On Chilean Savvy
(by peter)
It seems to be something of a Chile-fest on this blog at the moment but I thought I’d share the results of a recent panel tasting I attended (and reviewed) for Decanter magazine in its June 2012 edition.
The tasting was for latest-release Sauvignon Blanc from Chile’s Casablanca, San Antonio and Aconcagua Costa appellations.
The article, with all the results, tasting notes, analysis and introduction, can be accessed via the following pdf link (for which thanks to Decanter/IPC Media): Decanter Chile Sauvignon Blanc panel tasting June 2012 edition
Particular congratulations to Casas del Bosque – and its livewire Kiwi winemaker Grant Phelps – for yet more well deserved recognition, and also to Santa Rita, who have been working hard to improve quality of late.
In these tastings, the marks are averaged before top wines are re-tasted. This means that the outcome is more of a median one than, say, at the Decanter World Wine Awards, which is a negotiated consensus (ie the marks are used to start a discussion about each wine, with the judges reaching a resolution at the end).
For example, I very much liked some wines which didn’t end up in the very top flight. For what it’s worth, my own personal selection of outstanding (ie 5-star) wines from the tasting were as follows:
- Valdivieso Single Vineyard Wild Fermented Sauvignon Blanc 2010, Leyda
- Casa Marin Cipreses Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2011, Lo Abarca, San Antonio
- Casas del Bosque Gran Reserva Sauvignon Blanc 2011, Casablanca
- Undurraga T.H. Lo Abarca Sauvignon Blanc 2011, San Antonio
- Vina Leyda Single Vineyard Garuma Sauvignon Blanc 2011, Leyda
- Luis Felipe Edwards Marea Sauvignon Blanc 2011, Leyda
- Cono Sur 20 Barrels Limited Edition Sauvignon Blanc 2011, Casablanca
- Santa Rita Reserva Sauvignon Blanc 2011, Casablanca
- Casas del Bosque Pequenas Producciones Sauvignon Blanc 2011, Casablanca