Unique geography creates terrific variation
With a benevolent Mediterranean climate and beneficial geographical barriers - Chile is a veritable agricultural island, Wines of Chile exclaims. Here in Ireland, distributors have been making strides with a portfolio of Chilean varietals that more than deliver on taste
Print13 August 2015
Australia is still number one in Ireland but Chile has been hot on its heels for quite some time, according to ShelfLife’s resident wine expert, Helen Coburn. She points out that Chile has also continued its strong promotional efforts in Ireland over the past year. In fact after conducting comparative tastings, Coburn found that “Chile and Argentina can hold their own with the classics of the world”.
According to promotional body, Wines of Chile, the country’s unusual geography is a key feature that contributes to the success of Chilean wines. One of Chile’s many unique characteristics is that it features a particularly long and thin territory in relation to its width. With very clear natural boundaries, each of these barriers allows for healthy agricultural processes, almost organic by nature. Chile’s mosaic of climates and terroirs, combined with a viticultural sector with few regulations for growing and producing wines, explains the success of Chilean wines around the world. Wines of Chile adds that the combination of beneficial natural barriers and the Mediterranean climate make sustainability and organics a logical choice in Chilean winegrowing, and explains why the country has some of the largest organic vineyards in the world.
Award-winning wines with illustrious history
Santa Rita, the leading Chilean wine in Ireland, has a rich and illustrious history of winemaking since 1814. A tenth time ‘Winery of the Year’ recipient from Wine & Spirits magazine, Santa Rita ranks among Chile’s top winemakers and enjoys a global reputation for producing some of the World’s most heavenly wines.
Whilst Santa Rita 120 is the most popular wine brand in Ireland and the most widely known within the stable, Santa Rita also has a great range of Reserva wines in its portfolio. These wines are dynamic and well-structured and best reflect the characteristic aromas and taste profile of each varietal. They also have the complexity, concentration, elegance, and balance that provide a well-rounded, long-lasting expression of the regions in Chile that they are produced from.
Other premium Santa Rita wines include the Medalla Real Gran Reserva range, and the world class Casa Real. Casa Real wine comes from a 20-hectare block of Cabernet Sauvignon planted in the 1960s called the Carneros Viejo vineyard. It is located in the Alto Jahuel area in the Alto Maipo and has produced a vintage of Casa Real every year since 1989, apart from 1992, 2000, and 2006. Casa Real is the only Chilean wine to be recognised by Decanter magazine as ‘Wine Legend’, and was awarded 94 points by Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate for the 2001 and 2002 vintages. A truly outstanding wine worth treating yourself to!
Excellent quality at competitive prices
This year Santa Carolina is celebrating 140 years of wine making and heritage.
Viña Santa Carolina was founded by Luis Pereyra Cotapos in 1875 and since then the wine making philosophy defines the brand. Santa Carolina is dedicated to the constant improvement of quality as well as the development and use of new production techniques in the vineyards and wineries.
The mission of the winemaking team at Viña Santa Carolina is to produce excellent quality wines, with a focus on innovation and long term sustainability.
Supplied by Ampersand for over 20 years, they have a diverse portfolio of Chilean wines.
Ampersand’s range stands out with excellent quality wines at competitive prices.
Star shines bright
Fresh and easy to drink, six varieties of Antares are available
Antares is the brightest star in the southern sky of Chile. The wines of the same name are fresh and easy to drink, appealing to the explorers of the world.
These vibrant wines originate close to Patagonia, among volcanic valleys with maritime influence and seducing breezes. These wines are independent-based, normally retailing under €10. Antares wines are available in six varieties, distributed by Ampersand.
Reach for a Reserva
Santa Carolina Reserva Estate wines are born from the vineyards of Chile’s most reputed winegrowing valleys. Each variety, with their particular aromas and flavours reflect Santa Carolina’s philosophy that seeks to portray the strong links between the land, the climate and the fruit. Discover a taste of each region through elegant, fruit-driven and complex wines.
Speak to your Ampersand sales representative to place an order.
www.ampersandsales.ie Tel: 01-4130100 Email: info@ampersandsales.ie
Wine manager: Willie Dardis Mobile: 086 2479514 Email: willie@ampersandsales.ie
Drawing consumers into ‘A New World’
The Cono Sur Bicicleta range is a tribute to the company’s employees who cycle around the vineyards every day in order to protect the land they work on
Cono Sur, the number two Chilean wine brand in Ireland, has set its sights on becoming the next premium and innovative global wine brand. The brand is also one of Drinks International’s Top 10 Most Admired Wine Brands in the World, a classification that acknowledges wine brands for their positive impact on the wine market that goes beyond simple sales figures.
