This Week’s Wine Tasting
Argentina and Chile
“Legado is a new winery founded by Tomas Machado, the former owner of Antis Winery, and a group of investors that includes importer Harrison Jones of William Harrison Imports. The winemaker is Mathias Riccitelli, who served as assistant winemaker at Antis. Legado currently purchases grapes from high altitude vineyards of neighboring growers, but grapes from its own 250-acre estate will provide a growing share of grapes over the next [few] years. The Legado wines are of excellent quality and are offered at very affordable prices. They include a range of varieties from Torrontes to Cabernet Sauvignon and both regular bottlings and reserves which are higher in both quality and price.”
“Don Manuel Villafañe arrived in Argentina in 1611 from Spain and worked as a farmer, becoming a pioneer of Argentinean viticulture. He was one of the first men planting Spanish vineyards on these lands. His goal was to provide the Church’s priests and later to the colonists who came to the new world to face new opportunities.
The winery is located in Maipú, Mendoza in the foothills of the Andes. The soil in this area is almost entirely round stones from when the glaciers spread rock and smoothed it over miles and miles. The elevations of the vineyards range from 880 meters to 1050 meters elevation above sea level. Bodega Don Manuel Villafañe exports to over 7 different countries, the US being its largest market, with the labels of Don Manuel Villafañe, Legado (de Don Manuel Villafañe) and Parados used for the US, with William-Harrison Imports as its sole US importer. The wines have achieved Silver, Gold, and Double Gold Medals in different international contests.”
Legado ‘Classic’ Torrontes 2013– Mendoza, Argentina. “This wonderful white grape is grown at a higher and cooler altitude in La Rioja, north of Mendoza. The Legado Torrontés is a perfect example of this varietal, which many call the best expression of white wine from Argentina. This grape is a crossing of the varietal Mission (a sacramental wine grape originally from Spain, then planted in Spanish missions on the west coasts of North and South America) and the Muscat of Alexandria. The wine is lush with aromas of honeysuckle, apricot, jasmine and rose petals. On the palate it has a creamy texture, with rich flavors of peach, lychee, and melon, with a medium body. Despite the richness in aromatics and fruit on the palate, it still finishes crisp and dry, a great match for spicy or strongly flavored foods. $13.99
Legado ‘Classic’ Cabernet Franc 2013– Mendoza, Argentina. “From the Estate’s vineyards in the Andes foothills at an altitude of 2500 feet. There are two hectares planted (about 5 acres) and finally the grapes have the quality to produce an excellent wine each year. This wine is made from 100% Cabernet Franc from the rocky vineyards of the Maipú desert: a perfect setting to produce one of the noble grapes of Bordeaux that has not yet been widely planted in Argentina. A deep red/purple color leads you to a nose of fully ripe cherry and cassis with a hint of spice. Dense/ripe red fruit flavors with that mid-palate Cabernet Franc texture give it great body with soft, sweet tannins. Serve with pork chops, grilled meats, cheeses.” $13.99
Legado ‘Classic’ Malbec 2013– Mendoza, Argentina. “In the Andes foothills is where the grapes are grown, at an altitude of 2500 feet. This wine is made from 100% Malbec from the rocky vineyards of the Maipú desert: a perfect setting to produce the finest red grape of Argentina. A deep red/purple color leads you to a nose of fully ripe cherry and raspberry with a hint of plummy spice. Dense and ripe red and blue berry flavors with a touch of oak give it great body with soft, sweet tannins on the palate and the long finish. A youthful fresh tasting wine that is uncomplicated, easy drinking and delicious. Serve with meats, cheeses, grilled foods, or it is smooth enough to drink by itself or light appetizers. $13.99
Legado ‘Classic’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2013– Mendoza, Argentina. “This wine comes from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes grown at 2500 feet elevations in extremely rocky soil which means great drainage for the vines. The weather was very good before the harvest, allowing the grapes to achieve optimum ripeness, before being harvested by hand. This wine shows a full ruby color with an expressive nose of red and black berries, violet, cassis, and a hint of cedar. In the mouth it is full-bodied with rich notes of blackcurrant, red plum and spice. Extremely well-balanced with a fresh youthful character, supple tannins and a long finish. Serve with any red meats and especially lamb or game; beautiful with cheeses. $13.99
Legado Malbec Reserva 2011– Mendoza, Argentina. “This is the king of the red wines in Argentina. The weather was very good before the harvest, allowing the grapes to achieve optimum ripeness, before being harvested by hand at 3200 feet elevation in the foothills of the Andes Mountains, in Maipú. After picking the grapes are then sorted, reserving the best lots of grapes for the Reserva. The Malbec Reserva is a step up from the regular bottling, revealing more intensity of flavor. Made exclusively from free run juice and aged 14 months in French oak, it is medium dark ruby in color and offers a nose of spicy black and red fruit and nicely integrated sweet oak. On the palate it is well balanced with rich fruit and toasted oak flavors, sweet tannins and a long finish. $18.99
“Geo Wines was founded early 2000 by Managing Director Sergio Reyes, Alvaro Espinoza (probably the most respected and innovative winemaker in Chile, awarded as Wine Personality of the Year in 2007 by the IWC) and Juan Carlos Faundez, who has worked together with Alvaro for more than 15 years and shares the same passion and knowledge on wines and sustainable viticulture.
Geo Wines offers wines from Chiles most exciting appellations; Elqui, Limari, Maipo, Colchagua, Leyda and Casablanca Valley, where the wines are handmade and crafted with passion and creativity to express the terroir and varietal character of each grape. The viticulture for all our grapes considers that a great wine is born in the vineyard.
We are passionate about quality as well as sustainable viticulture. This is best reflected in our organic wines Chono San Lorenzo and Chono San Lorenzo Estate, as well as the Cerrillos wine ranges. All these wines are produced according to the principles of organic and bio-dynamic viticulture and represent a unique proposition from Chile.
The name CHONO refers to the brave indigenous people that lived in the fiords of the Chilean Patagonia in pre-Hispanic times until the XVIII century. They are admired by historians for being brave sailors with great fishermen and diving skills. The passion they had for life and for nature have inspired us to create CHONO wines.”
Geo Wines ‘Chono’ San Lorenzo 2010– Maipo Valley, Chile. A blend of Carmenere, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Cabernet Franc and Petite Sirah. “This wine comes from the San Lorenzo vineyard, located in Isla de Maipo. The vineyard has been managed organically since 1994, is certified by IMO Switzerland and represents the selection of our best barriques from each of the varieties used for this blend. This is a harmonious blend with great structure, very well balanced and captivating elegance. Aromas of licorice and small crushed red berries mix with a hint of graphite and earthy complexity on the nose. The mouth is long, long, long! With richly endowed and very curvy sweeps of black cherry, tobacco and plum flavors, good tannins and perfect balance.” 700 cases produced. $20.99