Today, I’m going to expand my wine bucket list to include special wine regions around the world that we’ve not yet visited but want very much to visit. We’ve been fortunate enough to have the opportunity to not only visit all of the major U.S. wine regions multiple times, but also take trips to the Bordeaux region of France, all of the major wine regions of Australia, the Marlborough region of New Zealand, all of the major wine areas of South Africa, and both the British Columbia and Niagara-on-the-Lake regions of Canada.

Now, our goal is to visit the following wine regions that have a special interest for us:

• Northern and Southern Rhône in France
• Champagne region of France
• Tuscany and Piedmont areas of Italy
• Douro Valley and the Port lodges of Portugal
• Argentina and Chile in South America
• Rioja region of Spain
• Mosel region of Germany

Hopefully, we can work our way through this wine travel bucket list over the next ten years, and then start working on our next list. If you believe that there’s a wine region that we should definitely add to our current list, please let me know (and if you’d like to sponsor a trip to your favorite area we just might be able to move it up the list). As we make some of these bucket list trips, we’ll report on our travels and recommend to you the ones that meet or exceed our expectations.

Cheers!

(Photo by Megan Mallen)

My Wine Bucket List—Expanded was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Our selection criteria include:

• A very good Quality rating of >=3.5 stars (out of 5)
• A price tag of <=$15
• Must be widely available

The Viu family owns Viu Manent, located in Santiago, Chile. Founded in 1935 by Miguel Viu-García and his two sons Agustín and Miguel Viu-Manent, the winery is now in the hands of the third generation and led by Jose Miguel Viu. In 1966, Miguel Viu Manent purchased the Hacienda San Carlos de Cunaco in Colchagua, which included 150 hectares of vineyards, a winery, and a manor house. Viu Manent celebrated its 75th anniversary last year. The winery produces 208,000 cases annually.

“Ruby red, dark and deep. On the nose, aromas of black cherry, mocha and leather. In the mouth has flavors of blueberry, dark chocolate and roasted hazelnut, which combine perfectly with voluptuous tannins, leading to a long and balanced finish.” –Viu Manent

2009 Viu Manent Carmenere Reserva (Colchagua Valley, Chile): Deep, purplish red. Aromatic with red fruit, vegetal notes, and a bit of barnyard funk on the nose. More red fruit, green bell pepper, and black pepper come through on the palate. Full-bodied with lively acidity, medium to high tannins, and a long, slightly bitter, finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Esquin Wine Merchants (Seattle, Washington), $10; Available elsewhere, $10 to $14

A Wine for Tonight: 2009 Viu Manent Carmenere Reserva was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Last week, our tasting group met and explored Carmenere from Chile. Carmenere, a red varietal originally found in the Bordeaux region of France, disappeared from European vineyards almost completely in the mid-19th century. Today, Carmenere is known as Chile’s signature grape, having been discovered in that country in 1994 among vines that were previously thought to be Merlot. It is a deeply colored red grape that seems to thrive in Chile’s Mediterranean climate with sunny days and dramatically cooler nights. Grown in the right conditions, Carmenere has the ability to produce very fine wines that exhibit the finesse of Merlot and the structure of Cabernet Sauvignon.

We tasted seven bottles of Chilean Carmenere, and the consensus favorite was the 2007 Montes Purple Angel Carmenere from the Colchagua Valley. We also thought that the 2009 Viu Manent Carmenere Reserva and the 2008 Santa Rita Reserva Carmenere were very good. As far as bang-for-your-buck goes, the Viu Manent is hard to beat.

If you’ve never had Carmenere or want something different than Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon for a change, I encourage you to give Chilean Carmenere a try.

