I did a winery tour at Concha y Toro and really didn’t like the wines they poured for us. There were bus loads of people there, literally hundreds. It appears to be more a tourist attraction since it is so close to Santiago. I doubt they poured us the Don Melchor on that visit. Of what we were poured, I didn’t buy anything.
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When we visited Concha y Toro, we just did the basic group tour and had their basic wines. It is certainly more of a nice day outside / tourist attraction (and especially relaxing after a couple weeks in Patagonia) than a wine geek’s must see. However, they have a little cafe/bar on the property that offers pretty much all of their current wines by the glass and half glass. That’s where we tasted the Almaviva and Almaviva Epu. The bartender was also very knowledgable and attentive (even if a bit biased).
Being much more into wine now, I’d probably look for a more intimate and high-end experience, although, it was a nice time and I thiiiink we went on a Sunday when everything else seems to be closed (but not 100% on that).
Thanks gang for all the recs!
I’ve toured i think 2 of the 4 main wine valleys there, clos apalta, concha y toro, erraziuz etc…
This we’ll tour Casablanca (white/chardonnay region) for a day, and then staying in santiago for a couple of days (before Easter island/Antarctica), so more looking for label to try when we are at the wine bars 
Aristos will blow all of these way. Wines are made by Louis Michel Liger Belair. The reds are amazing, but the Chardonnay is mindblowing.
For wines that aren’t $100 a bottle, Garage Wine Co. and Clos des Fous are sublime, and can easily hang with a lot of the big names.
Almost all Chilean cab’s I’ve had are heavy on the espresso and pyrazines. Even the last 2014 Don Melchor I had was like this. Any suggestions for wines with better balance?
I’m pretty sure we had the same experience. I remember that wine bar and since we didn’t like what was poured on the tour we passed on trying anything else. That was also well before I was into wine and had my own cellar. I preferred the wine we tasted in Colchagua much more than what we had a Concha y Toro
Casa Marin wines are nice.
how readily available are these wines by Aristos? at wine bars such as Barrica 94, Bocanariz wine bars etc?
In my modest experience, Don Melchor has a strong pyrazines and an iodine note when it’s young, but the wine transforms and becomes more classical and typical for a cabernet with some medium term age.
Sena is great.
Montes Alpha M aged.
Don Melchor.
I really need to try more Chilean wines. Not a big fan of the Purple Angel!
Slight disagreement as I don’t get pyrazine/green bell pepper in Don Melchor, but I do get classic Cabernet flavors like basil and other savory herbs. Pyrazines never go away or develop into desirable flavors IMO.
As to original question I think the strength of Chile is $15-30 and offering some of the best value outside of Washington, there are a few icons, but they aren’t looking to one up Harlan or Lafite.
sadly, not very. The base Cabernet is $50 retail, while the top Cab and Chard hit $100.
I agree. I get a lot of the green notes. They do subside with time, but I rarely get the chance to drink this with age.
Oh I didn’t mean price. I mean are they for sale at all at the wine bars?
Been 8 years since I visited and it was just a few months after the big earthquake that destroyed quite a few wineries in colchagua so quite a few were either totally closed or partially closed, so take this advice with a grain of salt.
Baco restaurant (across alley from le bistrot) had a long list of aged Chilean wines that was reasonably priced and fun to try. Some of those $12 bottles age pretty darn well.
A few observations if you venture out of Santiago:
- hire a driver and/or tour guide. We lucked out with our tour guide as he was a local to colchagua and knew all the winemakers and workers which got us extra access (he fell off the grid when I reached out about three years ago). Also, the threshold for a DWI is .02% and the police have random checkpoints on the highways where they wave you to pull over to inspect the vehicle and check the driver, all randomly selected.
- the big name Chilean wine is MUCH cheaper to buy in the US, like 30-75% lower prices in the US. They also have a very protectionist stance with imported wine so pack some wine in your suitcase if you don’t want to drink exclusively Chilean wines while there. I recall a veuve clicquot rose was around $150/bottle retail due to tariffs.
My wife and I don’t always equate good wine with the best winery visit experiences though it’s nice when they do align. In terms of ones to visit, we found Clos Apalta, Montes and Viu Manent our favorites.
