Each day the world is getting smaller and smaller, as Wines of Chile’s recent teletasting demonstrated. Despite 12,000kms between them, Chilean winemakers and German wine writers were practically in the same room on Wednesday, January 30th as they tasted wine together during a special ‘teletasting’.
Using video conferencing, wine press and importers from Germany tasted ten wines with their respective winemakers from Chile in a virtual tasting that took place over two hours. The Chilean winemakers led the tastings from Gen Hotel in the centre of Santiago that was broadcast to the German wine experts in Germany, who tried the wines previously sent to them.
The German tasters had the unique opportunity to meet the winemakers of Concha y Toro, Emiliana Organic Vineyards, Viña Casa Silva, Viña Montes and Viña Cono Sur all at once.
“This teletasting has been an extraordinary occasion to present the current [wine] trends in Chile,” said Jürgen Mathäß, journalist and Chilean wine specialist in Germany. “The German press have not until now had the possibility to find five great Chilean winemakers at the same one tasting. The wines have been of a great quality, each one spectacular at their price level.”
While guiding the wine press through tasting two of each of their wines, the winemakers and wine writers all used the same Riedel glasses specifically designed for each wine so that they could ensure that the tasting was in as similar conditions as possible in all locations – no matter which continent they were in. The simplicity and efficiency of the tasting provoked praise from many of the wine experts in Germany.
Andrea Bertram commented that the teletasting was a “great idea, as well as being a response consistent with the topic of sustainability, avoiding the plane journey.”
Without a bit of jet lag in sight, the tasting went off without a hitch and showcased an innovative way for the increasingly small global village to try great Chilean wines without leaving their house.
By Amanda Barnes
Wine makers and wines participating were as follows:
Cono Sur: Guillermo Sanchez Winemaker
- Cono Sur Organic Sauvignon Blanc 2012
- Cono Sur 20 Barrel Limited Edition Syrah 2009
Emiliana: Alvaro Espinoza
- Novas 2010
- Coyam 2009
Montes: Jorge Gutierrez
- Montes Alpha Carmenère 2010
- Montes Alpha Syrah 2010
Concha y Toro: Marcelo Papa
- Marqués de Concha Cabernet Sauvignon
- Marqués de Casa Concha Carmenere 2010
Casa Silva: Arnauld Frenet
- Casa Silva Microterroir 2006
- Quinta Generación 2008