wine picks

A Good Glass of Wine June 2007

Wine columnist Wini Moranville guides you to the best bottles for the money.

Not long ago, most wine-drinkers I know looked to Chile for its inexpensive, easy-sipping, under-$10 reds—the sort of good but unmemorable wines we drank late into the night while passionately discussing the latest art-house flick. But at a recent tasting of Chilean reds, the room was filled with “wows.” These bottles easily made the leap from “cheap and drinkable” to “what a find!” impressing even the pickiest wine geeks in the crowd.

Merlot
Again and again, the words “Bordeaux-like” came up as we tasted these Merlots. That’s high praise, as velvety Merlot-based wines from Bordeaux are among the most prized in the world.

  • Casillero del Diablo Merlot 2005 by Concha y Toro: $9
  • MontGras Reserva Merlot 2005: $12
  • Cono Sur Visión Merlot 2005: $14
  • Marques de Casa Concha Merlot 2004 by Concha y Toro: $19
CabernetSauvignon
With no harsh edges, these top picks possessed an impressive purity of fruit, along with plenty of the oomph that Cab lovers seek.
  • Cono Sur Cabernet Sauvignon 2005: $10
  • Casa Lapostolle Cabernet Sauvignon 2005: $12
  • Marques de Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 by Concha y Toro: $17
Syrah/Shiraz
Chilean Syrahs are on the march, turning heads in the wine world everywhere. With these picks, look for dark-black-fruit flavors with a little smoke and violets in a nice, plush package.
  • Santa Rita Reserva Shiraz 2004: $11
  • Arboleda Syrah 2002: $15
  • Marques de Casa Concha Syrah 2004 by Concha y Toro: $19
Splendid Blends
Chilean winemakers do great things with blends, too—and at great prices. Try these for casual, bistro-style sipping.
  • Oops Cabernet Franc-Carmenère 2005: $11
  • Casa Silva Cabernet-Shiraz 2003: $12
  • MontGras Reserva Cabernet-Syrah 2005: $12



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Wini Moranville writes a monthly wine column for Relish, and also contributes food and wine stories to a variety of publications, including Better Homes and Gardens, Country Home, Creative Home and Celebrate the Seasons. Charles Smothermon writes the "Ask the Wine Geek" column for Relish and is a frequent contributor to magazines, books and websites. A resident of Montana and Abense de Haut, France, Charles also leads food and wine tours in Europe. For more information, visit www.woollybugger.org


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