It’s comparatively rare to find Sauvignon Blanc made as a sweet wine on its own (as opposed to blended with Semillon), but this value-for-money sticky from Chile suggests that the grape is well suited to these styles. Honey and quince with an undertone of pink grapefruit.
Country: Chile
2008 Cousiño Macul Antiguas Reservas Cabernet Sauvignon, Maipo Valley
( £9.99 down to £7.49, 14%, Waitrose )Pure Cabernet from the Maipo Valley is one of the most distinctive wine styles in the New World. And this is a classic of the genre, with notes of mint and blackcurrant leaf and an undertone of green pepper and mint. Refreshing and nicely balanced, with the oak adding a subtle sweetness to the wine.
Do New World wines age?
by Tim Atkin
What’s the difference between a New and an Old World wine? Twenty-seven years ago, when I started writing about the subject, the distinction was clear-cut. The received wisdom was that...
2009 Mayu Syrah Reserva, Elquí Valley
( £9.99 down to £7.49, 14%, Sainsbury's )The coastal region of Elquí, close to the edge of the Atacama desert, is one of the most exciting in the world. And the wines from this Italian-influenced winery are leading the way. This has the cool climate pepperiness of Syrah (the Pacific is not far away) with notes of raspberry, tomato leaf and clove spice. Close your eyes and you could be drinking something very grand from the Rhône Valley.
Carignan: Chile returns to its roots
by Tim Atkin
Think of a word to describe the Chilean wine industry. Dependable? Consistent? Mass-produced? I’ve played this game with consumers and Chile generally elicits such responses. People in the wine trade...
2011 De Martino Viejas Tinajas Cinsault, Itata Valley
( £8.95, 13%, The Wine Society )I don’t want to overstate the case here, but this could be the start of a Chilean red wine revolution. It’s unusual in at least three respects: it’s made from old vine, unirrigated Cinsault grown in the cool southerly region of Itata, it was fermented in amphorae and it has a lowly (for Chile) 13% alcohol. The result is is a refreshing, juicy, balanced, cherry and raspberry fruity red of great finesse and length. A welcome relief from over-oaked, over-alcoholic Chilean reds.
My Dream Cellar
by Tim Atkin
Imagine, just for one minute, that you were richer than Bill Gates: more loaded than a Hollywood film star, Warren Buffett and a Russian oligarch put together. Which wines would...
Twelve Christmas wines under £10
by Tim Atkin
Bearing in mind that most of us are broke at this time of year, I’ve decided to keep things simple and affordable this Christmas, restricting my choices to just a...
2010 Anakena Single Vineyard Deu Pinot Noir, Leyda Valley
( £7.99, 13.5%, Majestic )Drinkable Pinot Noir, let alone very drinkable Pinot Noir, under £8 is one of wine’s holier grails. This Chilean example from increasingly fashionable Leyda offers even better value than that. From 22nd of November it will be down to £6.99 each for two months. The wine tastes as good as it looks, with sweet raspberry and red cherry flavours, a touch of oak and refreshing, cool climate acidity. There’s some leafy complexity here, too.
The pick of Waitrose’s wine range
by Tim Atkin
RED 2010 Saumur, Les Nivières (£7.49, 13%) Essence of Loire Cabernet Franc, this unoaked red is a delight: soft and grassy with fresh acidity, no oak and pure blackcurrant and...
German Pinot Noir comes of age
by Tim Atkin
Question: which country is the world’s third biggest producer of Pinot Noir? I’d always imagined the top five would be France (Champagne boosts the numbers), the USA, Australia, New Zealand...
Putting the boot into heavy reds
by Tim Atkin
One of the hardest things in life is to admit that you’ve made a mistake. Whatever we choose to call it – a blunder, a cock up or an error...