
THE TOP 100 WINES OF THE ANDES 2016
Автор alex, Ноя 22, 2016,
Something extraordinary is happening in the Andes.
We’ve visited the region four times in the last two years, and we’re continually impressed with the reds and whites as they become increasingly refined and stylish. We also can hardly believe how affordable they are, ranging from 90 to 94 points and selling at bargain prices from $15 to $35. These finds would stack up against similar quality wines from France or California that cost two or three times that price.
Chile and Argentina are also making some of the most drinkable wines in the world. We’re happy to see the region move away from an old school style of dense, high-octane reds and embrace a more harmonious approach that emphasizes viticultural areas as well as vineyards. “We make wines that ultimately we want to drink,” says Marcelo Pelleriti, the winemaker of Monteviejo as well as his own brand Abremundos and at Pomerol’s Château Le Gay and Violette in Bordeaux
In Chile, the region’s uniqueness extends to different regions and varietals, though our top Chilean wines were cabernet sauvignons. The country has an exceptional heritage of old dry-farmed vineyards, particularly in the southern regions like Maule and Itata, with carignan, país, cinsault, moscatel and even malbec. But many producers are also grafting other varieties like garnacha (aka grenache) or monastrell (aka mourvedre) to these old vineyards. The wines are produced in a fresh and vivid style, giving them the transparency required to communicate their best microclimates and terriors and signaling a new era of Chilean viticulture.
In fact, some of the most exciting pinot noir outside of France is in Chile. “We have only begun to plant in the right places and with the right plant material,” states Francisco Baettig, technical director of Errázuriz, Viñedo Chadwick, and Seña. The pinots from the coastal area of Casablanca and its surroundings, with its cool yet dry climate and diverse soils, are testament of the qualitative leap that the variety has taken in the region. Syrah is also making a lot of noise in regions like Elqui, Casablanca, and Colchagua.
Perhaps a sign of Chile truly coming of age is our 100-point rating of the 2014 Viñedo Chadwick, a cabernet sauvignon from Valle de Maipo. This is a wine that defines the greatness of Chile with a purity, structure, and finesse that competes with the best reds of the world. “The possibilities are endless here,” says Francois Lurton, who has been making wines in Chile for decades at Hacienda Araucano as well as in Argentina at Bodega Piedra Negra. He was born and raised in Bordeaux and his family still owns some of the best châteaux, but he believes the future in the Andes is endless.
As for Argentina, single-vineyard wines continue to highlight the country’s quality revolution, with malbec leading the way. These are wines that can’t be duplicated. When people ask us about the future of Argentina, we like to tell them “malbec and more malbec.” It remains the ultimate communicator of fine wines in Argentina, despite excellent cabernet sauvignons, cabernet francs, chardonnays and semillons. It’s no surprise either then that the 100-point wine we found in Argentina this year is malbec: the Adrianna Vineyard Malbec Mendoza Fortuna Terrae 2012 from the Catena family. It’s the La Tâche of Argentina and comes on the heels of the first 100-point wine we discovered in the country two years ago, Viña Cobos Malbec Mendoza Cobos 2011.
The Adrianna Vineyard is located in Gualtallary, a region that is very much in vogue. It’s producing some of Mendoza’s most compelling wines, and its vineyards go from 1,100 to 1,400 meters in altitude, where sunlight intensity and temperature affect the behavior of the vines in all the right ways. Other fascinating regions include Altamira, La Consulta, and Vista Flores, all in Valle de Uco, which has become the promise land for a new generation of winemakers set on translating the essence of their land into the bottle.
While Mendoza remains the epicenter of Argentine winemaking, areas like Salta and Patagonia are also establishing themselves as prime winemaking regions. Salta, where some of the highest vineyards in the world are found, produces equally compelling and wild malbecs full of intensity and character. Patagonia offers its own refined and subtle interpretation of malbec as well as pinots from its Rio Negro area, which are generating even more buzz. And even obscure varieties like trousseau have found a home in Argentina.
