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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