From 1st to last in the group consensus rankings:

2007 Montes Purple Angel Carmenere (Colchagua Valley, Chile): 92% Carmenere and 8% Petit Verdot. Dark purplish red in color. Beautiful bouquet with cinnamon, clove, and black cherry aromas. More cinnamon, clove, black cherry, and a hint of smoked meat come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium, drying tannins. Well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fine Wine and Cigars (Redmond, Washington), $54; Available elsewhere, $40 to $64

2009 Viu Manent Carmenere Reserva (Colchagua Valley, Chile): Deep, purplish red. Aromatic with red fruit, vegetal notes, and a bit of barnyard funk on the nose. More red fruit, green bell pepper, and black pepper come through on the palate. Full-bodied with lively acidity, medium to high tannins, and a long, slightly bitter, finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Esquin Wine Merchants (Seattle, Washington), $10; Available elsewhere, $9 to $11

2008 Santa Rita Carmenere Reserva (Rapel Valley, Chile): Deep, dark purplish red. Nice nose with perfume, floral, spice, and smoked meat aromas. Olive, smoked meat, and floral notes on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Esquin Wine Merchants (Seattle, Washington), $21; Available elsewhere, $10 to $19

2009 Panilonco Carmenere Reserve (Colchagua Valley, Chile): Deep ruby red. Ripe red fruit, green bell pepper, spice, and smoked meat comes through on both the nose and palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium to high, drying tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Trader Joe’s (Seattle, Washington), $4

2006 Alcance de Viña Calina Carmenere (Maule Valley, Chile): Deep, dark purplish red. Very stinky at first with barnyard and vegetal aromas. Ripe red fruit, especially raspberry, and green bell pepper on the palate. Seems slightly fizzy. Medium-bodied with crisp acidity, sweet tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Esquin Wine Merchants (Seattle, Washington), $15; Available elsewhere, $14 to $18

2009 Manos Negras Carmenere (Colchagua Valley, Chile): Deep, ruby red in color. Aromas and flavors of ripe black fruit, pencil lead, green bell pepper, and a hint of bacon. Medium to full-bodied with tart acidity, medium to high tannins, and a thin finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: McCarthy & Schiering Wine Merchants (Seattle, Washington), $15

2009 Haras Carmenere (Maipo Valley, Chile): Deep, dark purplish red. Very stinky nose with canned corn and car exhaust aromas that lead to medicinal and vegetal flavors. Full-bodied with lively acidity, medium, drying tannins, and a long, bitter finish.
Quality: 2.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: NR (not recommended)
Where to buy: McCarthy & Schiering Wine Merchants (Seattle, Washington), $7; Available elsewhere, $10 to $12

Tasting Group: Chilean Carmenere was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Our selection criteria include:

• A very good Quality rating of >=3.5 stars (out of 5)
• A price tag of <=$15
• Must be widely available

Agustin Huneeus and his son Agustin Francisco Huneeus founded Veramonte, located northwest of Santiago, Chile, along the Pacific Coast, in 1990. The Veramonte estate covers 11,000 acres. More than 1,000 acres are planted to wine grapes while the remaining 10,000 acres have been set aside as natural greenbelt. Cristian Aliaga joined the Veramonte making team in 1999 as assistant winemaker and was promoted to head winemaker in 2007.

Sauvignon Blanc is the primary white variety planted in Chile. This 2010 Veramonte Sauvignon Blanc Reserva is very refreshing and has screaming acidity. In fact, it reminds me a lot of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, which I love.

“Sauvignon Blanc grapes are grown in the estate vineyards across a total of 47 vineyard blocks. The 2010 vintage was a little later than usual because of the cool spring. This led to lower yields which increased aromatics and complexity and provided beautiful acidity and mineral notes on the palate.” – Cristian Aliaga, winemaker

2010 Veramonte Sauvignon Blanc Reserva (Casablanca, Valley, Chile): Pale, greenish straw yellow in color. Very aromatic with fresh grass, lemon, lime, and grapefruit on both the nose and palate. Dry and light to medium-bodied with tart acidity. Very refreshing with a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $11.99; Available elsewhere, $5 to $13

A Wine for Tonight: 2010 Veramonte Sauvignon Blanc Reserva was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

The presenting winemakers/winery representatives included:

• Brett Jackson, Valdivieso
• Marcelo Retamal, De Martino
• Ricardo Baettig, Estampa
• Aurelio Montes Del Campo, Montes
• Ricardo Rivadeneira Hurtado, Viña Maquis
• Luca Hodgkinson, Viña Hacienda Araucano
• Cesar Morales, Emiliana
• Grant Phelps, Casas del Bosque

They answered questions and shared personal stories on top of discussing their own wines and their love of blending in general. Most of the bloggers, including me, were tweeting during the event. If you’d like to review the stream, check out #ChileBlends.

