Wine List

Pisco

I know, I know, pisco is not wine, but it is made from grapes, and it's very difficult to talk about Chile without mentioning pisco -- or the infamous pisco sour.

Enjoying a pisco sour under an olive tree in Cajon del Maipo

On our trip to Valle de Elqui, we got to educate ourselves a bit more on pisco, a brandy made from grapes. While it's not completely clear as to who started producing pisco first, both Chile and Peru claim pisco as "theirs."  Nonetheless, it seems that they have been making pisco from the grapes grown in the very dry deserts of Chile and Peru for centuries, with Europeans bringing the recipe to the region.

The Pisco Mistral distillery in Pisco de Elqui

While in Valle de Elqui, we attended a tour of the Pisco Mistral distillery, learning that there is more to pisco than piscolas (pisco mixed with cola) and pisco sours. In fact, they had a tasting of their different piscos, and although they kind of all had a firewater taste to them, you could also taste that differences in the liquor when it was aged longer or in a different kind of barrel.

With no further ado, what you've all been waiting for:
 
Pisco Sour Recipe:

3 parts pisco
1 part freshly squeezed key lime juice
1 part simple syrup
1 eggwhite
a spot of Angostura bitters
lots of ice

Pour the pisco and the lime juice into a shaker over the ice. Shake vigorously. Pour in the simple syrup, and give it another shake. Add the eggwhite and shake again. (This will make the drink a little frothy.) Pour the drink into glasses (We prefer champaign glasses.) straining through the ice. Adorn the top of the drink with a drop or two of bitters. Enjoy! (Recipe is modified from About South American Food.)

While I love a good pisco sour, they are extremely strong and I suggest not having more than one (or maybe two!). A fabulous variation on the pisco sour is the mango sour, which may be more Peruvian than Chilean, but very good nonetheless.


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Vendimia Festival 2013

This April, we got to go to a lovely wine harvest festival in the tiny town of Isla del Maipo. We went with Foody Chile tour group, and got to go on a tour of a winery, as well as attend the official opening of the celebration.

On a tour at De Martino vineyards

In fact, Patrick got chosen to dance in the opening ceremony, where a young girl was raised into a giant vat full of grapes, and then she danced on them to stomp them. (He was less than thrilled, but a good sport!)

Patagonian-style barbecue

Additionally, there were lovely booths with local crafts, and a really fun wine competition, where the labels were removed and all the guests got to vote on which was the best.


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William Cole Vineyards in the Casa Blanca Valley

We've now rented a car a couple of times and have gotten to adventure into a number of different wine regions.

The family on the William Cole estate.

The Casa Blanca Valley is just outside of Santiago on the way to the coast, and the region is known for its Sauvignon Blanc grape. The area is beautiful, and we discovered a really special winery there run by an American.

Always so cool, Trip hangs out at the William Cole Vineyards.

William Cole Vineyards is owned by a Colorado transplant, and he's found some great successes with growing, producing and selling his wines worldwide. We got the chance to meet his son-in-law and grandkids who were in town for the holidays, and chat a bit about the vineyard and their current efforts.

Historically marketed in Asia and Europe with only a small percentage kept for domestic consumption, William Cole wines are being sold in more and more spots in Chile. Now that we are in the know, Patrick was able to find (and buy) a William Cole bottle at the local grocery store here in Santiago.

Additionally, the winery is making a big effort to expand their market in the US. So, if you happen to see a William Cole wine, snatch it up -- you'll be happy you did.


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Discovering Carmenere

OK, so moving to Chile has opened up lots of new wine avenues for us, and our favorite adventure right now is the Carmenere, which is a nice smooth red (vino tinto) that's special to Chile.

The Carmenere grape growing at the Concha y Toro vineyard.

The history books say that this grape varietal is from the Bordeaux region of France, clipped and cloned here in South America. Then a plague of phylloxera knocked out the grape in France, and at the same time, the Chileans thought they were growing Merlot, and the Carmenere grape got mixed up and misnamed.

When the big boom of interest for Chilean wines from the States happened, it was for this grape, but under the wrong moniker, originally sold in the US as a Merlot. Then, some classifications and clarifications were ironed out, and Chile has been properly selling and marketing this wine since, which is great on its own, but also serves as a good mixer for blends.

We've been drinking up this one, literally by the bottle, and we encourage you to find a Carmenere to enjoy.

There are tons (!) of good ones to pick from, but likely you'll have an easier time finding a Conche y Toro or Santa Rita Carmenere. Nonetheless, peruse our photos, and we'll work to get some descriptions up. (You know, I'm no wine professional, just an everyday wino; so by the time we get to the bottom of the bottle, sometimes I'm not in the blogging state!)

Merry Christmas!

Our new friends from Colombia gave us this wine for Christmas, and we've been enjoying it immensely. It's an easy drink, as I think most Carmeneres are, but there's certainly a blackberry, fruity start with a nice full finish and a touch of chocolate. Perfect for an afternoon copita or to pair with a meal -- it'll hold up to both.








We are having such a nice time trying all the Chilean wines, we've started taking pictures to remember them. If you're interested in wine, please feel free to peruse. Cheers!

This one has turned into my go-to here, because it's inexpensive
and wonderful.

Concha y Toro dominates in wine production in Chile. Actually,
the company is the second-largest wine producer in the world.
(Gallo is first.)

A great Carmenere, this is perfect in that it's not too cerebral
but still interesting.

(photos coming soon!)

This has been our best find so far.  I liked it so much I looked up the web site,translated it, and posted it here for all to read.

Copy and pasted...

 As part of the celebrations for two hundred years of the Independence of Chile, Santa Rita launches her new wine 120 Special Reserve "Bicentennial Edition" , a Carmenere 2008 Rapel Valley with all the distinction that 

a celebration like this deserves .

Made by renowned winemaker Carlos Gatica, and a fine presentation with a painted label on the bottle, this wine combines the elegance of black fruits and spicy notes, with all the traditions that accompany the favorite line of the Chilean . His merits endorse it, but the origins of 120 which make it worthy of commemorating the bicentennial properly in our country.

Legend has it that once the Battle of Cancharayada in 1818, 120 patriots took refuge in the estate of Doña Paula Jaraquemada. That fact would unite the history of Chile and Santa Rita, as in honor of those 120 brave the vineyard gave birth to the mark 120. Today, the winery at that time served as a refuge to the spirit of Independence, is a national monument and houses the main facility in Santa Rita.

The 120 wines have been on the board of Chileans over 30 years, delivering superior quality and confidence in their product range, which has led her to become a leading brand sales in Chile and recognized throughout the world