RED WINES: CHILE

Apaltagua Reserva Pinot Noir
Chile: Curico Valley (Tricao)
100% Pinot Noir
2011
$12.00
85 pts
The Apaltagua Pinot is a fair, acceptable wine at a quite reasonable price. But while there's nothing particularly offensive about this wine, it lacks everything I enjoy in a good Pinot Noir. No chocolate, no hint of earth, no lush mouth feel, and, unlike in a choice Pinot for my palate, the cherry fruit in the Apaltagua is too far in front, and too candy-like, and the beginning, middle and end of this wine, which lacks even a minimal level of complexity. It's not fair to say the wine is disjointed, though, largely because to be disjointed a wine needs more than one limb, something for the fruit to connect with. Also not much of a length to speak of. I was hoping for one of those great bargain Chilean reds that walks the line between Old and New World with balance and poise, but didn't find it here. 

Castillo de Molina Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva (from Vina San Pedro)
Chile: Curico Valley (Central Valley)
90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Syrah (red)
2008
$10.99
84 pts
While Chilean Cab is now on fire, the Vina San Pedro fails to inspire...much of anything, really. Violet in the glass, the nose is a tight one, with some some oak and vanilla. The weight is light, and the taste profile includes the aforementioned vanilla, black pepper, spice, dark red fruit (mostly raspberries), and earthy mushrooms. While there's a pleasing (for my palette) dryness on the back end, and the finish (mocha) is good, the length is average at best and the transitions between flavors lack coherence. I want to like this wine more--certainly features multiple flavors--but don't. Reminds me of taking a piece of choocolate candy from a big box (Whitman's?) as a kid, and biting into it expecting something delicious...but then experiencing a disjointed chocolate, fruit and spice mix that just didn't do it for me. Not the worst Cab ever made, mind you, especially at about eleven bucks. But by no means a wine to seek out.

+MUST TRY+
Santa Rita Medalla Real Cabernet Sauvignon
Chile: Maipo Valley (Central Valley)
93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc (red)
2006
$19.99
90 pts
Chile is sure hot for well-priced, high quality cabs, and the Santa Rita Medalla Real is a great example. For twenty bucks one can enjoy a quality that blows away a fair number of California cabs at twice the price. The nose on this one is an exact replica of red raspberry preserves, causing me to crave peanut butter, having lived on peanut butter & raspberry jam on toast for breakfast through my childhood. The taste profile is multifaceted, starting out with red fruit, transitioning smoothly to green vegetables, and then finishing with coffee. There's also an underlying spice just beneath the surface. The length? To me, this is a weakness on this wine, just average at best. I also think the coffee finish could be richer, deeper, fuller...while it's good, it leaves me just a bit unsatisfied. However, overall this is a wonderful Cabernet, not over-oaked (aged in French barrels), tasty as hell, and very nicely priced for a varietal very much in demand. While Wine Spectator gives this one 91 points, because of the length and my desire for a richer coffee flavor, I'm going with 90. But in the end, that doesn't matter. This is a great Cabernet, making Chile proud--and sending me running for that jar of peanut butter!