The Pequeñas Chile Tasting: Boutique Wineries of Chile

Bridgewater Hall, Manchester
Tasted Wednesday, June 8, 2011 by andrewstevenson.com with 1,041 views

Flight 1 - Table 1: Vina Arboleda (6 Notes)

  • 2009 Arboleda Sauvignon Blanc 88 Points

    Chile, Aconcagua Valley

    Bright, clean, asparagussy, sauvignon blanc nose tamed with good minerality. Good clean palate. All correct.

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  • 2009 Arboleda White Rhône Blend 91 Points

    Chile, Aconcagua Valley

    42% Marsanne; 33% Viognier; 25% Roussanne
    An attractive nose that (unsurprisingly) you could be forgiven for assuming was a white Rhône blend from the Rhône. Very good palate. Rather impressive. Definitely worth buying if the price is right.

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  • 2008 Arboleda Merlot 87 Points

    Chile, Aconcagua Valley

    There's an interesting scented note on a nose of perfumed black fruit. Quite a moreish palate. Good balance and feel on the palate. The downside is in some rather austere tannins.

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  • 2008 Arboleda Cabernet Sauvignon 87 Points

    Chile, Aconcagua Valley

    Quite a smoky, toasty nose with plush fruit. On the palate, it's a big, mouthfilling wine: full and designed to impress. Which it does ... to a point.

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  • 2007 Seña 90 Points

    Chile, Aconcagua Valley

    Very interesting nose - full and plush. Elegant, silky black fruit coats every surface of the mouth. Genuinely impressive wine.

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  • 2007 Seña 90 Points

    Chile, Aconcagua Valley

    57% cabernet sauvignon, 20% carmenère, 12% merlot, 6% cabernet franc, 5% petit verdot.
    A very interesting nose - full and plush. Elegant, silky black fruit coat every surface of the mouth. Generally impressive.

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Flight 2 - Table 2: Botalcura Winery (5 Notes)

Flight 3 - Table 3: Dalbosco. + Table 4: Domaine de Manson + Table 5: Viña El Principal (9 Notes)

  • 2009 Dalbosco Viognier 87 Points

    Chile, Limarí Valley

    A rather slight nose. Good, attractive palate. A lighter style of viognier.

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  • 2009 Dalbosco Syrah Carmenère Merlot 89 Points

    Chile, Limarí Valley

    A very poised, elegant nose. Very good palate. Sweet, black fruit, nice depth. Finishes well. Good structure. Great, powerful length.

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  • 2010 Dalbosco Syrah 90 Points

    Chile, Limarí Valley

    Gorgeous nose: fresh black fruits, raw lamb, rosemary, chocolate. Very good palate, with really lovely flavours. Nice, fresh, gently perfumed in the palate.

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  • 2011 Domaine de Manson Viognier Coironino Blanco de Oro 87 Points

    Chile, Choapa Valley

    Lovely, very attractive, clean nose. This has all the fragrance and pleasantness of viognier with none of the faults. A little disjointed on the palate, maybe, but it is very young.

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  • 2010 Domaine de Manson Coironino Turca 87 Points

    Chile, Choapa Valley

    81% carmenère, 19% syrah.
    An attractive, perfumed nose with cherry fruit and peach kernels. Interesting nose. A good balance of flavours and of fruit and structure.

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  • 2009 Domaine de Manson Torontella 86 Points

    Chile, Rapel Valley, Colchagua Valley

    A vin doux naturel made from 100% Torontel.
    It has a rather weird nose, with stale nuts and peachy fruit. A much nicer palate, thankfully. Really not bad. There's a bit of a kick from spirit on the finish.

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  • 2009 Viña El Principal Calicanto 90 Points

    Chile, Maipo Valley

    56% cabernet sauvignn, 42% carmenère,1% petit verdot, 1% cabernet franc
    The nose has nicely perfumed sweetish black fruit. Quite leafy. Very good palate, and it has a very silky mouthfeel. Layers of flavours reveal themselves slowly.

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  • 2006 Viña El Principal Memorias 86 Points

    Chile, Maipo Valley

    A precise nose with finely cut fruit. Like a classical statue, and equally lifeless. Pleasant palate, but not in the same league as the Calicanto. But it works well enough.

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  • 2006 Viña El Principal El Principal 91 Points

    Chile, Maipo Valley

    83% cabernet sauvignon, 17% carmenère
    A rather deep, brooding nose with deep, black fruit and some salinity.
    Very good palate. Initially it seems very safe, but it really opens up explosively in the mouth. There are fascinating layers of flavours which fill the mouth. Lovely.