This unique blend and balance of tradition and progress, old and new, is even evident in the types of producers. We’re seeing an uptick in small producers making better and better wines. But big names do matter, and the absolute best bottles come from talented winemakers who have a long resume of excellence. These two groups, together, represent the future of South America’s bourgeoning wine scene, and especially considering the exceptional value, it’s clear that now is the time to take note of what the Andes has to offer.
The Top 100 Wines of the Andes 2016
- Viñedo Chadwick Cabernet Sauvignon Valle de Maipo 2014
- Adrianna Vineyard Malbec Mendoza Fortuna Terrae 2012
- Viña Cobos Malbec Mendoza Cobos 2013
- Susana Balbo Wines Valle de Uco Nosotros Single Vineyard 2011
- Trapiche Malbec Cabernet Franc Mendoza Iscay 2011
- Concha y Toro Cabernet Sauvignon Puente Alto Don Melchor Puente Alto Vineyard 2012
- El Enemigo Gualtallary Valle de Uco Gran Enemigo Gualtallary 2012
- Cheval des Andes Mendoza 2013
- Terrazas de los Andes Malbec Valle de Uco Single Parcel Los Castaños 2012
- Errázuriz Pinot Noir Aconcagua Costa Las Pizarras 2015
- Adrianna Vineyard Mendoza White Bones 2013
- Aristos Chardonnay Valle de Cachapoal Duquesa d’A 2011
- Terrazas de los Andes Luján de Cuyo Single Vineyard Los Aromos 2012
- Bodega Chacra Pinot Noir Patagonia Sin Azufre 2015
- Montes Syrah Valle de Colchagua Folly 2012
- Seña Valle de Aconcagua 2014
- Matetic Syrah Valle de San Antonio 2012
- Clos des Fous Chardonnay Valle de Malleco Dulcinea 2014
- Felipe Staiti Valle de Uco Vértigo 2012
- Errázuriz Chardonnay Aconcagua Costa Las Pizarras 2015
- Adrianna Vineyard Malbec Mendoza Mundus Bacillus Terrae 2012
- Terrazas de los Andes Malbec Las Compuertas Single Parcel Los Cerezos 2012
- Catena Zapata Malbec Mendoza Argentino 2012
- Abremundos Malbec Valle de Uco Octava Bassa 2013
- Montes Valle de Colchagua M 2013
- El Enemigo Mendoza Gran Enemigo 2012
- Almaviva Valle de Maipo 2014
- El Esteco Valle Calchaquíes Chañar Punco 2012
- Terrazas de los Andes Malbec Las Compuertas 2013
- Catena Zapata Cabernet Sauvignon Mendoza Nicolas Catena Zapata 2012
- El Enemigo Mendoza Agrelo 2012
- Montes Carmenere Valle de Colchagua Purple Angel 2013
- Clos des Fous Malbec San Rosendo Tocao 2013
- Villard Syrah Valle de Casablanca Tanagra 2014
- Garcia Schwaderer Garnacha Valle de Itata Grenache Piedra Lisa Vineyard 2014
- Lapostolle Valle de Colchagua Clos Apalta 2013
- Abremundos Valle de Uco Octava Superior 2013
- Tapiz Cabernet Sauvignon Mendoza Alta Collection 2014
- Bodega Chacra Pinot Noir Patagonia Treinta y Dos 2015
- Vida y Alma Mendoza Gran Corte 2014
- BenMarco Valle de Uco Expresivo 2014
- Bodega Diamandes Chardonnay Valle de Uco Grande Reserve 2014
- Bodegas Caro Mendoza 2013
- Finca Blousson Valle de Uco Del Sol 2014
- Viña Cobos Malbec Villa Bastías Valle de Uco Bramare Zingaretti Vineyard 2013
- SuperUco Gualtallary Valle de Uco Genitori Mio 2014
