Have you ever tried these 2 rare varieties from lesser-known regions in Spain? Frankly, I’ve never seen these grapes outside of Spain, and even in Spain, you’ll probably only find them in boutique wine shops. Are they worth seeking out? Continue reading
Category: Reviews
Wine Tourism: Bodega Bouza in Montevideo
I just got back from a long weekend in Buenos Aires and Montevideo. If you’re ever in the area, you should definitely check out Bodega Bouza on the outskirts of Montevideo. Continue reading
Wine Review: Sagrantino from Italy & Chile
Recently I’ve written about regions and varieties that may expand in the future due to climate change. Another such variety is Sagrantino, which is a little known grape from Umbria in central Italy. Despite its obscurity even in Italy, the first varietal version of Sagrantino from Chile has just been released. Therefore, I decided to compare it with an Italian Sagrantino to better understand this uncommon grape. Continue reading
Wine Review: Rare Spanish Pinot v. South American Pinot
Can Spain make great Pinot? I brought a bottle back from my last trip in Spain to compare it with some local South American Pinot Noir. Continue reading
Wine Review: Wines from the Cautín Valley
The Cautín Valley is one of the two major valleys in the Austral (Patagonia) region of Chile along with Osorno. Although these valleys are currently unknown to most of the world, they could be the future of Chilean wine. Continue reading
Wine Review: Uniquely Made Chilean Whites
I found two uniquely made Chilean whites. The first is a one-of-a-kind white, fermented with a type of yeast normally only used for sake. The other uses uncommon varieties to make a skin-contact white. Continue reading
Wine Review: Old-School Chilean Varietals–San Francisco & Chilena
Two of the first wine grape varieties that the Spanish brought to Chile are called San Francisco and Chilena. Chilena, AKA Pais or Mission, has had a renaissance in Chile. However, San Francisco is still little known inside or outside of Chile. Continue reading
Wine Review: What is Chilean Moscatel?
Moscatel is essentially a synonym of the aromatic varietal family of Muscat or Moscato. It’s what they call Muscat in Spanish and Portuguese speaking countries. However, there are many types of Moscatel grapes around the world and in Chile. Continue reading
Wine Review: Chilean Touriga Nacional v. Portuguese Red
Touriga Nacional is starting to emerge in other areas outside of Portugal, so I found a couple of examples from Chile to compare with a Portuguese red. Continue reading
Wine Review: California Carignan v. Chilean
Although monovarietal Carignan is now common in Chile, it actually used to be one of the most planted varietals in California, where they have even older vines of Carignan. Continue reading