Five exciting South American white wines
South American white wines have come a long way in the last 25 years and quality is still on an upward trajectory, says Patricio Tapia, who picks five exciting wines to try.
Picture yourself in South America. It is 1990 and you feel like a glass of wine. Back then, the quality of the reds was solid. Most were still fairly rustic, but keen observers could see the potential of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Malbec.
There were some sweet versions, harvested late, that shone, but dry wines resembled pale copies of Sherry: oxidised, without any freshness. If you wanted a crisp, dry, well-made white from any other variety, you’d have to wait a decade for Chile’s first coastal whites to appear, and at least 20 years before winemakers in the heights of Uco Valley could make anything decent from Chardonnay.
Fast-forward 25 years and things have changed radically. Today’s whites, especially in Argentina and Chile, are improved beyond recognition, offering some of the New World’s most terroir-driven drinking experiences.
(Editing by Ellie Douglas)
South American white wines: Five to try
Catena Zapata, Adrianna Vineyard White Stones Chardonnay, Uco Valley, Gualtallary, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina, 2012
Since 2009, winemaker Alejandro Vigil has been experimenting with vines planted on calcareous soils from the Adrianna Vineyard in Gualtallary, 1,500m above sea level in the Uco Valley. The mountain climate and these extremely chalky soils give this wine an intense freshness and minerality. It has a focused arrow of acidity with powerful freshness, and a stout, firm body full of tension. It shows both great varietal character and sense of place.
2012
Catena ZapataUco Valley
Viña Aquitania, Sol de Sol Chardonnay, Traiguén, Malleco Valley, Chile, 2011
Malleco, located about 700km south of Santiago, is a very rainy and cool area. In the late 1990s, Aquitania began to plant Chardonnay there, being one of the pioneers of viticulture in southern Chile. Sol de Sol is a model of a modern Chilean white, with its deep fruit, sharp acidity and soft touches of flint. The oak is perfectly integrated, giving great complexity and depth to the flavours. A wine with great ageing potential.
2011
Viña Aquitania
Viña Ribera del Lago, Laberinto Las Cenizas Sauvignon Blanc, Colbún, Maule Valley, Chile, 2014
The best Chilean Sauvignon Blancs usually come from the coast. This white, from the foothills of the Andes in Maule, is the exception. Intense in mineral flavours, it seems to have been made of stones instead of grapes; citric acidity accompanies from the start to the finish, leaving a pleasant freshness. The flavours are deep, the body intense and the texture crunchy.
2014
Viña Ribera del Lago
Tabalí, Talinay Sauvignon Blanc, Limarí Valley, Chile, 2014
Gentle aromas with hints of nettle, peas and gooseberry; very earthy. Taut and tense but underscored by brisk, well-integrated acidity and good balance. Understated with chalk and grassy notes.
2014
Tabalí
