Like many wine lovers with an eye on Europe, we probably haven’t looked close enough to see what is happening in Chile, Argentina, and South Africa.
There has been a fair deal of innovation and a good deal of movement into the classy realm of fine wines allowing small estates to capture part of the mid-to-premium segment – albeit now more visible in London, New York and Berlin.
Chile is traditionally dominated by large corporations. Only by the millenium has MOVI (Movimiento de Viñateros Independientes), a self regulating group of boutique producers, been set up; the initial group of 12 now is just over 20 quality-minded producers who try to make authentic wines, which alters our perception quite a bit.
Derek Mossmann Knapp, the co-founder of Garage Wine Co. is one of the spokes persons and initiators whose credo includes that member wineries “have no promotional or marketing people at tastings, just owners or winemakers who are intimately involved in production”. This approach fits well to our Wine Garage style, and we have been quite successful in integrating their specialty, a Carignan field blend, into restaurants like Cocotte and Pesca in Bangkok.
More mainstream, but no less interesting, is our offer today: a Cabernet Sauvignon which veers towards the “natural” spectrum, but will please a wide range of palates.
We hope you will agree. When opening just pull the cork out through the wax capsule. Decant 20-30 minutes and serve at 16C.
Vintage: 2015 | Wine Type: Red Wine
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon (93%), Cabernet Franc (7%)
Origin: Chile | Appellation: Maipo Alto
Elaboration: Fermented with native yeasts, low intervention, punch down in open top fermenters at 976 metres above the sea this vineyard an extreme example of Cabernet Sauvignon in Maipo Andes. Barrel aged over two winters in French barrels of various cooperages with two or more uses.
Conservation: Drink now through 2020
Winemakers: Derek Mossman, Pilar Miranda and Alvaro Peña
“A solid Cabernet Sauvignon with currants, hot stone, blackberries and hints of currant bush. Full body, dense and polished tannins and a pretty, chewy finish. 93 points” James Suckling