- Abremundos Valle de Uco Página 1 2013
- Zuccardi Malbec Paraje Altamira Finca Piedera infinita 2013
- Errázuriz Valle de Aconcagua Don Maximiano 2014
- Concha y Toro Cabernet Sauvignon Puente Alto Don Melchor Puente Alto Vineyard 2013
- Matetic Pinot Noir Valle de Casablanca EQ Edición Limitada 2015
- Ritual Chardonnay Valle de Casablanca Supertuga Block 2015
- Neyen de Apalta Valle de Colchagua 2013
- Bodega SuperUco Malbec Valle de Uco Calcáreo de Granito SuperUco 2013
- Montsecano Pinot Noir Valle de Casablanca 2015
- Laura Hartwig Valle de Colchagua Laura 2013
- Polkura Syrah Marchigue Valle de Colchagua Secano 2014
- Viña Von Siebenthal Valle de Aconcagua Tatay de Cristóbal 2011
- Kingston Family Vineyards Pinot Noir Valle de Casablanca CG’s Barrel 2015
- Bodega Noemia Malbec Patagonia Noemía 2014
- Monteviejo Malbec Valle de Uco Lindaflor La Violeta 2010
- Bodega Norton Malbec Luján de Cuyo Lote A – 112 2012
- Bodega Chacra Pinot Noir Patagonia Barda 2015
- Buscado Vivo o Muerto Mendoza San Jorge Paraje Altamira 2013
- Aniello Trousseau Patagonia Viña 1932 2015
- SuperUco Valle de Uco Genitori Mio 2012
- Abremundos Valle de Uco Octava Alta 2013
- Tapiz Malbec Mendoza Alta Collection 2014
- Villard Valle de Casablanca Le Pinot Noir 2014
- Bodega Mendel Malbec Mendoza Finca Remota 2012
- Bodega Cuarto Dominio Malbec Mendoza 2014
- Tres14 Malbec Gualtallary Valle de Uco Imperfecto 2013
- Trapiche Malbec Gualtallary Valle de Uco Terroir Series Finca Ambrosia 2012
- Pulenta Estate Agrelo Red Blend Finca La Zulema 2010
- Bodega Ruca Malen Malbec Mendoza Kinien 2012
- Zuccardi Malbec Gualtallary Valle de Uco Aluvional 2013
- Garage Wine & Co Carignan Valle de Maule Vigno 2013
- Bodega Piedra Negra Cabernet Sauvignon Valle de Uco Gran Lurton 2013
- San Pedro Syrah Valle del Elqui 1865 Limited Edition 2012
- Gen del Alma Tupungato Valle de Uco Otra Piel 2014
- Clos des Fous Pinot Noir Aconcagua Costa Pucalán Arenaria 2013
- De Martino Valle de Cachapoal Las Cruces 2013
- Zuccardi Malbec Los Arboles Valle de Uco Poligonos del Valle de Uco 2014
- Maycas del Limarí Chardonnay Valle de Limarí Quebrada Seca 2015
- De Martino Chardonnay Valle de Limarí Quebrada Seca 2014
- Susana Balbo Wines Mendoza Agrelo Brioso Single Vineyard 2014
- Trapiche Chardonnay Mendoza Gran Medalla 2014
- Vida y Alma Malbec Valle de Uco 2014
- Blanchard & Lurton Mendoza Grand Vin 2015
- Emiliana Valle de Colchagua Los Robles Estate Gê 2013
- Ritual Pinot Noir Valle de Casablanca Monster Block 2015
- Polkura Syrah Marchigue Valle de Colchagua Block g + i 2013
- Doña Paula Malbec Mendoza Selección de Bodega 2012
- Mascota Vineyards Argentina Unánime 2013
- Casas del Bosque Syrah Valle de Casablanca Gran Reserva 2014
- Tikal Mendoza Natural 2013
- Viña Amalia Malbec Valle de Uco Gran Reserva 2012
- Sophenia Malbec Tupungato Valle de Uco Reserve 2014
- El Principal Valle de Maipo Memorias 2013
- Tabalí Chardonnay Valle de Limarí Talinay 2014
©2016, Thursday, September 15, JAMESSUCKLING.COM