Tasting Gold:

Wines of Chile's Sensorial Analysis Workshop

One thing that everyone in the Chilean wine industry understands is that wine drinkers in the UK like our wine. And they drink a lot of it, too: 8,800,000 cases—that’s 105,600,000 bottles—last year alone! So obviously, when British wine experts speak, Chilean winemakers listen.
Wines of Chile has sponsored an Annual Awards comepetion since 2004, in which its members are encouraged to submit a series of wines to be judged by a panel of experts that has been primarily British every year except 2007, which featured an American jury. Each January, both industry and public alike anxiously await the outcome of the jury’s
Christian Rojas, of Viña Luís Felipe Edwards	decisions—which always include surprises—but a second event that the members of the wine trade (winemakers, winegrowers, producers, wine writers, sommeliers, and other specialists) look forward to is the Annual Sensorial Analysis Seminar that provides the opportunity for all to taste the gold-medal winners with their winemakers. This activity provides an opportunity to take a closer look at what the jury found and distinguished this year, in the 5th Annual Wines of Chile Awards. It provides the members of the industry to taste the wines that most reflected the qualities that the British judges were looking for, those that most closely reflected the preferences of the
British palate. And, because the winemakers themselves elaborate in detail on the enological, viticultural, and even commercial aspects of each wine presented, the event provides an opportunity to share, discuss, and dispute the methodologies that lead from a field of grapes to a bottle with a gold medal on attached to its label. This year’s tasting featured fewer winning wines than in the past—just 12 Gold medals this year, as opposed to the 31 awarded by the US jury in the 4th Annual WoC Awards (2007) and 28 in the 3rd AWOCA (2006).	Soledad Meneses, of Viña Arboleda

Clearly, this year’s judges were a tougher crowd to please, but they knew what they were looking for: fresh, exciting wines with more fruit and less oak.

Winemaker Andrés Sánchez, Viña Tabontinaja (Gillmore)

Sommelier Felipe Rojas; Winemaker, Juan Pablo Lecaros, Viña Viu Manent

Winemaker Germán Lyon, Viña Pérez Cruz

Below are the Gold Medal Winners of the 5th Annual Wines of Chile Awards, in the order they were presented in the tasting, along with a selection and compilation of the  comments submitted by the individual judges: 2 White Wines: Viña Falernia, Alta Tierra Sauvignon Blanc 2007, Elqui Valley * Trophy: Best Sauvignon Blanc; * Trophy: Best White Judges’ tasting notes: Nose: Grapefruit, citrus, herby, fresh white pepper Palate: Crisp, fresh, and concentrated with a subtle grassy finish Overall: Aromatic, fresh, lovely Viña Anakena, Roots of the Andes Single Vineyard Viognier 2007, Rapel Valley * Trophy: Best Other White Judges’ tasting notes: Nose: Apricot, peachy, ripe, fresh, aromatic, sweet vanilla, coconut, white pepper Palate: Soft and creamy with excellent acidity, lots of texture, intense, full-bodied Overall: Luscious and charming 2 Pinot Noir: Viña Anakena, Ona Pinot Noir 2007, Casablanca Valley * Trophy Best Pinot Noir Judges’ tasting notes: Nose: Oaky, vanilla, herbal, minty, black fruit and dark chocolate, perfumed and fresh Palate: Beautifully crisp and refreshing, intense and rich, red mint fruit, juciy Overall: Elegant; seductive; lovely delicacy; youthful, bright and true pinot character Viña Garcés Silva, Amayna Pinot Noir 2005, Leyda Valley Judges’ tasting notes: Nose: Spicy, black cherry. Funky. Smoky oak, sweet caramel. Earthy, leathery Palate: Silky, quite alcoholic, well-balanced, well-integrated oak. Creamy, ripe, and juicy with a good bitter finish Overall: Complex and interesting 3 Carménère: Viña Viu Manent, Secreto Carménère 2006, Colchagua Valley Judges’ tasting notes: Nose: Aromatic, with dense and spicy fruit. Sweet green pepper, blackcurrant, and spicy fruit. Smoky oak, coffee, and chocolate Palate: Chunky and meaty with good fruit structure. Nice, rich, and ripe, with a long finish. Nice balance, with lovely freshness and length Overall: Tasty, rich and complex Viña Luis Felipe Edwards, Reserva Carménère 2006, Colchagua Valley Judges’ tasting notes: Nose: Rich black fruit and spice, peppery with very ripe fruit Palate: Lots of chalky tannins and quite warm. Nice freshness Overall: Deep purple color. Fresh, fruity and modern; very ripe and luscious Viña Arboleda, Carménère 2006, Colchagua Valley * Trophy Best Carménère Judges’ tasting notes: Nose: Rich chocolate, cococnut. Fine, elegant. Earthy, smoky, and spicy, with an herbal palat with a coffee edge Palate: Sweet and concentrated. Good tannins, well-balanced. Rich and smooth. Juicy, with good red fruit. Fine acidity. Deep and concentrated, with a lovely, pure finish Overall: Delicious, lovely, excellent 2 Cabernet Sauvignon: Viña Luis Felipe Edwards, Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, Colchagua Valley * Trophy: Best Value Red Judges’ tasting notes: Nose: Fresh blackcurrant and other black fruits. Hint of dark chocolate and olive with pure, well-integrated oak. Touch of spice. Herbal and smoky Palate: Silky, fruity, bright, and fresh, with fine, well-defined, and grainy tannins. Good depth and strength; lots of weight. Long finish Overall: Moody. Luscious. Elegant Viña Tabontinaja, Gillmore Hacedor de Mundos Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2005, Loncomilla Valley (sub-valley of the Maule Valley) * Trophy Best Cabernet Sauvignon Judges’ tasting notes: Nose: Lovely black fruit. Spicy and oaky, with a coffee edge. Black currant, sweet dark fruit, a touch of eucalyptus and a bit of chewing gum Palate: Juicy, with good acidity, spicy oak. Rich and full-bodied, with a soft, good finish Overall: Intense dark wine. Luscious. Interesting and complex. Has character 1 Syrah: Viña Mayu, Reserva Syrah 2006, Elqui Valley * Trophy: Best Syrah Judges’ tasting notes: Nose: Lovely sweet nose. Spicy and ripe, with black fruit and herbs. Peppery, smoky, lovely sweet berry fruit. Dark fruit with a minty edge. Slighty raw, smoky nose Palate: Juicy, with a balancing edge of acidity. Smooth and dark, with a fresh finish. Dark and meaty with bold black olive Overall: Lovely. Deliciously rich. The perfect syrah. 2 Premium Red Blends: Viña La Rosa, Ossa Six Generation Red Blend 2004, Cachapoal Valley * Trophy: Best Red Blend * Trophy: Best in Show Judges’ tasting notes: Nose: Delicate smoky-spicy nose. Sweete, bright cassis with a hint of eucalyptus. Palate: Sweet but fresh, rounded out by oak and ripe tannins. Soft, earthy, and ripe. Dusky but fresh. Dark and deep, ripe and soft Overall: Elegant, sophisticated Viña Pérez Cruz, Liguai Red Blend 2005, Maipo Walley Judges’ tasting notes: Nose: Very oaky. Ripe notes. Rich, dark licorice and earthy. Sweet, minty, intense blackcurrant fruit nose, with hints of tobacco and nicely-integrated oak Palate: Powerful, intense, large and concentrated. Full, ripe, savory-spicy with fresh notes. Intense and concentrated tannins. Very ripe red fruit with a touch of spice. Rich finish. Intense Ribera. Rich, sweet and bold. Good length Overall: Excellent. Modern