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750ml
Bottle:
$33.95
The 2021 Chardonnay SOLdeSOL, from Malleco, Traiguén, was fermented in one-tenth new barrels. Intense yellow in hue....
750ml
Bottle:
$20.32
6 bottles:
$19.91
Baked mango, pineapple, lemon pie, butterscotch, nougat and cashews on the nose. It’s full-bodied with a buttery...
750ml
Bottle:
$14.25
$15.00
12 bottles:
$11.12
Fresh and fruity with aromas of pineapple, peach, and citrus alongside hints of hazelnut from its time in the barrel....
750ml
Bottle:
$13.86
12 bottles:
$12.35
In the glass this wine shows a golden color with flecks of green. In nose it displays tropical fruit aromas such as...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$11.70
Intense yellow color. Fruit-scented nose of ripe pineapple, banana, honeydew melon with lime with fresh hazelnut...
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle:
$18.41
Fresh and slightly creamy nose with some lemons, star fruit and stones. Just a hint of brioche. Fresh and round on...
750ml
Bottle:
$14.94
$16.25
12 bottles:
$14.64
Lemon pastry, lees, bread crust, butter and ripe melon. A full-bodied, buttery chardonnay with creamy, medium acidity...
750ml
Bottle:
$12.57
12 bottles:
$12.32
Golden in color, thee nose is fruity with notes of tropical fruits and citrus, accompanied by subtle touches of...
750ml
Bottle:
$11.94
$12.99
12 bottles:
$11.40
This Chardonnay of bright pale-yellow color, shows aromas of fresh fruits, especially pears, apples and pineapple. On...
750ml
Bottle:
$10.80
$12.00
Blend 100% Chardonnay Harvest March 11 & March 21, 2023 Bottled August 2023 Barrel Regime 100% Stainless. Alcohol 14%...
Chardonnay Mencia Savatiano Chile Valle Central
Of all the white wine grape varietals, surely the one which has spread the furthest and is most widely appreciated is the Chardonnay. This green skinned grape is now grown all over the Old and New Worlds, from New Zealand to the Americas, from England to Chile, and is one of the first varietals people think of when considering white wine grapes. Perhaps this is because of its huge popularity which reached a peak in the 1990s, thanks to new technologies combining with traditional methods to bring the very best features out of the Chardonnay grape, and allow its unique qualities to shine through. Most fine Chardonnay wines use a process known as malolactic fermentation, wherein the malic acids in the grape juice are converted to lactic acids, allowing a creamier, buttery nature to come forward in the wine. No grape varietal is better suited to this process than Chardonnay, which manages to balance these silky, creamy notes with fresh white fruit flavors beautifully.
Savatiano is probably Greece's most well known and most widely grown grape varietal, as it is the primary grape used in the production of Retsina, where the fermenting juices of the Savatiano varietal are flavored with pine resin in order to make this distinctive and famous wine. One of the reasons for the wide cultivation of this grape is due to its hardiness, and resistance to drought conditions. In the sun-drenched and dry, rocky Greek landscapes, this makes it an ideal vine to grow for wine-makers who require a strong and bounteous yield each year.
However, there are plenty of examples of Greek white wines which use the Savatiano grape but withhold from the addition the pine resin flavoring, allowing the true characteristics of this varietal to shine through. The result is often very pleasing indeed, with Savatiano grapes generally producing extremely well balanced and rounded white wines, with a juicily fruity flavor. Their aromas can vary quite a lot, with many Savatiano wines bearing the fragrance of citrus fruits, and also occasionally having a strong floral aroma reminiscent of elder and rose. Due to the relatively low acidity of Savatiano grapes, the wines which use them (including Retsina) generally bolster themselves with the addition of smaller quantities of more acidic varieties, such as Assyrtiko or Rhoditis, in order to improve their sometimes weak structure.
Additional Information on Greek Wines
Greek Wines
Ancient Greek Wines – A Brief History of Wine in Greece
The Myth of Dionysus, Greek God of Wine
What is Retsina?
Chile has a long and rich wine history which dates back to the Spanish conquistadors of the 16th century, who were the first to discover that the wonderful climate and fertile soils of this South American country were ideal for vine cultivation. It has only been in the past forty or fifty years, however, that Chile as a modern wine producing nation has really had an impact on the rest of the world. Generally relatively cheap in price,Whilst being widely regarded as definitively 'New World' as a wine producing country, Chile has actually been cultivating grapevines for wine production for over five hundred years. The Iberian conquistadors first introduced vines to Chile with which to make sacramental wines, and although these were considerably different in everything from flavor, aroma and character to the wines we associate with Chile today, the country has a long and interesting heritage when it comes to this drink. Chilean wine production as we know it first arose in the country in the mid to late 19th century, when wealthy landowners and industrialists first began planting vineyards as a way of adopting some European class and style. They quickly discovered that the hot climate, sloping mountainsides and oceanic winds provided a perfect terroir for quality wines, and many of these original estates remain today in all their grandeur and beauty, still producing the wines which made the country famous.
Chile is a fascinating country when it comes to wines and viticulture, and by far the most internationally renowned wine region in the country is the Valle Central. This expansive valley is located close to the Chilean capital of Santiago, and stretches between the Maipo Valley and Maule Valley, a long, winding fault through the mountainous regions of the country which is now almost completely covered by vineyards producing wines of exquisite character. The region itself may well be associated with the 'New World' of wines, but in actual fact, vineyards have been cultivated around the Maipo valley since the 16th century, when settlers from Europe brought vines across the ocean with which to make sacramental wines. A wide range of grape varietals thrive in the hot climate of Valle Central, from the Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot vines the country is most famous for, to Syrah, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Carmenere.