I had the pleasure of attending a wine tasting held by Cono Sur in London. This was my first wine tasting with my job and I had a great time and got to try some real treats.
We were greeted by Adolfo Hurtado, Chief Winemaker & General Manager of Cono Sur, who was extremely knowledgeable, not only about his own wines but about Chilean wines in general. Now I am not normally a Chilean lover and would prefer to go more old World or even Argentina but this tasting has changed my mind totally.
The tasting started with the Visión Riesling which was a real treat for a girl who absolutely loves Riesling and quite possibly has drank her own body weight in German Riesling. Now I understand that a lot of people are not sweet white wine drinkers but this Chilean Riesling could be a great introduction to those who find Alsace and German Riesling just a bit too much to tackle. These grapes are hand picked and aged in stainless steel tanks for 3 months. This is a must try for both Riesling lovers and sceptics. Try serving this wine with,
“refined dishes like caviar, foie gras, smoked salmon, almost every single shell-fish species (shrimp, crab and lobster) and white meats. It’s also a very good choice for vegetarian or oriental dishes, ideally Thai, and sweet or savoury recipes that include fruits: duck à l´orange, prunes wrapped in bacon, apple pie. Riesling is a good companion for mild cheeses such as Colby, Edam or Gouda.” (www.conosur.com)
We then moved onto the Cono Sur Gewürztraminer from Bío-Bío valley which had been aged in stainless steel for 4 to 10 months from hand picked grapes and would be a good food match for,
“creamy cheeses like Cottage and Fromage, and also a bit harder ones like Mozzarella and Jarlsberg. It’s a good choice for accompanying dishes like fried calamari, onion quiche, chicken Satay or Teriyaki, Path Thai, bacon and pineapple pizza, and dishes prepared with curry and coconut milk.” (www.conosur.com)
The Visión Gewürztraminer which is from vines in the Casablanca valley and had again been aged in stainless steel for 5 months after the grapes had been hand picked would be great with,
“summer dishes such as salads, whole wheat, and vegetarian offerings. Gewürztraminer goes great with oriental cooking, especially with curry and spicy food in general. This wine can also be considered to complement fruit salads and desserts, an attribute shared by only a few varieties. If you want it to grace a cheese evening, go Swiss, Chevre or Boursin.” (www.conosur.com)
I am a Gewürztraminner lover and therefore fully appreciated the side by side tasting of the two and the distinct differences between the two even though both had been stainless steel and hand picked. The Visión Gewürztraminer was my preferred choice of wine and would recommend this to anyone who was unsure about both Gewürztraminer and Chilean wines in general.
Cono Sur also have a 20 Barrels Limited Edition selection of wines which I was lucky enough to come across at Christmas in a small amount. However at the tasting I was able to try the 20 Barrels Sauvignon Blanc, 20 Barrels Chardonnay and 20 Barrels Pinot Noir. The 20 Barrels Limited Edition idea came about in 1996 when Cono Sur decided to make their first ultra premium wine. The first was the Pinot Noir and for its inaugural production they set aside 20 barrels of the best fruit from the 1996 vintage. The 20 Barrels Sauvignon Blanc I have to confess was not my cup of tea, but then again I am not a real Sauvignon Blanc fan and prefer other white grape varieties. This wine has spent 4 months in stainless steel and is a,
“great aperitif wine or an excellent option to accompany light first courses, ideally green salads or seafood. It also complements well white meats, light sauces and vegetarian dishes, such as a vegetarian loaf or lasagne. Cheese-wise, it’s ideal to be served next to ripe Cheddar, Gruyere and soft cheeses in general.” (www.conosur.com)
The Sauvignon Blanc was the last of the varieties to enter the 20 Barrels family in 2005 and sees no oak, only stainless steel. Pinot Noir was the first in 1996, closely followed by Cabernet Sauvignon in 1997, Merlot in 1998 and Chardonnay in 2002.
The 20 Barrels Chardonnay was a lovely treat and is aged in 100% French oak barrels, however these are salt washed before any wine is aged in them so that the wine doesn’t take on any of the usual oak characteristics. This delightful wine would be,
“ideal to accompany naturally oily and/or white meats such as duck, pork, lamb and salmon; or pasta, and white smoked cuts. This is a well-liked aperitif wine, either on its own or with a cheese plate, like mild Cheddar, Gruyere, goat cheese, Parmesan and Provolone.” (www.conosur.com)
For the 20 Barrels Pinot Noir the grapes are harvested by hand, like so many of the other Cono Sur wines, and the grapes are passed along the selection table. The bunches are destemmed however the berries are not crushed. The fruit is then placed in open top tanks where it undergoes carbonic maceration at low temperatures. Later the grapes are foot trodden and colour extraction is enhanced by means of manual cap immersion. After fermentation the wine is placed in new French oak barrels, where it ages for approximately 14 months. This wine is a perfect match for
“fusion cuisine, for example, goes very well with Pinot’s versatility. It will also enhance the flavour of whole grains, all kinds of mushrooms and herbs, making it a favourite for vegetarians. In broader terms, this is a wine that will make any white meat look good; also soups, stews and flavourful fish dishes. Among cheeses, it prefers the dry and tough ones like Edam.” (www.conosur.com)
We were not fortunate enough to try the Organic wines which have been produced by Cono Sur however the winery has worked very hard to obtain a wine which is Organic including techniques such as having geese roaming the vines to remove the Burrito pest, planting grass and flowers in certain rows to remove the Red Spider and California Trips. Even the compost has been made in an Organic way by taking seeds and skins of the grapes after fermination and creating natural compost which is then put in bags and placed in water for two days to create an organic irrigation system as well as compost system.
Overall I had a fantastic first tasting and would now confidently recommend a Chilean alternative to those who are die hard Old World or even Australian or New Zealand wine drinkers, as I honestly think it is necessary to branch out and try some of these great wines which are perfect for everyday drinking.
To see what another Majestic Staff member made of his trip to Chile and to Cono Sur check out his blog piece here.