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Flight 4 - Table 6: Francisco de Aguirre (6 Notes)

Flight 5 - Table 7: Loma Larga Estate, Lomas del Valle (4 Notes)

Flight 6 - Table 8: Viña Hacienda Araucano, François Lurton (6 Notes)

Flight 7 - Table 9: Viña Maquis & Calcu Vineyards (6 Notes)

  • 2009 Viña Maquis Cabernet Sauvignon 85 Points

    Chile, Rapel Valley, Colchagua Valley

    Sweet blackcurrant and tobacco on the nose. Fullish, slightly jammy fruit on the palate. Fine, I suppose.

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  • 2009 Viña Maquis Carménère 84 Points

    Chile, Rapel Valley, Colchagua Valley

    Greenish black fruit on the nose. A fair palate, but a bit dull overall.

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  • 2008 Viña Maquis Lien 83 Points

    Chile, Rapel Valley, Colchagua Valley

    25% shiraz, 25% carmenère, 20% petit verdot, 15% malbec, 15% cabernet franc
    Weedy black fruit on the nose. Very firmly structured on the palate. Unfortunately - for the moment at least - the structure outweighs some pleasant fruit.

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  • 2010 Calcu Rosé Reserva 88 Points

    Chile, Rapel Valley, Colchagua Valley

    50% malbec, 40% syrah, 10% petit verdot
    Sweet strawberry fruit on the nose. Decent palate. Definitely not aggressively dry. A really good garden wine should we ever see sunshine again.

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  • 2009 Calcu Malbec 82 Points

    Chile, Rapel Valley, Colchagua Valley

    A decent nose with sweet, very concentrated fruit and an interesting savoury note.
    Rather odd palate. It almost feels a bit like Ribena with added tannins. There's not much about this that says malbec to me.

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  • 2009 Calcu Cabernet Sauvignon 85 Points

    Chile, Rapel Valley, Colchagua Valley

    80% cabernet sauvignon, 10% petit verdot, 10% carmenère
    Unexceptional nose.
    Soft, fairly gentle fruit on the palate. Nothing to criticise. But nothing to praise or to interest, let alone excite me.

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Flight 8 - Table 10: Viñedos Errázuriz Ovalle: Viñedos Marchigüe (6 Notes)

Flight 9 - Table 11: Matetic Vineyards + Table 12: Viña Miravalle (8 Notes)

Flight 10 - Table 13: Nativa Eco Wines + Table 14: Viña Ochotierras (5 Notes)

Flight 11 - Table 15: Quebrada de Macul + Table 16: Quintay (7 Notes)

  • 2007 Viña Quebrada de Macul Cabernet Sauvignon Domus Aurea Clos Quebrada de Macul 88 Points

    Chile, Maipo Valley

    86% cabernet sauvignon, 10% merlot, 4% cabernet franc. 18 months in French oak.
    Greenish black fruit and green (bell) peppers.
    Very intense fruits on the palate. Powerful stuff, yet it has a nice elegance too. Good structure.

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  • 2007 Viña Quebrada de Macul Pargua Maipo Valley 88 Points

    Chile, Maipo Valley

    38% carmenere, 30% cabernet sauvignon, 20% cabernet franc, 6% syrah, 6% merlot.
    Rather relaxed black and red fruit on the nose, with a hint of soupiness.
    Immediately impressive. Concentrated fruit, not oversweet or overdone. Nice balance.

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  • 2009 Viña Peñalolén Cabernet Sauvignon 88 Points

    Chile, Maipo Valley

    Lifted black fruit on the nose, with vaguely menthol notes, like a pack of chewing gum that you've found in the pocket of a jacket you've not worn for a year. Bit of an odd, slightly savoury note on the palate. Fairly light and pleasant.

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  • 2010 Viña Quintay Sauvignon Blanc Q 89 Points

    Chile, Casablanca Valley

    Very attractive, subtly floral nose, indicating a nice, understated style. On the palate, there's the same understated, elegant style.

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  • 2010 Viña Quintay Chardonnay Q 88 Points

    Chile, Casablanca Valley

    This spent 10 months in French oak, of which you notice a subtle hint on the nose, with some hints of pear. A pretty subtle palate. A very pleasant wine.

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  • 2010 Viña Quintay Pinot Noir Q 84 Points

    Chile, Casablanca Valley

    Attractive, sweetish rich fruit on the nose. But the palate is rather flat. Lacks depth and interest.

