Syrah - Chile's Latest Success Story

The Chilean wine industry has a lot of positives going for it these days, even if most of us don't hear much about it. I've stated before that the people who market these wines - both in Chile and in America and other countries - need to do a better job letting consumers know what classy wines are emerging from the country's wine regions these days.

Thankfully, the vintners are doing the necessary work, as they finding the best sites that are well suited to particular varieties. The days of Chile being most associated with $8-$10 Central Valley wines are long gone, as the producers have learned to realize the beauty of their climate when working with a variety of wine grapes. I think most of us are familiar with the gorgeous Cabernets - especially those from the Maipo Valley- that run anywhere from $18-$60 (or even slightly higher), but over the past decade, the country's wine industry has developed into a complex one, capable of producing beautifully crafted wines from Carmenere, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc.

These last two are of course, cool climate varieties and while Pinot Noir is still largely a work in progress throughout Chile, there have been dazzling bottlings of Sauvignon Blancs from cool zones such as Casablanca Valley, Leyda and San Antonio Valleys near the ocean as well as Limarí and a few select sites in Colchagua. A few of the finest bottlings from producers such as Casa Marin, Garces-Silva (Amayna), Maycas del Limarí, Matetic (EQ) and Leyda Vineyards have made Chile into one of the world's finest Sauvignon Blanc territories.

Now Syrah is starting to become an important variety in Chile as well. I recently tasted two bottlings that are proof that this country can do more than produce ripe, forward reds; these wines also display excellent complexity as well as beautiful structure. I am referring to the 2008 Maycas del Limarí and the 2008 Casa Marin "Miramar Vineyard."

The Maycas wines are a relatively new project from Concha y Toro, Chile's largest winery. They have committed to the Limarí valley, located very close to the Pacific Ocean, quite a ways north of Santiago. The winery is working with Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah and each variety is displaying the acidity you would expect in a cool climate. This acidity is the focal point for me, as it not only cleanses the palate (especially beneficial with the tannins of Cabernet Sauvignon), it also preserves the freshness and brightness of the fruit and helps achieve an overall harmony.

To date, the Sauvignon Blanc from Maycas has been my favorite; this wine in the two vintages I have tasted to date (2007 and 2008) has the vibrancy and concentration of the best examples of Sauvignon Blanc; I would rate this as one of the three or four best examples of this variety in all of Chile. I am also quite pleased with the Maycas Cabernet Sauvignon, which comes off quite a bit different than the wonderful bottlings from the Maipo Valley. The Maycas cool climate Cab has lively acidity and bright fruit and while not as soft and as approachable as its Maipo counterparts, it has impeccable balance.

The Syrah is again defined largely by its acidity. The sunshine is plentiful in Chile, so Syrah is not a difficult grape to ripen in most regions of the country. This has lead to some pretty lush, unctious versions that are pleasing upon first taste, but often don't drink well afterwards. That's not a problem with the Maycas wine; my notes for the current 2008 bottling focus on the cassis, black plum and anise flavors along with its ideal ripeness and acidity as well as its nicely integrated oak. This is approachable now, but it really needs a bit of time to settle down- try it in 3-5 years. (At $22 retail, this is a fine value.)

Maria Luz Marin, Casa Marin, San Antonio Valley

(Photo ©Tom Hyland)

At Casa Marin, Maria Luz Marin was one of the first producers to work with grapes from the tiny sub-zone of the San Antonio Valley, part of the Leyda Valley appellation. Marin's estate is very close to the Pacific Ocean, with the vineyards located anywhere from two to four miles from the coast, meaning very cool temperatures, which in turn, provide proper acidity and structure to the wines.

To date, Marin has earned much of her acclaim for her two briiliant single vineyard releases of Sauvignon Blanc: Cipresses and Laurel (I recently tasted the newly released 2009 Laurel, which is a rich and as complex as any bottling she has made to date). Now her Syrah from the Miramar Vineyard has reached new heights as well, not only for her but for the Chilean wine industry.

