Icon Wines Hosts: (left to right) Pedro Parra, Peter Richards and Carlos Cabral

Co-hosted by terroir expert Dr. Pedro Parra and writer Carlos Cabral, the event was held August 8th in Sao Paolo, Brazil.

Richards enjoyed the opportunity to learn about Brazil’s wine market, which “is a boom market, with plenty of potential and few of the cultural, religious and gastronomic obstacles associated with the likes of China and India.”

He further notes, “Brazil’s middle class and purchasing power is burgeoning.”

With such a rapidly growing market, Brazilians are also developing a consumer base for fine wines such as those featured in the Icon Wines tasting.

Richards’ tasting scores and assessments are summarized below, with Chilean wines receiving top ratings. For a full list of tasting highlights, visit Richards’ blog at susieandpeter.com.

Aristos Duque d’A 2008 – 8-8.5/10
“This wine is all about the texture and structure … with a very serious, very moreish style … a very, very impressive new wave Chilean red.”

Carmín de Peumo 2007 – 7.5-8/10
“Lovely steely backbone … around which is woven tons of soft plump fruit, soy sauce and candle wax hints.”

Casa Marin Cipreses Sauvignon Blanc 2011 – 7.5-8/10
“Vivid flavours of pink grapefruit, nettles and fennel … Delicious.”

Santa Rita Casa Real Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 – 7.5-8/10
“This is a consistently complex, elegant red … Grippy palate with herbal tones … Savoury, long, young and compact.”

Seña 2007 – 7.5/10
“Very young but dense and fine textured. Resonant. Needs time but shaping up well.”

Dunamis Cabernet Franc 2011 –6-6.5/10
“Very impressive for a young company with young vines … Refreshing, rounded, moreish, with herbal creamy hints … lovely!”

Villa Francioni Sauvignon Blanc 2010 – 6-6.5/10
“Edgy style, with nutty grapefruity and citrus notes … Clearly made by a thoughtful and articulate winemaker.”

Pizzato DNA99 Merlot 2005 – 6.5-6/10
“… ambitious, oaked and vaguely pruney. But it doesn’t fall into parody … it’s a good Merlot in this context.”

Quinta do Seival Castas Portuguesas 2008 – 6.5/10
“… beautifully floral, fine-grained and elegantly bittersweet … A real find.”

Salton Talento 2006 – 6.5/10
“A bit funky and mature, leathery in style, but elegantly medium-bodied … a nice harmonious finish.”

Lidio Carraro Dadivas Chardonnay 2011 – 5.5-6/10
“A very well made, refreshing style of unoaked Chardonnay … gentle flavours of red apple and melon … very elegantly crafted.”

The day starts off with the Icon Wines tasting, which will be hosted by BBC presenter and Decanter magazine columnist Peter Richards, Chilean terroir expert Pedro Parra and Brazilian wine consultant Carlos Cabral.

“This tasting will be held for the first time in Brazil, and we will demonstrate that Chile produces high-level wines like other world-renowned labels,” explains Wines of Chile Managing Director Claudio Cilveti. “The wine market for our icon wines is growing in Brazil, representing 7.4% of our exports in this segment.”

Attendees of the Icon Wine tasting will experience some of Chile’s most exquisite wines, including:

Altair 2006, Aristos Duque 2008, Cipreses Vineyard 2011, Don Melchor 2008, Carmín de Peumo 2008, Seña 2007, Don Maximiano Founder´s Reserve 2007, Clos de Apalta 2009, Montes Folly 2007, Montes M 2009, and Casa Real 2007.

“I’m certainly extremely excited to taste these wines,” Richards says, “and to witness yet another milestone in the compelling story of fine Chilean wine.”

The Icon Tasting, which begins at 12:00 pm and ends at 2:00 pm, will be followed by an elegant lunch prepared by renowned chef Emmanuel Bassoleil.

After the lunch, Wines of Chile will hold its 2nd annual Grand Tasting from 4 pm until 8 pm. 41 Chilean wineries and approximately 200 labels will be represented, with special tables dedicated to “Emblematic reds” and “Discovering the whites of Chile.”

The Grand Tasting in Sao Paolo will provide an opportunity for aficionados, professionals, and business leaders in all sectors of Brazil’s wine industry to converge and communicate on topics related to Chilean wine.

This year’s Grand Tasting in Brazil is especially pertinent, considering the safeguards proposed by the Brazilian government, which would restrict import of Chilean wine into Brazil, depriving an expanding market of Chile’s premium terroirs.

“Increasingly, Brazilian consumers experience and enjoy the labels of our distinct and unique terroirs,” notes Cilveti.

Intended to boost Brazil’s wine industry, the safeguard would limit wine imports to Brazil from any country (with the exception of Israel) that is not a member of the Mercosur trade consortium. Mercosur represents an agreement between Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay facilitating trade between member countries.

In the 4 months since the safeguard was proposed by Brazil’s government, Wines of Chile has been implementing media campaigns and lobbying relevant political and industry officials in opposition of this measure, which – if successful – would be detrimental to Chilean wineries and would deprive Brazilian consumers of Chile’s amazing terroirs.

During a hearing held several weeks ago at Chile’s Department of Trade (Decom), Wines of Chile presented a strong argument against the safeguard, for consideration by the Brazilian ambassador and other international trade officials and politicians.

Wines of Chile urged Brazil to abandon the safeguard, arguing that it is supported by a small portion – only 5% – of Brazil’s wine industry. Furthermore, the precise nature and viticultural implications of the safeguard are still unclear.

Said Wines of Chile legal representative Federico Mekis, “Failing to define this fairly can produce a result that looks biased, and we would continue to discuss it until the World Trade Organization is receptive to us.”

Responding to Brazil’s allegation that the safeguard is necessary because of a sudden, unforeseen growth in Chile’s Brazilian market, Director General of International Economic Relations Álvaro Jana noted that this new opposition to the gradual increase in Chilean wine imports is not logical, since the particular commercial circumstances being targeted were previously accepted and facilitated by Brazil, indicating that the situation was not unexpected.

Brazil is Chile’s fourth largest wine market, having received 5.5% of Chilean wine exports last year, with a total profit of USD $4.481 million. Considering this potential economic impact, Chilean wineries eagerly anticipate a final verdict on the safeguard, which is expected to be delivered in September.

Fecha: Miércoles 8 de Agosto 2012, São Paulo, Brasil
Lugar: Hotel Unique: Avenida Brigadeiro Luis Antonio, 4700 – Jardim Paulista
Hora: From 4pm to 8pm.

Mesas Educativas:

1. Signature Reds from CHile
2. Discovering White wines from CHile

Vinos que serán presentados:
Altair 2006
Aristos Duque 2008
Cipreses Vineyard 2011
Don Melchor 2008
Carmín de Peumo 2008
Seña 2007
Don Maximiano Founder´s Reserve 2007
Clos de Apalta 2009
Montes Folly 2007
Montes M 2009
Casa Real 2007