In Spanish, the clever reference is to the "southern cone" or conical shape of South America's tip. Witty brand name aside, Cono Sur has survived by remaining focused on producing soft, round, fruity, affordable table wine that sells for less than $10 in Canada and closer to $6 in the U.S. From the beginning, Cono Sur made no atttempt to play on tradition, although it's only fair to point out that the new venture with the motto "no family trees, no dusty bottles, just fruit," didn't have a lot of baggage to avoid. One intriguing item at Cono Sur is the success of its pinot noir. As fussy as pinot can be and as difficult as it is to produce inexpensive versions that actually taste of the varietal, Cono Sur has managed to do just that. Not only is current winemaker Adolfo Hurtado doing a masterful job of maintaining an acceptable level of quality, given Cono Sur's price, but he is working hard to raise his pinot noir to even higher levels. Good pinot needs a cooler climate and a longer ripening season than most reds, and Hurtado is excited about the opportunities offered at Casablanca, Chile's pre eminent cool-climate appellation. Chimbarongo, the other main terroir for Cono Sur pinot, is often fogged-in in the morning, thus achieving similar lower-than-normal temperatures and an extended growing season by different means. No matter where he sources his grapes, Hurtado thinks the success of Cono Sur "reflects its understanding that New World wines ought to embody the expressiveness of a terrain by bottling the aromatic intensity of its fruit." More than a decade after the label arrived in B.C., Cono Sur boasts improved technology, not to mention valuable years of growing and winemaking experience. Even better, its prices haven't really changed much. Today, a look at the latest crop from Cono Sur and a pair of 1.5 litre magnums sold under a sister label, Tocornal. Here's what I found: The Tocornal 2001 Chardonnay is clean and fresh on the nose, with a butter/lees/peach character, green apple aromas and a whiff of paper and mineral notes. On the palate, citrus, green apple and butter flavours abound. It's round, clean and light, and it tastes like chardonnay. This is big-value party wine selling at the equivalent single-bottle price of $6.50. The Cono Sur 2001 Viognier was harvested at various stages of maturity to add layers of flavouring, although in this case it's leaner than previous versions. I detected more honeysuckle and mineral character, and less of that fat honey and peach fruit of the past. It's dry, crisp and refreshing style will appeal to the seasoned wine drinker, but the price should appeal to all. Earth, bell peppers, dried herbs and a touch of cassis mark the Tocornal Cabernet-Merlot. On the palate it's round and soft, with a sweet fruit entry. There are chalky, berry fruit flavours on the mid-palate, with a touch of sweet-and-sour in the finish. It's more than reasonable for the price (less than $7 a bottle), but not quite as fine as the Tocornal chardonnay. Prunes and stewed tea with smoky leather, pepper and oak mark the nose of the Cono Sur 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon. The entry is warm (alcoholic) with spicy, oaky flavours flecked with bits of blackberry and earth. This one is simple and ready to drink, but not quite up to the standard of the merlot or the pinot noir. The flagship Cono Sur Pinot Noir maintains its fresh, simple appeal in the '01 version. Look for sweet cherry/licorice fruit on the nose and a touch of smoky barnyard hints in the background. The textures are soft and the taste is warm (14 per cent alcohol). This is a juicy, ready-to-drink red with a pleasant pinot character. Excellent value. The Cono Sur 2001 Merlot is a pleasant surprise with its spiced plum and cassis aromas streaked with dried herbs and smoke. The flavours mix cherry, cassis and spice, all lightly oaked and fashioned in an easy-drinking style. This excellent vintage is easy to like for the price. WEEKEND WINE TASTING CONO SUR/TOCORNAL, CHILE Producer: Tocornal 2001 Chardonnay, Central Valley Price: $12.95 * Stock No.: 376855 Score: 13/20 Comments: Perfect rendition for the price. Producer: Cono Sur 2001 Viognier, Rapel Valley Price: $9.95 Stock No.: 566836 Score: 13.5/20 Comments: Crisp, stylish seafood white. Producer: Tocornal 2001 Cabernet-Merlot, Central Valley Price: $13.95 * Stock No.: 257170 Score: 12.5/20 Comments: Party red. Producer: Cono Sur 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon, Rapel Valley Price: $9.95 Stock No.: 376848 Score: 13/20 Comments: Spicy, hot and average. Producer: Cono Sur 2001 Pinot Noir, Rapel Valley Price: $9.95 Stock No.: 341602 Score: 13.5/20 Comments: Juicy, ready-to-drink. Producer: Cono Sur 2001 Merlot, Central Valley Price: $9.95 Stock No.: 457176 Score: 14/20 Comments: Better-than-average merlot.