by Manos Angelakis

Viñedos Orgánicos Emiliana

Most of the “organic” wines I have tasted have not been particularly good; some ware downright nasty. So, I did not have much hope for tasting a decent wine when it was announced that we were visiting an organic/biodynamic vineyard and winery.

I will publicly confess. I was very wrong.

The company has been known in the US for its “Walnut Crest” wines. Inexpensive, entry level, unpretentious wines. But there are other tiers produced by Emiliana, including the super-premium “Coyam” and the ultra-premium and very complex “G”, that are truly superior and on a par with the other super premium, and ultra premium wines currently produced by other vintners anywhere in the world.

We tasted the 2004 Coyam, the first evening of my Chilean trip, together with a number of other premium wines from the vintners that had invited us. Nothing was said about the wine being organicand the note I made as we drunk it with one of the meat dishes was, “It’s very nice, fruity and flavorful but young, can use some bottle age”. It was much later, during the vineyard visit, that I found out it was a certified organic wine, from a biodynamic vineyard, made by one of the most respected Chilean winemakers, Alvaro Espinoza.

What is a biodymamically farmed vineyard? (also see Biodynamic Wines at LuxuryWeb Magazine) It is one that requires painstaking care, where no pesticides or chemical fertilizers are used, where the wines express the vineyard’s distinctive location and terroir with minimal man-made interference. At this vineyard, old fashioned compost is made for fertilizing; mobile chicken coops are dispatched wherever vine pests are detected so that the chickens and roosters eat the offending insects (with the added benefit to the staff of having fresh organic eggs every day); dandelions, poppies, nettles, horsetail and other vegetation that would be normally considered weeds in other places are purposely grown between the vine rows to provide needed nutrients as well as being an early warning system for the presence of insect pests (in other vineyards rosebushes are planted at the head of each vine row for the same purpose).

The winery has 224 hectares of certified organic vineyards with an additional 224 hectares in transition to organic cultivation. The grapes grow on their own original root stock. They are hand-harvested and selected at the vineyard with additional hand selection on arrival at the facility. The winery itself is meticulously designed for gravity feed, using stainless steel as well as oak vats for fermentation, then aging in French and American oak barrels. The cellars reflect the beauty of the surrounding landscape. They are built from adobe bricks and stone, wood and Chilean copper. This is a very modern winery using very traditional techniques to create elegant and sophisticated wines.

From my tasting notes:

Walnut Crest Sauvignon Blanc 2006. A blend, 75% Sauvignon Blanc and 25% Semillon. Pale straw color, aromatic, citrusy on the palate with a short finish. Entry level at MSRP $6 - 7. Rated at LWM84 points.

TBA Sauvignon Blanc 2006 (biodynamic/organic): 100% Sauvignon Blanc from Casablanca Valley. Pale straw with greenish hews. Highly aromatic. Yeasty with tropical fruit on the palate. MSRP $18 - 19. Rated at LWM86 points.

Natura Chardonnay 2006. 100% Chardonnay. Pale straw with gold highlights. Light in the mouth with butter and vanilla from the oak barrels in which it was aged. Fresh and smooth. MSRP $12 - 13. Rated at LWM85 points.

TBA Chardonnay 2006. 99% Chardonnay. Blend of 70% French barrel- and 30% stainless- aged. Light gold color. Fresh, tropical fruit and citrus on the palate with pronounced oak. Longish finish. MSRP $18 - 19. Rated at LWM86 points.

Walnut Crest Cabernet Sauvignon 2006. I did not like this wine. Tannic, light with a short finish.

Natura Cabernet Sauvignon 2005. Grapes from the Central Valley. 50% stainless - 50% barrel aged. Way too young, needs bottle age.

Natura Carmenère 2005. Grapes from young vines of the Colchagua Valley. Garnet colored with medium legs. Slightly on the thin side. Pronounced tannins. Too young.

TBA Merlot/Cabernet 2004. 75% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 100% barrel aged, from grapes of the Maipo and Colchagua Valleys. Ruby colored. Too young.

Coyam 2004. Blend of 5 varietals, 37% Syrah, 34% Carmenère, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 2% Mourvèdre. Aged in small casks, new- 1- and 2-years old. Malolactic fermentation in barrel. Dark ruby with purple highlights. A complex, fruity wine with currants, black forest berries, saddle leather and vanilla on the nose. Smoky, with plums, black cherries and hints of minty chocolate and espresso on the palate. Long fruity finish. Young, it needs bottle age at least 3 to 4 years. MSRP $25 - 30. Rated at LWM91 points.

G 2003. 55% Syrah, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Carmenère, 15% Merlot. A very complex wine from young vines. Very young as was tasted, it needs age to develop and bloom. It has an intense ruby color with violet reflections and a beautiful nose of blackberries, raspberries and currants with a hint of toasted oak, cigarbox and eucalyptus. Intense fruity palate with elegant tannins and a long finish. This wine exhibits a great cellaring potential. Only 500 cases were produced. MSRP $70 - 80. Rated at LWM93 points.

Emiliana is a winery worth following as the product is very well crafted.

To your health!

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