Chile – the country – came to Manhattan today with a spectacular tasting at the gorgeous Gotham Hall (love that name – it makes me think that Batman would be swooping down any second). I had been looking forward to a seminar on the various terroirs of Chile to be given by Michael Green, Wine & Spirits Consultant to Gourmet Magazine, yet the time did not fit my schedule. I was able to conduct my own education-focused tasting of Chilean wines by tasting through the aisles and asking the winemakers or their representatives about the various terroirs and climates – which only whetted my desire for more information about this exciting country.
Chile is one of the fastest-growing wine regions in the world. Its wine industry developed in the middle of the nineteenth century in the Maipo Valley with Bordeaux varietals being the fashionable grapes. Now many different varietals are grown, mostly because Chile’s varied terroir and climate can support it.
I stopped by Viu Manent to taste their wines, fabulous Sauvignon Blancs, Pinot Noirs, Carmeneres, and Cabernet Sauvignon Reservas. Tasting them, I had a sense of déjà vu as I had sipped many of them taking a blind wine tasting class from the winery’s distributor, Andrew Bell of Wine Symphony, also President-CEO of the American Sommelier Association. Gathered around the tasting table were various acquaintances discussing the new vintages and trends in the region. Also present were the winery’s PR and marketing folks, Pamela Wittman and Tamara Stanfill, who are building great buzz for this prestigious producer.
PR pro Hanna Lee, dressed in her usual crisp style, stood near her client Terra Andina, offering several varietals from many of Chile’s regions. You could taste Sauvignon Blanc from the Leyda Valley, Chardonnay from the Limari Valley, Carmenere from the Rapel Valley, a delicious Carmenere/Carignan blend from the Maipo Valley, and a Bordeaux style blend called Terra Andina Suyai from the Maipo Valley.
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