The 2008 has dried cherry fruit and a nice earthiness throughout; this is definitely more in a Rhone-style. Medium-full with a generous mid-palate and beautiful texture, the wine has very good acidity and round, gentle tannins. Overall, the wine is impeccably balanced with outstanding complexity. This is an outstanding wine and a reminder that Chile can produce elegant, seductive reds - it's not all about power and ripeness. (Look for this wine to drink well for 5-7 years; the price is $50.)

Chilean Sauvignon Blanc- Reaching Greatness

Sauvignon Blanc Vineyard of Santa Rita, Leyda Valley

(Photo ©Tom Hyland)

In the July 22 edition of the New York Times, Eric Asimov contributed a column entitled, “Summer’s Background Music.” Asimov, an excellent wine writer who doesn’t take himself or his subject too seriously, wrote about the simple pleasure of South American Sauvignon Blancs (primarily offerings from Chile) and how these attractively priced wines (many less than $16) make for nice “summer sippers.”

The article is fine and it gives readers a shopping list of some very good Chilean Sauvignon Blancs, many from the cool climate areas of Casablanca and San Antonio Valleys. Yet I have to take Asimov to task a bit here for what he did not say in the article.

Basically, what many consumers will take away from this article is that Chilean Sauvignon Blancs are nice wines, but little more than summer sippers. Yes, there are many examples of well made bottlings of this type of wine from Chile that are priced between $10-15 that are ideal for lighter fare and should be consumed sooner than later. Examples of this include the Montes and Veramonte, which scored well in the paper’s tastings as well as the Santa Rita 120 (I have no idea if this was one of the 20 wines tasted or not).

But one of the most exciting developments in the wine industry over the past five to seven years has been the dramatic increase in complexity and quality of Chilean Sauvignon Blancs. In fact, Sauvignon Blancs from the Southern Hemisphere have been quite a revelation lately, especially those from New Zealand (duly noted about everywhere) and South Africa.

Vintners in Chile have taken their game to the next level over the past decade, as they have begun to search for the proper microclimates in which to plant particular varieties. In this respect, they are similar to the vintners of California in the early 1990s, when areas such as the Santa Lucia Highlands in Monterey and Sta. Rita Hills in Santa Barbara County were targeted for Pinot Noir; these are now two of the most sought-after areas for this variety in California. (This is just one example- there are many in California and elsewhere.)

The same is now true in Chile, as Sauvignon Blanc is now being planted in the cool zones of Casablanca, Leyda and San Antonio Valleys. These valleys are west of Santiago and thus much closer to the Pacific Ocean, meaning the hot Chilean sun that ripens the grapes is moderated by the coastal breezes. Thus an ideal mix for Sauvignon Blanc with great flavor as well as vibrant acidity.

The Casablanca examples from wineries such as Pablo Morandé, Kingston, Santa Rita and Carmen are first-rate, offering lovely melon and spearmint fruit, usually unhindered by oak. These are from excellent sites and are farmed to low yields in order to increase concentration; while these are approachable upon release, these tend to drink well for 3-5 years.

The best examples from San Antonio and Leyda are the real revelations of Chilean Sauvignon Blanc, as they are quite intense and offer beautifully structured finishes and lovely complexity. These characteristics come from the fact that yields here are generally quite low (less than 3 tons per acre and often less) and that the vineyards are within five miles of the Pacific. In fact, the Sauvginon Blanc vineyards of Casa Marin are within 2 miles of the ocean; she told me that others thought she was crazy to do this, but she has persisted and has become one of the world’s great producers of Sauvignon Blancs.

The EQ from Matetic and the Casa Marin “Cipreses Vineyard” Sauvignon Blanc were tasted for the Times article and did score well. It’s great that these wines were included, if only to give them some notoriety. But I think that including them in a “summer sipper” article does these wines a great injustice. I actually have to wonder why the Casa Marin “Cipreses” bottling was included, as this is anything but a light, refreshing sipper. This is an intensely flavored, assertive, layered Sauvignon Blanc with piercing acidity and a lengthy finish. I think of summer sippers as something to accompany lighter fare, such as salads or simple sautéed shrimp, while this Casa Marin bottling is big enough to stand up to halibut, sea bass and even roasted chicken or pork medallions.

