Apologies for the lapse in time to our faithful readers since the last blog update!
So after our two weeks in Chilean Patagonia we managed to get up to Santiago for a few days before making our way back to Lima, Peru. Though there were no visible signs of the catastrophic earthquake that struck central Chile in Santiago, the Colchagua wine region to the south was crippled. As such we opted to visit the Casablanca wine region which is about an hour west of Santiago. This area reminds me a lot of the Anderson Valley in Mendocino County. It can get hot but it is also near the ocean which creates a nice inversion layer resulting in cool evenings and some foggy mornings. In Casablanca, they focus on white wines (Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay) with a sprinkling of red wines (primarily Syrah and Pinot Noir). Similar to the Mendoza region in Argentina, some of the wineries have gourmet restaurants on site to compliment the experience. And so we start with our first of two lunches in the Casablanca region.
Indomita is a large producer. As I recall they are in the 1+ million liters of annual wine production club. For our visit, we did not schedule a tour. Instead we opted for the restaurant and the 'menu of the day' which was paired with their wines. Our menu included four courses plus desert and coffee (note: they served Illy espresso - nice) and we sampled 6 wines with the meal.
Our first wine was the 2007 Reserve Chardonnay. This was paired with a timbale of caprese salad. Not a new idea (a timbale of something) but an interesting concept with the salad. Basically, the essence of a caprese salad in a shot glass. The wine was refreshing for a hot day (which it was). A hint of citrus. Most likely steel or possibly neutral oak. And just a bit bitter on the end.
Next up was the 2008 Duet Grand Reserve Chardonnay served with tuna tartare. The wine reminded us of a very traditional California Chardonnay. Lot's of oak. A hint of peach. Still a little bitter on the end.
Now things got really interesting. Well, that is an overstatement. Our third course was Chilean sea bass with arugula, kidney beans, and wild mushrooms. Great combination. The wild mushrooms and the sea bass! Anyway, food good :) Wine bad :( Served with this course was the 2007 Duet Pinot Noir. Served at about 45 degrees. Why? Well, lucky for you we asked. The answer, ugh... 'Because it is a very delicate wine'. In simple terms, this is a bad wine so we mask it by keeping really cold! What we got from it was a hint of chocolate and cherry on the nose. Not much body or structure.
Did we talk about Patagonian lamb yet? Possibly not. Two words, mouth watering. Unfortunately, we were no longer in Patagonia. For the fourth course we were served lamb with a king crab humita. Oh and I forgot, have you had king crab (centolla) from Patagonia? Well refer to my lamb observation above. Anyway, this came with the 2007 Deut Cabernet Sauvignon and Carmenere blend. Unlike the 'chilled' Pinot Noir, this was served a bit on the warm side. We got some chalk (mineral) on the end. The wine did not have much body or structure. Perhaps a trend!!!
Chocolates. Did we tell you about the artisanal chocolates from Patagonia? Please refer back to the previous paragraph! Two wines came our way, 2006 Zardoz and 2008 Late Harvest. Zardoz is their premium Cabernet Sauvignon (100%). Leather, mocha, and dry. Late Harvest was blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Gewurztraminer. Soap, light, and not much residual sugar.
The Danes were in town at Indomita! Did you know they invented wine?
Recap:
Winery
Vina Indomita - Should visit just for the views of the valley floor. Has a tasting room.
Wines
2007 Reserve Chardonnay - QPR Mid-High, USD9
2008 Duet Grand Reserve Chardonnay - QPR Mid, USD20
2007 Duet Pinot Noir - QPR Very Low, USD20
2007 Duet Cabernet Sauvignon/Carmenere - QPR Low-Mid, USD20
2006 Zardoz Cabernet Sauvignon - QPR Low, USD46
2008 Late Harvest - QPR Very Low, USD6 (yes - six dollars but still lousy)
Wines we bought to drink
None
Restaurant
Indomita, Chef Oscar Tapia - Coin toss as you are about an hour from Santiago and the 'menu' was USD50 per person.
Contacts
www.indomita.cl