In addition to tasting wines, I thoroughly enjoy it when I have the opportunity to visit with winemakers and kick the dirt in the vineyards. While my first choice would be to visit in person, I am thankful for the technology that allowed me (and my fellow bloggers) to visit with winemakers on another continent. One of these days I hope to be able to visit Chile so that I can complete the experience and kick the dirt in the vineyards, as well as meet some of these talented winemakers in person.

My favorite wine of the tasting was the 2008 Estampa Gold Assemblage Carmenere Blend from the Colchagua Valley. It had a gorgeous bouquet and good complexity. A close second and third were the 2008 Hacienda Araucano Clos de Lolol from the Colchagua Valley and the 2007 Casas del Bosque Gran Estate Selection Private Reserve from the Casablanca Valley. As you will see from the tasting notes below, the Estampa and Hacienda Araucano also deliver the most bang for your buck with QPR ratings of 5 (out of 5). While we tasted through all eight wines without food during the online event, Wines of Chile had sent a few recipes that they thought would pair well with the wines. So after the tasting, we paired our three favorite wines from the tasting with a dinner of Beef Empanadas and Wild Mushroom, Merken, and Red Wine Risotto. The empanadas and risotto were delicious, and all three wines really shined with food.

If you have not had any Chilean Red Blends, I encourage you to give them a try.

Here are the wines we tasted, listed in my personal order of preference:

2008 Estampa Gold Assemblage Carmenere Blend (Colchagua Valley, Chile): 57% Carmenere, 23% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc, and 8% Petit Verdot. Medium to deep, ruby red. Very nice bouquet with red plums, red cherries, and spice aromas on the nose. More spice and red cherry along with pepper, tobacco, and leather on the palate. Medium to full-bodied and crisp with medium to high tannins and a long finish. Well-balanced. Has a lot going on. Young, should get even better with age.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Suggested Retail Price: $22

2008 Hacienda Araucano Clos de Lolol (Colchagua Valley, Chile): 31% Syrah, 29% Cabernet Franc, 23% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 17% Carmenere. Medium to deep, ruby red. Very aromatic with floral notes, spice, red and black fruits on the nose. Black cherry, blackberry, floral notes, and a hint of smoked meats come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied and crisp with medium to high, drying tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Suggested Retail Price: $23

2007 Casas del Bosque Gran Estate Selection Private Reserve (Casablanca Valley, Chile): 61% Syrah, 26% Merlot, and 13% Pinot Noir. Deep, dark purplish red. Aromatic with black olives, black fruits, floral notes, and spice aromas that lead to black cherry, blueberry, chocolate, and spice flavors. Medium to full-bodied and crisp with medium to high tannins. Well-balanced and smooth with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Suggested Retail Price: $50

2006 De Martino Single Vineyard Old Bush Vines “Las Cruces” (Cachapoal Valley, Chile): 66% Malbec and 34% Carmenere. Deep, bright ruby red in color. Red and black fruits, earth, herbal notes, and a hint of barnyard on the nose. Raspberry, black cherry, black plum, earth, licorice, and herbal notes come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied and crisp with medium to high tannins and a long, smooth finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Suggested Retail Price: $45

2006 Maquis Lien (Colchagua Valley, Chile): 42% Syrah, 30% Carmenere, 12% Cabernet Franc, 9% Petit Verdot, and 7% Malbec. Deep, dark purplish red. Nice nose with spice and floral notes. Fruit-forward with red fruit, raspberry, red cherry, cinnamon, and floral flavors. Medium-bodied and lively with soft tannins and a long finish. A little bit thin.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Suggested Retail Price: $19

2005 Valdivieso Eclat (Maule Valley, Chile): 56% Carignan, 24% Mourvedre, and 20% Syrah. Medium to deep, ruby red. Nose is a bit tight at first then opens into red fruit, mineral, and medicinal aromas. Red fruits, raspberry, rhubarb, spice, and Red Vines on the palate. Medium-bodied and crisp with medium tannins and a long, slightly bitter finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Suggested Retail Price: $27