Clos Apalta was built with the Grand Marnier fortune so it’s a spectacular facility and wine is well regarded. Went during harvest and we were able to try each of the grapes coming in from the vineyards and shortly thereafter try the corresponding varietal wines. They also offer all-inclusive bungalow-type hotels with chef prepared meals - a friend’s parents who travel often and typically stay in high end hotels/resorts regard it as one of the most unique experiences they’ve had traveling and highly recommend it.
Montes is also a massive, more commercialized facility but the story and the wines are notable. Not to spoil it too much, but the founder had a near death experience which is where the purple angel comes from. They also play classical music in the barrel room 24/7 to positively influence the development of the wine. Eccentric, yes, but the end justifies the means?
Viu Manent was half destroyed when we visited but it was a more chill, rustic operation. Really enjoyed some of the unique wines we couldn’t find at retail and in the US, plus they have a nice restaurant on site good for lunch.
I’m sure there are plenty more good places to visit today. There are other valleys with up and coming wineries and varietals that’s may be worth investigating as well. The valleys closer to the coast are experimenting with colder climate grapes and slowly figuring out what works well there. They’re harder to get to due to infrastructure but I’d definitely want to explore those valleys if/when I visit again.
When you are there you will probably find limited production wines that we never see here that are wonderful. I was there many years ago and went wine tasting in Casablanca Valley and had a great experience. Very close to Santiago. Wonderful people and decent wines (though we didn’t find anything as delicious as what we’d found in Santiago or Vina del Mar restaurants with assistance from the somms).
At this year’s IPNC I spent a bit of time with the people from Casa Marín (near Lo Abarca, just south of Valparaiso/Vina del Mar). Such wonderful people and lovely wines. Say hello from me if you manage to visit them. Fascinating site.
The last couple of nights I have been sipping and pondering this 2016 Casa Silva ‘Cuvee Colchagua’ Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon [Valle Colchagua]. I am not sure if the nomenclature is correct - one of my family brought this back from a business trip to Chile some years ago. They told me, when presenting this as a gift, that they had requested a local wine shop select something that was unlikely to be found in the US. (I have seen Casa Silva bottlings on email offer from Wine Access though, but only later on). This was 14% abv, still quite dark purple, and full bodied. On the first day the nose has a strong burnt matches, tire shop kind of note - but the palate has classic varietal flavors of currant. After a day, and with a Vinturri style pourer, that initial awkward bouquet blows off, and its a quite good fruity wine, light on the structure and acidity, but I expect it would keep another decade well enough. The only Chilean wine I (occasionally) buy is Cousino Macul’s traditional, and distinctive, Antiguas Reservas Cabernet bottling, and this doesn’t change my mind on that, but I did enjoy the Casa Silva, more so on day 2 and would be willing to try more from this bodega. It leans modern with a plush texture and low acid. Overall: I would give it a B in my ledger as there is some cloyingness I have decided.
The wines from Pedro Parra.
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I really enjoy Casa Silva’s Microterrior Carmenere.
In China we have a generally accepted concept ‘Chile Eighteen Arhats (a Buhddism term, like Saints in Christianity)’. The list of the 18 best Chilean wines is created by Chen Xinmin, a Chinese law professor and wine enthusiast.
Almaviva, Don Melchor, Cono Sur Ocio Pinot Noir, Montes Alpha M, Montes Folly, Errazuriz Don Maximino Founder’s Reserve, Chadwick, Sena, San Pedro Cabo, Altair, Domus Aurea, Santa Rita Casa Real Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmen Gold Reserva, Viu Manent 1, Vina von Siebenthal Tatay de Cristobal Carmenere, Santa Carolina Herencia, Lapostolle Clos Apalta, House of Morande.
Note: The list was first brought up by Prof. Chen in 2006 with no renewal. Therefore, it didn’t reflect the quality changes of recent decades and the emergence of new wineries (for example, VIK).
To my limited experience, Sena (2013) is a good Bordeaux Blend. Viu Manent 1 (2018) and Cono Sur Ocio are interesting Cab Franc and Pinot. Purple Angel (2019) is an outstanding Carmenere. Lapostolle (2017) and VIK La Piu Belle (2019, regarded as second label of VIK) do not meet my expectations.
Many Chilean CSs and Carmeneres are so green both on nose and palate, which is hard for me to accept, especially when the green pyrazine is in company with sweetness. Up to now, I haven’t tasted a truly exceptional red wine from Chile.