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by Manos Angelakis
Chilean Winemakers
Eight leading winemakers from some of Chile’s best wineries came to New York to present their current top-of-the-line wines. What is remarkable is that all of them were women. In a country where wine is still mostly a man’s business, here we have eight women that are excelling in creating wines recognized around the world as exceptional. According to the Wines of Chile organization, almost 40% of Chilean winemakers are now women.
The event took place at Grayz Restaurant (13–15 W 54th St between Fifth and Sixth Aves), Chef Gray Kunz new eatery. The space—a former Rockefeller mansion and onetime home to Aquavit—has old-world charm with lavish décor, and Chef Gray offers lush dishes. The special lunch menu paired with eight wines was a clear indication of Chef Gray’s capability in creating dishes that enhance and are enhanced by the wines accompanying them.
The reception started with eight different wines from the presenting wineries, mostly from each winery’s workhorse line. I had already tasted most of the wines offered in other events, and was familiar with the styles of most of these winemakers, except for one, Haras de Pirque. So, I concentrated on tasting the Haras de Pirque’s offering, the 2004 Albis, a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Carmenère, from the Maipo Valley. When I mentioned that, to me, this wine tasted more like Old World Tuscany than New World Chile, I was informed that I was in essence correct, since the winery is a joint project with the Antinori family.
The other seven wines presented at the reception were:
2007, 20 Barrels, Sauvignon Blanc from Cono Sur (Cecilia Padilla winemaker).
2007, Cipreses Vineyard, Sauvignon Blanc from Casa Marín (María Luz Marín winemaker)
2005 Casa Lapostolle, Cuveé Alexander Merlot (Andrea Leon winemaker)
2003 Odfjell, Orzada Carignan (Marcela Garate winemaker)
2004 Santa Rita, Floresta Syrah (Cecilia Torres winemaker)
2005 Carmen, Nativa Organic Cabernet Sauvignon (Maria de Pilar González winemaker)
2004 Altaïr, Sideral – a six varietal blend (Ana Maria Cumsille winemaker)
Most of the above wines can be found in numerous restaurants around the US and many liquor stores as they are, as I mentioned above, mostly the workhorse products of the wineries. More difficult to find, and in many cases requiring a special order, are some of the top vintages that accompanied the lunch.
The first flight was served to accompany a lovely risotto with wild mushroom fricassee. The wines were Casa Marín’s 2004, Lo Abarca 100% Pinot Noir from the San Antonio Valley, and Cono Sur’s 2006, 20 Barrels, 100% Pinot Noir from the Casablanca Valley. Both were lovely, inky garnet colored, with lots of glycerin and fairly soft tannins, though the 2006 felt just a bit too young. San Antonio is much closer to the Pacific than Casablanca but both valleys profit from the milder coastal climate created as the Humboldt Current bathes the coast of Chile.
The second flight accompanied a Foie Gras Terrine and Quail two ways. There were three wines in this flight, the 2004 Odfjell Orzada Carmenère (actually a blend of 92% Carmenère and 8% Carignan), the 2003 Clos Apalta from Casa Lapostolle (a blend of 70% Carmenère and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon), and the 2004 Altaïr (73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Syrah, 11% Carmenère and 1% Cabernet Franc). I had tasted the 2003 Clos Apalta en primeur, during my 2006 visit to the winery, so I was not surprised by its excellence. I also have had a number of Altaïr bottles in our “gang of the usual suspects” dinners, so that wine was also of known quality and, I thought, very good. The Orzada Carmenère was more of an unknown as I have only had a taste of it in an earlier “slosh and spit” event. All three are eminently drinkable and paired very well with the Foie Gras and the Quail, especially the wood-grilled piece. I’m still partial to the Clos Apalta. It is more restrained than the rest of the wines in the flight, more European (French) than Chilean.
The third flight was also comprised of three wines. A 2003 Carmen Gold Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, a 2003 Haras de Pirque Elegance Cabernet Sauvignon (95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Syrah), and a 1999 Santa Rita Casa Real Cabernet Sauvignon. The 1999 Casa Real was a little smoother, as it had more in-bottle time than the other two, but all three were typical Chilean Cabernets, fruit forward, chewy, and pairing very well with the Braised Short Beef Ribs with Meaux Mustard Sauce.
At retail, the suggested pricing for the reception wines were in the $17 to $55 range and the ones with the lunch in the $25 to $70 range.
Salud!
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