Maria Luz Marin has been producing this wine since 2003 from her vineyards and the style today if anything is a touch lighter than at first (she admitted to me that the initial 2003 offering was “too much”). In fact, if one were to choose a Casa Marin Sauvignon Blanc for a tasting like the Times organized, the proper choice would have been the “Laurel Vineyard” bottling, which is more fruit-oriented and less forceful than the “Cipreses,” although it is still a big, complex wine. (I wonder if Tasting Coordinator Bernard Kirsch knew this when he selected the wines for this grouping.) I also think that the relatively conservative rating of 2 and 1/2 stars for this wine had to do with the fact that it is so robust in style; after all, if you’re looking for a summer sipper, you’re bound to be thrown for a loop with a wine like this.

For my own evidence, I tasted several excellent to outstanding Chilean Sauvignon Blancs on a recent trip there. Tasting notes are below. I had tasted most of these before and had fallen in love with the overall quality and distinctive style of these wines. On this trip I also discovered a great wine from a relatively new project called Maycas, produced by Concha y Toro from grapes in the northern region of Limarí Valley. There are a few other excellent Sauvignon Blancs from here, especially Tabalí, while Santa Rita has recently planted the variety here for their Sauvignon Blanc program. The Maycas is extraordinary Sauvignon Blanc (both the 2007 and the currently available 2008) and is a steal at $21.



Chilean Sauvignon Blanc

2008 Santa Rita “Medalla Real” (Valle de Leyda)
Aromas of melon, bell pepper and Bosc pear; medium-full with a beautiful texture on the palate. Very good acidity and excellent fruit persistence. Quite delicious with wonderful complexity. These vineyards are only five miles from the Pacific Ocean and are quite shallow, ensuring low yields. Enjoy over the next 3-5 years. ($16) Excellent

2008 Carmen Reserve (Casablanca Valley)
Rich aromas of spearmint, lime and grapefruit – nice varietal intensity. Medium-full, this has beautiful acidity and a light herbal touch. Quite delicious! Enjoy over the next 2-3 years. ($16) Excellent

2008 Maycas (Limarí Valley)
Intense aromas of green pepper, asparagus and spearmint. Medium-full with excellent concentration. Rich, generous mid-palate; long finish with vibrant acidity and beautiful fruit persistence. Gorgeous wine with great varietal character. Enjoy over the next 2-3 years. ($23) Outstanding

2008 Casa Marin “Laurel Vineyard” (San Antonio Valley)
Beautiful aromas of gooseberry, lime and grapefruit. Medium-full with excellent concentration. Vibrant acidity and a long, beautifully structured finish with great fruit persistence. Lovely wine with great varietal purity. Enjoy over the next 3-5 years. ($28) Oustanding

2008 Casa Marin “Cipreses Vineyard” (San Antonio Valley)
Persistent aromas of gooseberry and bell pepper. Medium-full with excellent concentration. Vibrant acidity and a long finish with excellent fruit persistence. This is an assertive style of Sauvignon Blanc and compares favorably with many of the top Sancerres and bottlings from New Zealand. This vineyard is less than two miles from the ocean- a razor’s edge climate that provides great intensity and pronounced aromatics. Enjoy over the next 3-5 years. ($28) Oustanding

Casa Marin Sauvignon Blanc - Laurel and Cipreses Vineyards (Photo ©Tom Hyland)

I also recently tasted the 2006 Cono Sur “20 Barrels” from Casablanca Valley. Offering aromas of spearmint, honeydew melon and dried yellow flowers, this has great texture and richness on the palate and is aging beautifully; it’s great now and should offer pleasure for another two years or so. There are many more wonderful Sauvignon Blancs from Chile I’m excited to try- consumers should do the same!