2007 Emiliana Coyam (Colchagua Valley, Chile): 38% Syrah, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Carmenere, 17% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot, and 1% Mourvedre. Deep, dark purplish red in color. Nice nose with aromas of black pepper, black fruits, and a spice rack. More black fruits and spice on the palate. Medium to full-bodied and lively with medium to high tannins. A bit hollow on the mid-palate with a medium, slightly bitter, finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Suggested Retail Price: $29

2008 Montes Limited Selection Cabernet Sauvignon Carmenere (Colchagua Valley, Chile): 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Carmenere. Deep, ruby red. Barnyard, black fruits, blackcurrant, and eucalyptus aromas lead to flavors of earth, mineral, barnyard, mint, and chocolate. Medium to full-bodied and lively with medium to high, drying tannins and a long, bitter finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Suggested Retail Price: $15

Full Disclosure: We received these wines as samples.

Wines of Chile: Exploring Chilean Red Blends was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

The presenting winemakers/winery representatives included:

• Cristian Aliaga, Veramonte
• Felipe Tosso, Viña Ventisquero
• Rafael Urrejola, Undurraga
• Brett Jackson, Valdivieso
• Vivianne Alamo, Viña Santa Rita
• Matias Rios Langevin, Cono Sur Vineyards & Winery
• Cecilia Guzman Arriagada, Viña Haras de Pirque
• Arnaud Frennet, Viña Casa Silva

They answered questions and shared personal stories on top of discussing their own wines and their love of Sauvignon Blanc in general. Most of the bloggers, including me, were tweeting during the event. If you’d like to review the stream, check out #SBChile.

In addition to tasting wines, I thoroughly enjoy it when I have the opportunity to visit with winemakers and kick the dirt in the vineyards. While my first choice would be to visit in person, I am thankful for the technology that allowed me (and my fellow bloggers) to visit with winemakers on another continent. One of these days I hope to be able to visit Chile so that I can complete the experience and kick the dirt in the vineyards, as well as meet some of these talented winemakers in person.

My favorite wine of the tasting was the 2009 Undurraga T.H. (Terroir Hunter) Sauvignon Blanc from the Leyda Valley. It was very refreshing and had screaming acidity. In fact, it reminded me a lot of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, which I love. The Undurraga is an excellent sipper by itself and also great with food. While we tasted through all eight wines without food during the online event, Wines of Chile had sent a recipe for a shrimp and scallop ceviche that they thought would pair well with the wines. So the next day, we made the ceviche to accompany our dinner of blackened halibut, wild rice, and mixed vegetables and drank the Undurraga T.H. with it. The ceviche and halibut were scrumptious, and the Undurraga really shined with food.

If you have not had Chilean Sauvignon Blanc, I encourage you to give it a try.

Here are the wines we tasted, listed in my personal order of preference:

2009 Undurraga T.H. Sauvignon Blanc (Leyda Valley, Chile): T.H. stands for Terroir Hunter. Pale yellow in color. Very aromatic with grapefruit, melon, and citrus fruits on the nose. More citrus fruits, particularly grapefruit, melon, and a hint of bell pepper come through on the palate. Medium-bodied with screaming acidity. Well-balanced with a long finish. Reminds me of a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Suggested Retail Price: $15.99 – $16.99

2009 Santa Rita Medalla Real Sauvignon Blanc (Leyda Valley, Chile): Pale, greenish yellow. Grapefruit, grass, and some green vegetables on the nose; lots of lime, lemon, grapefruit, and some green notes on the palate. Medium-bodied with crisp acidity. Good balance and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Suggested Retail Price: $19.99

2009 Casa Silva Cool Coast Sauvignon Blanc (Paredones Estate, Colchagua Valley, Chile): Pale, greenish straw yellow. Grapefruit aromas lead to flavors of grapefruit, lime, pineapple, tropical fruits, and toasted nuts. Medium-bodied and very crisp with a slight effervescence. Good balance and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Suggested Retail Price: $22.99

2009 Cono Sur Organic Sauvignon Blanc (San Antonio Valley, Chile): Pale yellow in color. Tropical fruits and minerality come through on the nose; more tropical fruits, particularly pineapple, on the palate. Medium-bodied and very crisp with good balance and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Suggested Retail Price: $13

