October WinesWines of the Month

For the wine snob: Viña Maquis is located in the heart of the Colchagua Valley between the Tinguiririca River and the Chimbarongo Creek. Both waterways act as pathways for cool coastal breezes that moderate the warm summers and have a dramatic effect on lowering the maximum temperatures. 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, 3% Carmenere, 1% Petite Verdot.

For the rest of us: Beautiful red color, very shiny. This Cabernet Sauvignon has outstanding red fruits aromas such as plums and black cherries. On the palate it reveals a good body with a great tannic structure. Good balance and complexity. The aftertaste is long, persistent and delicate.

For the wine snob: The vines are organically farmed and the fruit harvested by hand. The grapes are destemmed, crushed and fermented with natural yeasts in vat. The wine goes through malolactic fermentation, its lees stirred periodically, and is aged in steel and concrete tank until bottling in the spring after the vintage; a minimal amount of sulfur is applied at the end of ML and at bottling.

For the rest of us: Bright aromas of peach, apricot, lemon zest, and thyme lead to flavors of pure white fruits, juicy lime, crisp orange blossom, subtle herbal undertones, and a long chalky finish. Paired with salad, seafood, chicken, goat milk cheeses, or nothing at all, this is a beautiful choice and great value.

For the wine snob: Fermentation takes place in stainless steel. Aging is a combination of stainless steel and barrique, about 1/4 new.

For the rest of us: It displays plenty of berry fruit, good ripe tannins, and a long, balanced finish. Succulent with a creamy texture, this is what top quality petit château Bordeaux is all about. It is worth noting that the yields for this wine are extremely low for Bordeaux Supérieur and lend the wine a concentration not often seen in the category.

For the wine snob: The vineyards are located at the dry coastal area of the Loncomilla Valley, only irrigated with winter rains originate, very low yields of grapes. The terroir is expressed in mature wines, concentrated and elegant with a natural acidity that achieves the perfect balance to withstand a long evolution in bottle.

For the rest of us: Displays bright color and an alluring nose of grapefruit, lemon peel and green apple, with mineral notes of stone and chalk. On the palate it is fresh and vibrant.

For the wine snob: The grapes are hand harvested and carefully sorted before gentle de-stemming and crushing directly into French and American Oak barrels. Fermentation in oak lasts 14 days, during which time the fruit is exposed to oak early in its lifecycle, creating subtle oak flavors and exposure to oxygen in order to soften tannins. Post-fermentation, the wine is allowed to macerate on the skins for 10 days, leading to its opaque ruby red color. The wine is then racked off the lees and allowed to age in oak for 18 months.

For the rest of us: An intense nose of black pepper and botanicals lead to fill-bodied flavors of juicy pomegranate and ripe cherry layered with herb aromas. This wine is bursting with acidity and concentrated notes of bright berries and dark chocolate. Layers of complexity lead to a core of medium tannins with a long, richly textured finish.

For the wine snob: Hand-picked at night, whole cluster direct to press. Coldsettled for 24 hours, then put into oak puncheon and barrel, 25% new. Cool native ferment at 58-60°F for 10-14 days. Spontaneous/native fermentation; the wine undergoes 100% malolactic. Gentle lees stirring once per month. After aging 11 months, the blend is assembled and racked gently to tank. Unfined and lightly filtered.

For the rest of us: Pale straw in color with a nose that leaps from the glass, reminiscent of lemon curd and jasmine flower. On the palate, the wine beams with a bright and brilliant array of citrus, white peach, and lime leaves, all interwoven with an ever-present stony minerality. Its fresh acidity is complemented by a subtle hint of graham cracker crust from barrel age.

For the wine snob: The fruit for the Barolo Albe was picked between October 1st and 14th. Grapes were sorted manually three times: directly on the vine, as whole clusters on the sorting tables and lastly as single berries after destemming. Vinification was carried out in custom-designed vertical tini, with gentle punch down and pump-overs. We had a diversity of maceration lengths, from 27 up to 57 days (the latter case, under submerged-cap). Spontaneous malolactic fermentation occurred in stainless steel during the following spring.

For the rest of us: 2020 Barolo Albe shows an expressive nose with aromas of fresh cherries, crushed stones and roses. The mouthfeel is bright and energetic, with generous mouthfeel and a youthful tannic structure enriched by notes of raspberry and orange zest. Long, textural finish.

For the wine snob: The vines were planted around 1990 on average, with 7500 vines/hectare. Grass covers in all rows to foster micro-organisms, control yield and limit erosion. The grapes are harvested and debudded by hand. 85% of this wine if from the 2018 harvest, while the rest if from the finest batch from 2015. Fermentation was in small stainless steel vats, with no malolactic fermentation.

For the rest of us: Pale golden yellow color with silvery grey highlights, this cuvée presents fine, very persistent bubbles. The nose is dominated by aromas of smoked limestone, iodine sea spray, blackcurrant, grapefruit, liquorice, blackberry, pomegranate and elderberries. On the palate, the attack is clean and fresh, with a soft, creamy effervescence. Fruity, full-bodied and crisp, the mid-palate is enhanced by a grapefruity acidity and a marly minerality that gives this champagne breadth and salinity. The finish is fresh, stony and juicy.