Finally, a note to Eric Asimov. Having read your column for some time now, I know you love Sauvignon Blanc and I've enjoyed your defense of this grape with excellent columns on Sancerre and New Zealand. I hope you’ll try more of these upper tier Sauvignon Blancs from Chile and write an article about them. I’d love to see you spread the word that these wines are certainly more then refreshing offerings for warm weather - they’re among the finest white wines made today!

Chilean Seafood and Sauvignon Blanc

Camarones de orilla, Hacienda Santa Cristina, Limarí Valley, Chile

Text and photos ©Tom Hyland


During a recent visit to Chile, I commented to my friend Hector, a native Chilean, that I thought his country has the finest seafood in the world. His comment was that France has better oysters, but otherwise he agreed with me.

I don’t care for oysters, sorry to say, but as far as just about every other type of seafood, Chile rates number one on my list. You may find a better abalone in Monterey or better clams from the Gulf of Napoli, but overall, no one – not even New Zealand - beats Chile. (A delightful woman I recently met from Hong Kong votes for her land, so maybe I’ll have to head there soon to see if I’ll change my mind – but for now, it’s Chile.)

Now it’s one thing for my Chilean friend to stick up for his homeland, but in this instance, he had a great reason to do so. He explained to me that Chile is the beneficiary of the Humboldt Current, which comes up the Pacific from Antarctica. This is a very cold current, meaning the fish that do reside in waters off the shore are hearty, meaty creatures.

A great example is mero, which I tried this for the first time three years ago at a winery restaurant in the Casablanca Valley. My host, Pablo Morandé, asked me if I had ever tasted it and when I told him I had not, he explained to me that this was the real Chilean seabass. He noted that many restaurants in Santiago and other cities in Chile serve seabass that was caught just off the coast; this is good, but not great seafood. Mero, however, resides more than 10 miles off the coast in colder, deeper waters and is much meatier. He was absolutely right, as this was an incredibly rich, full-flavored, tender piece of fish that melted in my mouth like butter. You don’t see Mero on many menus in America, but if you do, go for it, or else pay a visit to Chile for this remarkable dish. (By the way, any reports you may have heard about Chilean seabass – and some of that in America is actually from Alaska – does not refer to mero. This is not on any endangered list, nor is it being overfished).

Mero served atop a sushi roll stuffed with paella at Pablo Morandé winery restaurant, Casablanca Valley, Chile

On my trip in April, there were two great seafood meals I enjoyed. One was in the northern part of the country in the Limarí Valley, where I enjoyed a special type of shrimp known as camarones de orilla. These are river shrimp and are caught in the shallow rivers of the area and are often served at meals the same day. If you drive the main highway out of La Serena, you will see vendors waving these shrimp at cars passing by, selling the seafood they have just caught. We didn’t have time to stop and buy any from a local, but we did enjoy them – steamed – at a Hacienda Santa Cristina, a wonderful restaurant in the area.

Also at the outstanding Tanino restaurant located at the Casas del Bosque winery, my friend and I sampled two wonderful seafood dishes. He went for grilled mero with spaghetti, sauteed in arugula pesto and toasted almonds, while I opted for cannelloni stuffed with Chilean abalone and shrimp with a sauce of Chardonnay and Grana Padano cheese (like many Chilean restaurants, there is a major Italian influence in the cooking here at Tanino). Both were first-rate and great examples of the quality and flavor of Chilean seafood as well as the creativity of Chilean cuisine. I highly recommend Tanino when you visit the Casablanca Valley; this area has some of the finest restaurants in the country and this is one of the very best.

Cannelloni stuffed with Chilean abalone and shrimp with a sauce of Chardonnay and Grana Padano cheese, Tanino Restaurant, Casas del Bosque Winery, Casablanca Valley

As for the wines to accompany the various seafoods of Chile, my preferred choice is Chilean Sauvignon Blanc. For years, this was a category that was rather mundane (the use of plant material was the big drawback), but with the introduction of clones from France and California over the past ten years, the Sauvignon Blancs of Chile have become something of a revelation. Now that the vintners are seeking out cool climates such as Casablanca and Leyda Valleys for the variety, the wines display more complex aromatics along with lively acidity and the structure to age for as much as 3-5 years from the finest vintages.