2009 Veramonte Sauvignon Blanc Reserva (Casablanca Valley, Chile): Pale, greenish straw yellow. Fresh, grassy aromas lead to flavors of lime and melon with a hint of saltiness. Light to medium-bodied with crisp acidity and a long finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Suggested Retail Price: $10.99

2009 Haras de Pirque Haras Estate Sauvignon Blanc (Maipo Valley, Chile): Pale, greenish straw yellow. Minerality, creosote, and petrol aromas on the nose; minerality and faint citrus notes on the palate. Medium-bodied with crisp acidity and a long finish.
Quality: 2.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: NR (not recommended)
Suggested Retail Price: $12

2009 Ventisquero Queulat Sauvignon Blanc (Casablanca Valley, Chile): Pale, greenish yellow. Minerality and citrus aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied with crisp acidity and a long finish. Very different and not very pleasant.
Quality: 2.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: NR (not recommended)
Suggested Retail Price: $17

2009 Valdivieso Single Vineyard Wild Fermented Sauvignon Blanc (Leyda Valley, Chile): Medium golden yellow in color. Unusual nose with aromas of petrol, kiwi, and honeysuckle. Heavy on the palate; tastes like a hardware store. Medium-bodied and lively with a long finish. A very different style from the others. Not my cup of tea.
Quality: 2 stars (out of 5)
QPR: NR (not recommended)
Suggested Retail Price: $21.99

Full Disclosure: We received these wines as samples.

Wines of Chile: Exploring Chilean Sauvignon Blanc was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Last week, we had the pleasure to take part in an online tasting hosted by Wines of Chile. Eight Chilean winemakers convened in Santiago, Chile, to talk about their wines via video conference to wine bloggers across the United States.

The presenting winemakers included:

• Magdalena Sosa, Santa Carolina
• Arnaud Hereu, Odfjell Vineyards
• Grant Phelps, Viu Manent
• Matias Rios, Cono Sur Vineyards & Winery
• Gonzalo Carcamo, Viña La Rosa
• Felipe Tosso, Viña Ventisquero
• Oscar Salas, Terra Andina
• Sebastián Labbé, Viña Carmen

This group of winemakers was a fun and lively group. They were more than willing to answer questions and share personal stories on top of discussing their own wines and their love of Carmenere in general.

In addition to tasting wines, I thoroughly enjoy it when I have the opportunity to visit with winemakers and kick the dirt in the vineyards. While my first choice would be to visit in person, I am thankful for the technology that allowed me (and my fellow bloggers) to visit with winemakers on another continent. One of these days I hope to be able to visit Chile so that I can complete the experience and kick the dirt in the vineyards, as well as meet some of these talented winemakers in person.

My favorite wine of the tasting was the 2008 Viña La Rosa ‘La Capitana’ Carmenere from the Cachapoal Valley. It was bigger, bolder, and more complex than the others. Rounding out my top three were the 2007 Viu Manent Carmenere Reserva and the 2004 Carmen Wine Maker’s Reserve Red.

If you have not ever tasted Carmenere, I encourage you to give it a try.

Here are the wines we tasted, listed in my personal order of preference:

2008 Viña La Rosa ‘La Capitana’ Carmenere (Cachapoal Valley, Chile): 100% Carmenere. Oak and alcohol come through on the nose but it’s not oaky on the palate. Instead, it boasts dark chocolate covered raspberry flavors. Bigger, bolder, and more complex than the others. Medium-bodied with medium tannins. Smooth and well-balanced with a long finish.

Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)

QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)

Suggested Retail Price: $18

2007 Viu Manent Carmenere Reserva (Colchagua Valley, Chile): 100% Carmenere. Tons of green peppers, even a hint of jalapeño, on the nose. Ripe red fruits and some oak on the palate. Medium-bodied with medium tannins and a long finish.

Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)

QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)

Suggested Retail Price: $14

2004 Carmen Wine Maker’s Reserve Red (Maipo Valley, Chile): 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Carmenere, 20% Petite Sirah, and 10% Merlot. Has a gorgeous nose. Aromas and flavors of dark fruits, spice, and chocolate. Full-bodied with medium to high tannins and a long, smooth finish. A big, bold wine. The Cab really shows through in this one.

Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)

QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)

Suggested Retail Price: $44

2007 Cono Sur Vision Carmenere (Colchagua Valley, Chile): 85% Carmenere, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 6% Syrah. Cono Sur means Southern Cone (i.e. the tip of South America). Smoked meats and black pepper on the nose. Good acidity but also getting some cherry cough syrup action on the palate.

Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)

QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)

Suggested Retail Price: $15

2007 Odjfell Armador Carmenere (Colchagua and Maipo Valleys, Chile): 100% Carmenere. Pine needle and black cherry aromas. Medium-bodied with low tannins and some spice notes on the finish.

Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)

QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)

Suggested Retail Price: $13

2007 Ventisquero Grey Carmenere (Maipo Valley, Chile): 85% Carmenere, 7.5% Syrah, and 7.5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Burnt crème and a little barnyard on the nose. Also getting syrupy red fruits and chocolate on the palate, and some bitter, pine needle notes on finish. Full-bodied with medium tannins.

Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)

QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)

Suggested Retail Price: $25

2007 Santa Carolina Reserva Carmenere (Rapel Valley, Chile): 100% Carmenere. Red fruits, coffee, and lots of oak. Medium-bodied with low tannins. A bit of a bitter finish.

Quality: 2.5 stars (out of 5)

QPR: NR (not recommended)

Suggested Retail Price: $10

2007 Terra Andina Altos Carmenere – Carignan (Central Valley, Chile): 60% Carmenere, 40% Carignan. Stewed tomatoes and sweaty gym socks on the nose. Raspberries, blueberries, and green pepper on the palate. Medium-bodied with medium tannins. Didn’t get a lot from this wine, the finish trails off.

Quality: 2.5 stars (out of 5)

QPR: NR (not recommended)

Suggested Retail Price: $18.99

Full Disclosure: We received these wines as samples.

Wines of Chile: Exploring Carmenere was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

When I think football, I’m thinking leather, dirt, locker rooms, and sweat, so I’m looking for some good inexpensive wines that will give me a little of that football feeling and that will hold up to this crazy diet. Several wines that immediately come to mind are:

• 2004 Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz-Cabernet  (Australia), approx $8
• 2006 Calina Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva (Chile), approx. $8
• 2006 Atlas Cumbres Malbec (Argentina), approx $10
• 2005 Columbia Crest Two Vines Shiraz (Washington), approx  $7

With 34 games, you’ll want to buy these by the case and save another 10-15%. Since I’m sure that you expect your teams to win, just as I do, you’ll also want to stock up on some bubbly to celebrate after the game. A couple of good inexpensive sparkling wines to consider are:

• Domaine Ste. Michelle Blanc de Noirs (Washington), approx $9
• Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut Cava (Spain), approx $8

To make bowl season even more interesting, the Wine Peeps have decided to host a contest. Leave a comment below with your picks for the following 12 bowl games (one game for each bottle of wine in that case you’re going to buy) before Saturday, December 20, at 11am EST. The reader with the most correct picks wins a Vinturi Essential Wine Aerator.

In the event of a tie, the tiebreaker goes to the reader who correctly picks the winner of the National Championship game followed by who submits their picks first.

All times Eastern
Pioneer Las Vegas (12/20, 8pm, ESPN): BYU vs. Arizona
San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia (12/23, 8pm, ESPN): Boise State vs. TCU
Emerald (12/27, 8pm, ESPN): Miami (FL) vs. California
Valero Alamo (12/29, 8pm, ESPN): Missouri vs. Northwestern
Pacific Life Holiday (12/30, 8pm, ESPN): Oklahoma State vs. Oregon
Brut Sun (12/31, 2pm, CBS): Oregon State vs. Pittsburgh
Rose Bowl Game Presented by Citi (1/1, 4:30pm, ABC): Penn State vs. USC
FedEx Orange (1/1, 8:30pm, FOX): Cincinnati vs. Virginia Tech
AT&T Cotton (1/2, 2pm, FOX): Ole Miss vs. Texas Tech
Allstate Sugar (1/2, 8pm, FOX): Utah vs. Alabama
Tostitos Fiesta (1/5, 8pm, FOX): Ohio State vs. Texas
FedEx BCS National Championship Game (1/8, 8pm, FOX): Florida vs. Oklahoma

Football Watching Wines for Bowl Season was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

“Chilean winemakers have been developing a distinct style for their Cabernet Sauvignon, producing an easy drinking wine with soft tannins….” –Wikipedia

While other varietals are starting to come on the scene, Cabernet Sauvignon is definitely king in Chile. Chile has been producing wine since the mid-1800s when Europeans brought vinifera grape varieties from Bordeaux. Thankfully this was before the phylloxera and powdery mildew outbreaks in Europe so Chile boasts some very precious European vine cuttings that avoided the plague.