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  • 2010 Viña Quintay Pinot Noir Q 87 Points

    Chile, Casablanca Valley

    Very perfumed stawberry and raspberry fruit on the nose. Sweet, perfumed red fruit on the palate. Very floral and feminine.

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Flight 12 - Table 17: Viña Santa Cruz (4 Notes)

Flight 13 - Table 18: Viña Tamaya (5 Notes)

Flight 14 - Table 19: Viña Tamm (3 Notes)

  • 2008 Viña Tamm Cabernet Sauvignon Selection 90 Points

    Chile, Rapel Valley, Colchagua Valley

    Very attractive, youthful bright red fruits on the nose.
    Tasty, clean, fresh fruit on the palate. A nice, light wine.

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  • 2008 Viña Tamm Carménère Reserva 91 Points

    Chile, Rapel Valley, Colchagua Valley

    Lovely, deep, black fruit on the nose, but without the dusty notes that I often find on carmenere.
    Fairly forward, sweetish red and black fruit on the palate, with a nice lift. Very elegant, with floral notes after. Very fine. Good structure with spicy tannins, but they're overtaken by floral fruit on the finish.

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  • 2008 Viña Tamm Cabernet Sauvignon Puente Negro Reserva 86 Points

    Chile, Rapel Valley, Colchagua Valley

    A cedary, oddly perfumed nose. Seems very straightforward on the palate. Absolutely fine.

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Flight 15 - Table 20: Valle Secreto (4 Notes)

  • 2009 Valle Secreto Carménère First Edition 91 Points

    Chile, Rapel Valley, Cachapoal Valley

    A lovely, perfumed blackberry and bilberry nose. Very nice palate. Elegant, poised fruit. There's a slightly chocolatey feel on the finish. Impresive.

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  • 2009 Valle Secreto Cabernet Sauvignon First Edition Cachapoal Valley 91 Points

    Chile, Rapel Valley, Cachapoal Valley

    Rich, but not especially full black fruit on the nose. Lovely palate. Quite easy and a bit juicy. But very well made and nicely delicious.

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  • 2009 Valle Secreto Syrah First Edition 87 Points

    Chile, Rapel Valley, Cachapoal Valley

    Sweet, slightly bloody blackberry fruit on the nose with a certain creaminess too. A rather good, serious feel on the palate. There are some signivicant tannins, but it feels a little more mainstream than the carmenère and cabernet sauvignon.

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  • 2009 Valle Secreto Private Edition 88 Points

    Chile, Rapel Valley, Cachapoal Valley

    34% syrah, 33% carmenere, 33% cabernet sauvignon; 18 months in new French oak.
    Slightly smoky, dusty, dusky red and black fruit on the nose. The oak is very neatly handled on the palate, with some sweetish fruit showing through. It has a firm structure with a spicy note from the tannins on the finish.

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Flight 16 - Table 21: Viña von Siebenthal (4 Notes)

  • 2008 Viña von Siebenthal Parcela #7 Gran Reserva 86 Points

    Chile, Aconcagua Valley, Panquehue

    59% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot, 15% cabernet franc
    A Gran Reserva apparently, whatever that might mean in terms of Chilean wine.
    Very sweet, very jammy blackcurrant fruit on the nose. Sweet fruit on the palate too, with a decent structure. A rather ordinary, straightforward feel.

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  • 2009 Viña von Siebenthal Carménère Gran Reserva 89 Points

    Chile, Aconcagua Valley, Panquehue

    85% carmenère, 15% cabernet sauvignon
    Saw dust and vacuum cleaner dust on the nose, with black fruit behind. Firm, slightly astringent black fruit on the palate. This has lots of character in the mouth.

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  • 2008 Viña von Siebenthal Syrah Carabantes 87 Points

    Chile, Aconcagua Valley, Panquehue

    85% syrah, 10% cabernet sauvignon, 5% petit verdot
    Fresh black fruit on the nose with a violet, floral lift.
    Good palate. Nicely balanced. But a little uninteresting.

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  • 2006 Viña von Siebenthal Montelìg 89 Points

    Chile, Aconcagua Valley

    80% cabernet sauvignon, 15% petit verdot, 5% carmenere. 9212 bottles produced.
    The nose has chocolate-caramel notes, with sweet black fruit.
    An interesting palate. Nicely layered fruit with a firm structure.

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Flight 17 - Table 22: Pisco Capel (2 Notes)

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