Take the 2008 Sauvignon Blancs from Carmen or the Santa Rita Reserve, both from Casablanca Valley. Both wines offer beautiful spearmint and melon fruit with subtle grassy notes and have very good acidity. The 2008 Medalla Real bottling from Santa Rita is from Leyda, where the estate vineyards are only five miles from the ocean. This has more intensity in the nose (notes of pear and green pepper highlight the aromas) and slightly higher levels of acidity. Other very good to excellent examples from Casablanca include the 2008 Viña Casas del Bosque and the 2008 Morandé Reserva. What makes these wines even more attractive are the prices; all these wines can be found for $16 or less.

There are two special Chilean Sauvignon Blancs I want to mention as well, as these are among the very best I’ve had from the country. First is the Maycas Sauvignon Blanc from the Limarí Valley, which I tasted for the first time on my recent trip when I enjoyed the river shrimp I mentioned earlier. Maycas is a realtively new project of Concha y Toro and based merely on this one wine (there are also bottlings of Maycas Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, all from Limarí), I’d say this is a great project. I tasted the 2007 that day and was blown away by the wine’s aromatics and intensity. From the first smell and sip, you realize you’re dealing with a serious Sauvignon Blanc; the wine offers deeply concentrated aromas of fennel, asparagus and green pepper along with ripe melon and grapefruit- it’s an amazing set of perfumes. Medium-full, the wine has great depth of fruit and striking acidity.

Maycas Sauvignon Blanc

2007 was a great year and sadly that wine is now all but gone from retail shelves. But I am pleased to report that the new 2008 is virtually the equal of the 2007. It’s less herbaceous in character, but with more fruit notes in the aroma and it’s slightly less powerful on the palate, but in terms of complexity, flavor and ability to age (3-5 years), it’s right there with the 2007. These two wines are great evidence that the Maycas Sauvignon Blancs are among the very best Chile has to offer. (Retail price in America is $23, a bit higher than the previously mentioned bottlings, but the Maycas Sauvignon Blanc is worth every penny.)

One other estate I want to focus on regarding Sauvignon Blanc is Casa Marin, owned by Maria Luz Marin, a dynamic woman who has spent many years working with other wines estates in Chile before establishing her own. Her estate is in the San Antonio Valley, a small sub-zone of Leyda; located extremely close to the ocean – one of Marin’s vineyards, Cipresses, is less than two miles from the Pacific; this is a razor’s edge climate.

Laurel and Cipresses Vineyard Sauvignon Blancs of Casa Marin

Some thought Marin was a bit crazy to try and plant vineyards so close to the coast, but she has proven these doubters wrong. She is producing lovely bottlings of Pinot Noir, Syrah (espcially elegant and supple), Riesling and Gewurztraminer, but her best wines year in and year out continue to be her two single vineyard offerings of Sauvignon Blanc, Cipresses and Laurel. The former, as it is from a vineyard closer to the sea, has more herbal, bell pepper and gooseberry notes, while the Laurel is a bit more tame, if you will, with flavors of lime and grapefruit to accompany the peppery notes. The 2008s are out now and they are outstanding wines with vibrant acidity and the structure to age for 3-5 years. These are priced higher than most examples of Chilean Sauvignon Blanc – around $30-$35 a bottle – but they are outstanding examples of how great this country’s white wines have become!


P.S. One other note on the Maycas and that has to do with the labels, which are some of the most creative I’ve ever seen. Maycas is a word from the language of the Quecha people meaning “ariable lands”; the Quecha were the foundation of the Inca Empire, one of South America’s most powerful civilizations. Along with having a beautiful font design, the label is a recreation of a calendar used by the Quecha in which a 10-day week known as a Junka was used as a measure of time. The label features drawings of turquoise counting stones that mark the length of time from grape harvest to final bottling. Neat concept!