The first bottle that I selected was the 2006 Los Vascos Cabernet Sauvignon from the Colchagua Valley of Chile. I was intrigued by this wine because Los Vascos is owned by Domaines Baron de Rothschild of France (of Lafite Rothschild fame). I was curious to see what an $8 bottle of wine from a company known for their $300 bottles would taste like. While it is a decent sipper, it certainly bears no resemblance to its more prestigious cousin.

Since we at Wine Peeps believe in blind tasting, I wanted to find another bottle to taste against the Los Vascos. To keep the tasting fair, I wanted to find another wine from the same vintage at a similar price point. Once my choices were narrowed, I selected the 2006 Calina Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva from the Valle Central of Chile. While the Calina was better than the Los Vascos, neither knocked our socks off.

Neither of these wines was as big as most traditional Cabs. For me, that was disappointing. However, if Cabs tend to generally be too bold for you, one of these might be good to try. And for $8, what would it hurt to give it a shot?

2006 Calina Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva (Valle Central, Chile): Dark purple with dark berry aromas. Spicy and earthy. A decent sipper; not a big traditional Cab. Medium finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Pete’s Wine Shop (Bellevue), $7.49; Available elsewhere, $8 to $10

2006 Los Vascos Cabernet Sauvignon (Colchagua, Chile): Ruby red in color and somewhat transparent. Aromas of chili peppers and bell peppers lead to a distinctive baked cherry pie flavor on the palate. A decent sipper; not a big traditional Cab. Not very complex, not well-balanced, short finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to Buy: Pete’s Wine Shop (Bellevue), $7.99; Available elsewhere, $8 to $20

Wine Blogging Wednesday #52: Value Reds from Chile was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

“I’m a big fan of Shiraz…great quality and value.” –Francis Ford Coppola

While virtually every wine lover is familiar with Syrah from the Rhone Valley in France and Shiraz [sha-RAZZ] from Australia, I am more and more impressed with the quality of Shiraz/Syrah from areas not traditionally known for this grape, such as Washington and California in the United States as well as Chile and South Africa. It is beginning to look like Shiraz/Syrah might become the new Cabernet Sauvignon; a grape that dominates some regions but also makes good wine almost everywhere it is grown.

For example, legendary Penfolds Grange winemaker John Duval from Australia not only has his own Shiraz/Syrah label Down Under [Entity] but also has projects in Washington State [Sequel] and Chile [Pangea].

In California, the Wine Spectator’s James Laube says that Syrah is proving to be that state’s most versatile grape, with two dominate styles emerging. He says that “one features spicy, peppery, wild berry flavors, with tight tannins and pleasant earthy notes, modeled after the wines of Northern Rhone. The other is a riper, more opulent, berry-centered style, more reminiscent of Aussie Shiraz.”

Speaking of Australian Shiraz, many wine aficionados mistakenly think Australia is a newcomer to the wine production business because their imports to the United States have only exploded since the 1980’s. However, when you visit Australia, you quickly realize that the wine industry there is actually older than in the USA when you see winery cornerstones dated from the 1840’s and 1850’s. In fact, Australia has some of the oldest continuously producing vineyards in the world, some over 100 years old. The reason for these ancient vines is that Australia has been free from phylloxera, the pest that ravaged the vineyards of France and California making it necessary to replant vines in those areas by grafting onto phylloxera-resistant rootstock.

It will be interesting to follow the evolution of Shiraz/Syrah in the many new areas of production and see if it will in fact become the next Cab.

What is the best Shiraz/Syrah that you’ve ever had?

Is Shiraz/Syrah the next Cab? was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.