(2022) Made from old vines in the cool and foggy, coastal Casablanca Valley, this has an expressive nose of lychee and rose petals, very aromatic and floral, there's a geranium leaf nuance too. In the mouth, the wine is just off-dry, but it is textured and spicy, exotic and smoky, a terrific rendition of Gewurz that finishes with intense orange peel acidity and zest. Watch the video for more information and food-matching ideas. £7.99 in Scotland and on Majestic's 'mixed six' deal.
(2022) Sauvignon from the cool and often foggy Casablanca Valley, made by Concha y Toro's head winemaker in stainless steel. Intense aroma, but not too herbaceous, not too many fireworks, then the palate shows a similar level of intensity, so much shimmering lime and lemon acidity to cut through the slightly riper fruit of the mid-palate.
(2022) 100% Pinot Noir from mature vineyards in Casablanca, a pretty cherry cola-touched nose with some rose-hip and floral highlights to red and black summer berries. In the mouth it is so pure and elegantly framed, the supple fruit and juicy acids very pleasing into the finish, tannins almost imperceptable, but then they do subtly support the long finish.
(2022) Merlot matured in used barrels for 10 months to round the wine, without imparting significant oak flavour. Quite plummy, vinous and dark with a hint of violet. The palate has a buoyant and joyous raft of blackcurrant fruit, touched with softening chocolate tones, yet the brisk cherry acidity skips along on the finish. There is spice, and the acid could even be slightly prominent for some, but a mouth-watering style to finish.
(2021) From Casablanca, Chile's original 'cool climate' coastal valley, this is a relatively reserved, suitably cool style, nothing too shouty aromatically, the palate also more European in style for me, with a bit of weight and fruit concentration, but in the citrus and stone fruit spectrum rather than anything more tropical, or indeed green, and finishes very dry and a touch saline.
(2021) Casa del Bosque is something of a Sauvignon specialist, and winemaker Meinard Bloem says the change over the years has been to let the wines be more 'natural' and not try to force particular aromatics. From a vineyard very close to the coast on sandy soils. Very nice, gentle herbal character, more tomato leaf than green bean, with a fine citrus freshness, joined by a touch of tropical character on the palate, plenty of acidity to counteract just a hint of sweetness.
(2021) A very different style from the Tayu 1865, with 14% alcohol as opposed to 12.5%, and more obvious barrel ageing - 14 months in barriques. Winemaker Matias Rios says that they are seeking delicacy more and more in their Pinot, helped by the cooling Humbolt current, though the climate of the Casablanca also allows roundness of tannins. Certainly more luscious and darker aromatically, dense sweet fruit, vanilla and chocolate a little floral lift. Fuller, rounder palate, again that sweet fleshy cherry fruit, smooth and silky to the finish with some spice and good cherry acidity.
(2020) A change of pace here, with a blend of 90% Syrah and 10% Tempranillo coming from the Casablanca Valley, just 22 kmilometres from the coast. The Syrah is raised for 14 months in untoasted oak foudres, the Tempranillo in amphorae. That treatment adds a savoury, tapendade and charcuterie character, a touch of ashy quality or leafiness (but not green), and a meatiness blending with red fruit freshness on the palate. It's a wine with lovely sweetness and textural weight in the mouth, and that sense of meatiness and savoury grip with balanced acidity into the finish.
(2020) Chile's coastal Casablanca Valley was its original cool-climate region, with Chardonnay one of its key varieites. This has clearly seen some oak, with a buttery, toasty sheen of nutty oak over pear and citrus. In the mouth it has real fruit ripeness and sweetness, but balance too, the support of the creamy oak and fresh acidity meaning the more tropical, pineapple and Ogen melon flavours that develop on the mid-palate, finish with a bit of crispness and texture. Impressive for a £6.99 wine.
(2019) From the original 'cool climate' valley of Chile, Casablanca, where morning mists and proximity to the ocean moderate temperatures, this is lightly-oaked, and spends four months on the lees, giving it breadth and texture and a certain creaminess. Aromatically there's a bit of almost Sauvignon-like passionfruit, peach and notes of more exotic tropical fruits. In the mouth that leesiness gives a mouth-filling texture, and again the fruit is ripe and exotic, with mango and papaya, as well as a grapefruity note that continues into the finish to add a welcome acid counterpoint. Quite long, and a lovely style really, blending ripeness and openness, with a stylish, dry finish. Watch the video for more information and food-matching ideas.
