In Chile, day 1, tasting interesting wines with good folk on a Sunday afternoon
I’m in Chile, and arriving Sunday afternoon I headed off to a very informal Sunday afternoon chill with some local wine people and a couple of visitors at the home of Alan Grudsky. Present was winegrower Gonzalo Guzman, Peruvian sommelier Joseph Acosta, Maria José Alvarez and Alex Couloumy (who’s French and helps import French wines into Chile and Chilean wines into France. Some really interesting bottles were opened, including Gonzalo’s Mencia (he imported this grape into Chile), Alan’s house wine from Itata, and a remarkable Garnacha from Atacama. A brilliant way to spend the afternoon with good folk.
Here are some of the wines we tasted.
Gonzalo Guzman El Afán 2024 Maipo-Andes, Chile
13.5% alcohol. Gonzalo, who used to be the winemaker at El Principal, is responsible for bringing Albariño and Mencia to Chile. This is Mencia, picked early, and made with 30% stems (added back after destemming) and it’s floral and fine with black cherries and supple green hint. So fresh and fine with just the tiniest hint of good reduction and some subtle tar and spice savoury fringes to the silky fruit. 95/100
Laberinto Trumao Sauvignon Blanc 2020 Maule-Colbún, Chile
13% alcogol. Stony and chalky with nice texture and fresh citrus fruit as well as a bit of green. Grainy, delicious and expressive, this is serious Sauvignon. 93/100
Pedro Parra Vinista País 2023 Itata, Chile
So distinctive. Smoky and spicy with a nice wildness to it as well as sleek cherry and redcurrant fruit with a touch of wild strawberry. There’s even a hint of ginger. 93/100
Marques de Casa Concha Chardonnay 2008 Limari, Chile
From limestone soils this is big brand Chardonnay that has aged well, largely I guess because of the terroir. Full yellow/gold in colour it offers a nose of spice, honey and lanolin with some toasty richness. The palate is crystalline with great acidity and some lovely fruit. Bold and evolved but alive. 92/100
Grudsky Tinto de Secano 2022 Itata, Chile
13% alcohol. The Grudsky house wine, a blend of Cinsault and Pais, dry grown, wild ferment. There’s freshness and drinkability here but also some substance and structure. Grainy with some spice. Very expressive. 93/100
De Cal by J P Martin Garnacha 2023 Huasca, Chile
12.5% alcohol. From the Atacama desert, which has a very cool climate: before 12 it is cloudy, and after 12 it’s sunny, and it’s kept cool by wind made by an ocean current even though it’s up in the north. This is a gem of a Grenache. Supple and fine with nice tension, showing redcurrant and red cherry fruit, with nice green hints. Fine grained, juicy and fresh with lovely mineral detail. 95/100