This autumn Cono Sur has launched a new above-the-line (ATL) campaign which represents a significant investment in TV, digital and outdoor advertising for the brand in the Irish market.
The campaign will draw consumers into ‘A New World’ which expresses the success of Cono Sur as a new world brand, showing a bottle of its famous Bicicleta wine alongside a bicycle placed in one of the company’s picturesque Chilean vineyards. The Cono Sur Bicicleta range is a tribute to the brand’s employees who cycle around the vineyards every day in order to protect the land they work on, with the bicycle symbolising their strong and passionate commitment to the environment when making top quality wines.
Furthermore, Cono Sur continues to support consumer-focused initiatives such as its sponsorship for the second year of the Tour de Picnic charity cycle, where in addition to a donation to this year’s charities they will also cover the entry fee for the top ten fundraisers, with this group pedalling down to Electric Picnic as part of ‘Team Cono Sur’.
This year also sees the return of the famous Blogger Challenge, where Ireland’s food and lifestyle bloggers are invited to submit an original recipe for the chance to win a trip for two to Cono Sur’s vineyards and winery in Chile. See www.bloggercompetition.conosur.com for more.
Cono Sur is exclusively distributed in Ireland by Findlater Wine & Spirit Group.
Snap up a special offer!
Febvre and Company is offering a special offer RSP of €15.99 for the De Martino Legado wines
De Martino Winery in Chile has long been at the forefront of innovations in winemaking. The winery’s success in producing world-class wines that are a true reflection of their origin and show Chile’s unique diversity, has now been globally acknowledged by Decanter magazine:
De Martino winemaker Marcelo Retamal has been ranked (by his peers in the industry) in 13th place in the world and the best in South America in Decanter’s inaugural list of the most influential winemakers across the globe.
Retamal, who has played a crucial role in developing the identity of De Martino wines over 20 years, acknowledged that the distinction is “a reward and recognition for all of us who work at De Martino, the team, the family, the enology, the laboratory, the wine cellar, the viticulture, in brief, for all of us”.
To celebrate this acknowledgement of Marcelo Retamal and De Martino, Febvre and Company, the distributor of De Martino wines in Ireland, is offering a special offer RSP of €15.99 for the Legado wines between now and the end of September in participating independent off-licences nationwide. This price offer includes:
De Martino Legado Syrah Reserva, Choapa Valley
De Martino Legado Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva, Maipo Valley
De Martino Legado Sauvignon Blanc Reserva, Casablanca Valley
De Martino Legado Chardonnay Reserva, Limari Valley
The Legado range seeks to express the essence and individual characteristics which give each label a unique sense of origin, achieved by working with different vineyards from the same producing valley that sometimes can have different, yet complementary characteristics. This results in wines of unique character; truly reflecting Chile’s most outstanding producing valleys.
A wonderful win
Indómita, Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon, distributed in Ireland by United Wine Merchants has been awarded a gold international trophy in the 2015 Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) and awarded Best Chilean Red Wine.
Judged by the world’s best wine professionals in the most comprehensive and authoritative wine competition in the world, Indómita Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 has been awarded the top Decanter World Wine Awards honour, as the very best of the Regional Trophy winners in style.
Made from grapes grown in the Maipo Costa Valley, Chile and sourced from two lots – one on flat ground and the other on a hillside, Indómita Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon is described as highly concentrated, mature, complex and a very elegant wine. It offers the perfect symphony of blackcurrant, butterscotch, coconut and red ripe berry aromas.
A well balanced wine, it fills the palate and softly brushes it with a long and persistent finish, enjoyed best with pasta, cheeses, risottos, stews, grilled beef, steaks, lamb, ravioli and Asian cuisine.
Ciaran Meyler, United Wine Merchants’ wine sales manager commented: “We are delighted that the Indómita, Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 has been awarded a gold international trophy at the DWWA, making it the best Chilean red wine and we agree wholeheartedly with the judges’ decision. This accolade is the latest in a long line of awards for this wine including a Double Gold Medal – China Wine & Spirits Awards Best Value 2015 and a Gold Medal, Concours Mondial de Bruxelles.”
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