A Little Taste Of Chile.

The photo above is the actual bottle I opened Friday night at my buddy Fernando’s house. You’ll notice the wine drip (bad pouring form on my part) as well as some remnant cheese and crackers. The signs of a good night…

I made it home in the rain, picked up my family and headed to Fernie’s house. The fireplace was blazin’ and he had the snacks, so I brought the wine.

Chile is a wine region I’ve been gravitating towards lately. Like Spain, I feel there are some amazing wines coming out of Chile, and they’re priced very reasonably for today’s economic challenges. The wine we opened on Friday was from the producer Cono Sur. I had first heard about them from my buddy Gus at Chronicle Wine Cellar in Pasadena. Gus convinced me to pick up a bottle of Cono Sur’s Reserva Pinot Noir which was priced at like $12. I told Gus that I rarely find a Pinot for under $20 (or even $25) that really impresses. He guaranteed I’d be pleased, and I’ll be darned if he wasn’t right. It was fantastic, so when I saw this bottle of 2007 Cono Sur Carmenere I plucked it up, eager to give it a try.

I’m honestly a bit naive about Carmenere. What I found was a wine that had some very distinct Pinot Noir qualities. Light-bodied, light colored and easy-drinking; flavors of cherries and raspberries. However, there was a peppery quality showing through the fruit; something like I’d expect from a Grenache or maybe a Syrah.

A nice bottle of wine to enjoy by the fire on a rainy night with friends and cheese for sure!