Terrazes Torrontés Selection 2010 from Salta, Argentina

A wine from the northerly Salta region in Argentina Terrazes Torrontés Selection 2010 is grown at high altitude, 2000m+ in actual fact, which is how the acidity and freshness are maintained in such a relatively hot latitude in the world. The Torrontés grape is the white 'signature' grape for Argentina and is now exported all over the world. There are in fact actually 3 varietals, Torrontés Riojano, the most common and also the higher quality variety that is used for most of Argentinian Torrontés, Torrontés Sanjuanino, and Torrontés Mendocino. Torrontés Riojano can now also be found in Chile, though it is not normally made into a white varietal wine, but into Pisco or Brandy.
This dry wine was characteristically aromatic with exotic fruits and florality exhibited on both nose and palate, limes, apricot, spice and lychee along with a twang of grapefruit pith - the acidity is slightly astringent ( but not out of balance) and fresh, and the length is good and long with a pithy finish. At around £10 - this is a lovely easy drinking wine with a fruity finish - enjoy!
Score : 83

Cousino Macul Sauvignon Blanc 2011 from the Central Valley in Chile

Cousino Macul Sauvignon Blanc 2011 from the Central Valley in Chile

 This is a wine I have tasted in Chile at Cousino Macul – a different vintage, but similar in style, this again is a wine that would benefit from cooler climes to preserve both the acidity and fruit aromas/flavours. It is pale lemon and crystal clear as expected with aromas of melon, green apple and grass over-tones.It also has some biscuit nuance – which was unexpected.

The acidity was merely medium not enough to keep the fruit fresh and clean, and the body felt quite heavy and clunky.  Flavours of grass, citric flavours which include lime and grapefruit, have a medium to long finish which stays reasonably fresh until the end.

My overall thoughts on this wine are – fresh and fruity but could have been fresher and fruitier if the grapes had come from a cooler area.

Valdivieso Pinot Noir 2011

Valdivieso Pinot Noir Casablanca Valley, Chile 2011

Having ploughed our way through the Pinot's of the world ( well somebody has to do it..... we sacrifice ourselves), we decided to go back to one of our every day drinking Pinots - in the affordable bracket of £9.00'ish. It has a pale ruby core with purple tints in the wide rim - hinting at its youthfulness. Then comes plenty of uplifting fruit notes on the nose, cherry, strawberry and ripe plums intermingled with vegetal spices and tea for me..... my husband thought slightly medicinal ( I thought ......that was my kind of medicine ! ). On the mouth was an abundance of ripe red fruits mixed with sweet spices and a definite vegetal note all kept fresh by the clean acidity. The tannins were low, silky and ripe and the alcohol, though tasting a little warm, was enrobing and a building block of this wine that has its own stylistic character, this is a benchmark new world Pinot Noir, smooth and silky with a touch of warmth. The finish was quite long and had a slightly herbal end intermingled with the sweet red fruits. Overall it stood up well to the previous set - at the price, we often buy this from Waitrose when there is an offer, bringing it down to under £7 - an absolute steal!

Brett Jackson the winemaker - a Kiwi - is based in Lontue though these 7 year old vines are planted in the Casablanca valley to the north of Santiago  (Chiles wine capital), what is termed as a 'cool area' with cold breezes coming in off the coast due to the Humbolt current which flows from Antartica. This keeps the fruit fresh and the acidity relatively high.