In previous posts, I’ve argued that Pais is Chile’s true national grape and not Carmenere while Sauvignon Blanc could be Chile’s most internationally marketable grape. However, none of these varieties can claim to be Chile’s only true native wine grape. This title belongs to Tamarugal, which was only recently discovered in 2003 and officially designated uniquely Chilean in 2016. I finally got to taste it last weekend. Continue reading
Author: winediplomats
Wine Review: Chilean v. French Marsanne
Marsanne is best known as a white Rhone variety, but how does it do in Chile? Continue reading
Wine Review: Italian Carmenere vs. Chilean
In my last post, I talked about some varieties that got lost in the mix over time in Chile, such as Carmenere. However, you may not know that the story of Carmenere also made its way to Italy. Continue reading
Wine Review: Forgotten Chilean Grapes
This post is about two grape varieties found in Chile that were misnamed and forgotten: Grosse Mérille and Friulano. Continue reading
Wine Tourism in Chile: Vendimia Festivals
One of the best times to come to Chile for wine tourism is during the Fall (March, April, May) when most of the various wine regions are having their harvest (vendimia) festivals. Continue reading
Wine Review: 3 More Exotic Italian Red Varieties
Continuing my recent exploration of Italian reds and whites, I found 3 obscure varieties from Italy that I had never tried. Are they worth seeking out? Continue reading
Wine Review: Rising European Whites
I tasted several European white wines that have a lot of promise as the next flagship whites for their regions. Continue reading
Wine Review: Great Bargain Italian Reds
During my time in California, I continued my recent obsession of exploring Italian wines. For this post, I’m highlighting 3 Italian reds worth seeking out because they are high quality, well-priced and unique. Continue reading
Wine Tourism: California Off-the-Beaten-Track Part 2
I took a three week hiatus from blogging to vacation and see family in California. This included some formal and informal wine tasting opportunities. In this post, I wanted to focus on the formal wine tourism I did in California, including Baja California. I’ll post reviews in the next coming weeks on some of the wines I drank from my personal stash in California in addition to the wines I brought back with me to Chile. Continue reading
Wine Review: Patagonian Malbec v. Mendoza Malbec
Most Argentinian Malbec comes from Mendoza, but I found a less common, old-vine Malbec from the Rio Negro region in Argentinian Patagonia to compare. Continue reading