If you didn’t know, we currently have over 800 tasting notes of Chilean wines uploaded and we’re still in the process of uploading more. Then, I’m going to convert the spreadsheet into something more easily searchable on the site. In the meantime, we’re constantly drinking more wines, so here’s a rundown of what I’ve had lately. Continue reading
Author: winediplomats
Review & Interview with Rex Pickett about his Sideways Pinot Noir
You all love the film and novel, but how is the wine? Is it more than a novelty wine to sip while watching the film? Continue reading
World’s Best Value Pinot Noir is Chilean
Why you should be drinking Pinot.
I wasn’t always a Pinotphile. However, once you start getting older and drinking a lot more wine, you start needing something lighter that you can have with lighter dishes. Your stomach and palate simply can’t handle a big Napa Cab everyday with red meat. For red wine lovers, Pinot Noir is a perfect solution because it pairs with so many things. It’s also healthier since you’re likely to have lighter dishes with it, and it is one of the grapes with the highest levels of the antioxidant resveratrol. Continue reading
Wine Review: Mini-Vertical Agricola Cuvelier Cuvee del Mautata
Bordeaux fans may recognize the label because this is owned by the Cuvelier family, who own Leoville Poyferre in St. Julien. Their Chilean branch is run by Baptiste Cuvelier. How do the 2011 and 2014 vintages compare? Continue reading
Wine Review: Chilean GSM vs. French GSM
Over the course of the week, I tried two GSM blends: one from the Rhone Valley in France and one from Chile. Which one was better? Continue reading
Wine Review: Pedro Ximénez Two Ways-Falernia and Alvear “1927”
Last weekend I drank a dry white Pedro Ximénez (PX) from Chile and a dessert Pedro Ximénez from Montilla-Moriles, Spain, it’s more known home. How were they? Continue reading
Wine Review: 2016 MontRubí “Gaintus Radical” Sumoll Penedès
There are over 10,000 wine grape varieties in the world, so you can never stop exploring new ones. In some cases new ones are often old ones that just got lost in the shuffle after the phylloxera outbreak. That’s the case with the Sumoll grape. This is my first time trying it. Continue reading
My Wine and Music Pairings
One reason why I love wine is its ability to engage all your senses. Its shiny hue entices you to the glass. It’s a reflecting pool or a transparent prism to see yourself and the world in a different way as you take each sip. Of course it engages your sense of smell and taste, but equally as important is how it feels in your mouth and glides down your throat as the alcohol slowly relaxes your nerves. However, the sense that is least engaged directly is hearing. Perhaps the sound of the cork being popped and the wine being poured conjures up some Pavlovian response. Sparkling wines also have a sound and that may actually indicate the size of the bubbles and hence the quality. Otherwise, there’s not much that wine directly adds to your sense of hearing. Yet, some of the greatest conversations you’ve had were over a glass of wine. You’re listening acutely to who and what’s around you as your other senses are enthralled in pleasure. And if there’s the right music around you, it can enhance your overall drinking experience too. So how do you find the right wine and music pairing?
Wine Review: 2017 Villard Expresion Reserve Pinot Noir Casablanca
Less than 25km from the Pacific lies Villard Fine Wines. Here the cool ocean breeze and morning fog make it perfect for Pinot Noir. The French but Swiss-raised founder, Thierry Villard, met his wife in Chile and eventually created his own winery in 1989, when Casablanca was still largely underdeveloped as a wine region. Despite its high quality, it remains a small family boutique winery and is part of the independent winemaker movement, MOVI.
Great Chilean Wines while Social Distancing
One consolation for much of the world practicing social distancing is we have more time to enjoy cooking food and drinking wine. As a consequence, at home wine consumption and online wine purchases have increased dramatically. When you buy online with more time on your hands, it’s also easier to explore how many different types of wines are out there. While you can’t travel to Italy at the moment, you can at least try an Etna Rosso from Sicily for the first time to go with your pasta. At the same time, a lot of us have to watch our pocketbook while buying wine, especially these days. Therefore, for my first article in The Wine Diplomats, I want to give you some ideas for affordable Chilean wines to try during the pandemic. Continue reading