Sales of Chilean wine are growing faster than those of any other country except New Zealand, but last month's Annual Wines of Chile Awards, in Santiago, have left producers reeling - not because the results were poor, but because they were not what was expected. (I should know, I was a judge.)
No trophy or gold medals were awarded to chardonnay. Instead, the white-wine trophies went to a sauvignon blanc, which also collected the trophy for best-value white, and a viognier. Neither came from Casablanca Valley, regarded as the leading region for whites, although it saved face by taking the trophy for pinot noir.
The winning sauvignon, 2007 Alta Tierra (available next month from Laithwaites and The Sunday Times Wine Club), is from Elqui Valley, an area that didn't even grow grapes for wine until 2000, but which also won the syrah trophy with its 2006 Mayu Reserva Syrah (not yet shipped).
The viognier (see below) is from Cachapoal. More significantly, it is made by Anakena, which also produced the trophy-winning pinot (yet to be shipped). The simple moral of this slightly complicated story is to explore Chile beyond the usual cabernet, merlot and chardonnay.
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CELLAR NOTES
2007 Anakena Single Vineyard Viognier, £8.49 Seductively perfumed, floral, full-bodied, zesty white (Thresher and Wine Rack).
2006 Viu Manent Secreto Carmenère, £7.41 Smoky, sweet fruit, coffee and spice notes. Gold medal (Les Caves de Pyrène, 01483 554750).
2006 Luis Felipe Edwards Cabernet Sauvignon, £5.99 Ripe, smooth cassis, chocolate and black olive flavours. Trophy winner (Tesco).
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WINE BLUFF
"Chilean wine sales grew by 25% last year"
Anorak fact: this was against the overall UK wine-market growth of 4% in volume and 6% in value