Valle de San Antonio, Region de Aconcagua, ChileThis was a delight to review and, once again, reminded me how underappreciated the latest wines coming out of Chile are by North America's wine gatekeepers. If the San Antonio Valley, only 5km from the Pacific Ocean, was in Oregon, California or Washington, it would be the darling of the wine buyers. Its granite/clay soils and the super-cool weather combine to chisel out this juicy chardonnay with the perfect amount of oak and lees contact to add texture and weight. Look for a fresh seawater citrus palate with a whack of minerality. You can drink or hold this through 2024. Westcoast shellfish would be the match. Good value.Tasted: 05 May 2022Tasted by: Prices:
Valle de San Antonio, Region de Aconcagua, ChileRetasted one year along, this chardonnay is sourced from Malvilla, in the cool San Antonio Valley, only 5km from the Pacific Ocean, and rooted in granite and clay loam soils. This had 8 hours of skin contact, cold settling, and ferment in a mix of 60% stainless and 40% French oak, where the latter remained on lees for 6 months and underwent 10% MLF. Now concentrating in hue and flavours, this shows a deeply saline laced palate of lemon, verbena, over river stone. There's a fine creaminess to the medium bodied palate, and amply marine fresh acidity to match. Showing very smartly now, with more time in bottle, and ideally with butter and lemon dressed shellfish / seafood.Tasted: 04 May 2022Tasted by: Prices:
Valle de San Antonio, Region de Aconcagua, ChileThis chardonnay is sourced from Malvilla, in the cool San Antonio Valley, only 5km from the Pacific Ocean, and rooted in granite and clay loam soils. This had 8 hours of skin contact, cold settling, and ferment in a mix of 60% stainless and 40% French oak, where the latter remained on lees for 6 months and underwent 10% MLF. White asparagus rules this wine, aided by tight verbena, hedgerow, green apple, and lemon rind. The palate is lees-plumped and creamy, with a flick of positive reduction, while the acidity is brightened, thankfully, with a marine freshness. Going in the right direction, but would love to see this less handled / more dialled in in future. One to watch.Tasted: 20 May 2021Tasted by: Prices:
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