Latin American Wine Tasting Results Are In!

Wine and travel are so linked in my mind that if I am unable to travel somewhere, I’ll treat myself to a glass of wine from that place instead. Call it liquid inspiration. I have been dreaming of Latin America recently so the wines of Chile and Argentina were the focus of our March wine tasting.

As you know from last week’s post, the iconic wine of Chile is Carmenere, Malbec for Argentina. So those were the wines we sampled. I tried to buy wines that are widely available which was a good thing because there was a lot of love for these wines from the Developed and Complex tribes. If you belong to either tribe, you are going to want to get your hands on them!

Accessible and Balanced tribe members, on the other hand, considered these wines too big and too bold so these are not your go-to wines if you are in either of those tribes.

The March line up:

– Apaltague Reserva 2011 Carmenere,  $10.99
– Grey 2009 Carmenere (from Vina Ventisquero), $19.99
– Catena 2010 Malbec, $20.99
– Chakana 2010 Malbec, $24.99

The Apaltague Reserva was widely panned for its bell pepper, pencil lead and nail polish remover aromas. The tribes were in lock step on the tastes too, using unappetizing descriptors such as rubber, vinegar, cedar and white pepper. Not a favorite.

Of the two Carmeneres, the 2009 Grey was the clear winner. In fact, it was the number one wine of the night with the Complex Tribe and a strong contender with the Developed Tribe. Overall the tribes appreciated the molasses, plums and vanilla on the nose. In terms of taste, our panel liked its dark cocoa, big fruit and spice flavors. Both Developed and Complex tribe members preferred this wine with food as it smoothed out and paired nicely with our dinner:  steak with chimichurri sauce and tamales.

The Malbecs surprised me. The Catena is readily available in the Seattle area; check your local grocery store. It’s an old reliable wine for me and I was a bit over it, expecting to be blown away by Malbec #2, the Chakana, which has a much cooler label and tons of great press. (I am in marketing so I get excited about things like labels.)

But the Catena, oh it was a hit. Scents of evergreen, clove and caramel got everyone excited and tasting it was dreamy. The tribes detected — and raved about — cherries, plums, smoke and butterscotch.

By contrast, no one (including me) really took to the Chakana. The Balanced tribe folks found it dusty, dry and chalky. The Developed tribe liked it better with food, but were still underwhelmed by the tartness and high alcohol content. The Complex tribe found it too astringent and light.

In summary, if you fall into the Developed or Complex tribes, go get a bottle of Grey 2009 Carmenere or the 2010 Catena Malbec. Pair either with some grilled meat and garlickly chimichurri sauce, mixed greens and tamales, and you will be in for a fabulouso evening.

Enjoy my friends and please let us know what your favorite Latin American wines are. Buen provecho!