The Best Wines of South America or "La Crema de la Crema" at the Vancouver International Wine Festival 2023

La Cream de la Crema was the final seminar of the Vancouver International Wine Festival Saturday evening from 5:15 pm to 6:45 pm. It featured a 10 member panel and two fabulous moderators demonstrating that power and profile of wines from South America. This show stopper was not only tasty but funny and familial as these vignerons brought favorite topics to the room including football, empanadas and "dulce de leche". Summed up, it was fantastically insightful and of an unanticipated calibre. South America is producing world class wine at a fraction of the price. See the wines tasted below.

The Best of the Best of South America

​​The best of the best showcased South America wine like never before. The event kicked off 
Saturday April 29th at 5:15 pm. Hometown host Anthony Gismondi and South American wine expert Evan Goldstein MS (@evangoldsteinems) lead the discussion traveling from Chile, Argentina to Uruguay and Brazil.

The panel was complete with winemakers, brand ambassadors and business leaders who provided insights and experiences from a fine wine perspective in stark contrast to $10 wine that has become synonymous with this region over the past decade. In fact, there is a definite wow factor here and tasting along with panel and moderators proved it. 

The conversation got off on the dulce de leche foot and despite the popularity of football and empanadas, passions flared. It seems that Uruguay's dulce de leche is the best. Some might argue this.

Red Blend, Miolo Lote 43, 2020 from
​The Miolo Wine Group, Brazil

From Brazil the Miolo Wine Group presents Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon - Lote 43 2020. As leaders in fine wine Vinhos do Miolo from Vale do Vinhedos in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, is Brazil's most famous wine region. Guiseppe Miolo arrived in Brazil and has been making wine since 1897. Located in the south, this region harvests grapes once a year in what is a relatively humid and warm climate. Considered Brazil's terroir wine the Lote 43 relates to a plot of soil that is produced only in the best vintages by winemaker Adriano Miolo. This is a blend of Cabernet and Merlot aged separately and then blended. Best vintages: 2018, 2020 and maybe 2023. 

Tasting Note: Full bodied, deep ruby, aromatic with notes of sweet plum jam, baking spice, truffles, cacao and clove. Complex red wine. The balance is perfect, soft and silky with a very long finish. Bottle price: $34.99

Red Blend, Delanz, Alto Jahuel 2020,
Maipo, ​Vina Carmen, Chile

​From Chile, Vina Carmen from the Maipo Valley presented Delanz Alto Jahuel Estate Blend 2020 from Pablo Prieto, Winemaker. Viña Carmen is a leader in the Maipo Valley where Cabernet Sauvignon is king. Established in 1850 and named after the founder’s wife, Vina Carmen is one of the oldest wineries in Maipo Valley. The Delanz label highlights the unique terroir of the Alto Jahuel vineyard that sits in a shallow valley between the coastal mountains and the Andres at 500 to 750 meters. The Estate Blend 2020 is made from 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, 8% Petit Verdot, 3% Petite Sirah all grown here. This is the 3rd vintage.

Tasting Note: Full bodied with complex aromas and flavours of red fruits, perfumed floral notes, cocoa, flint, mineral leather tobacco. The wine has freshness, nice texture, great balance and a long finish. Juicy and drinkable.
Bottle price: $38.99

Finca Ambrosia Malbec 2019, Terroir Series,
Single Vineyard from Trapiche Winery, Argentina

From Argentina, Trapiche Winery presents Malbec - Finca Ambrosia 2019. Trapiche was founded in the 1880s with first vintage 1883. It has been a leading producer in Mendoza with plantings exceeding 3000 acres. The key feature is altitude. There are three styles of Malbec in the Ambrosia series from vineyards at Tupungato that sit at 4000 ft elevation. While Uco Valley has higher elevation, overall the exposure and cool night temperatures produce grapes that can ripen to the full extent while retaining great acidity expressing the mineral character of the soils and typicity of the terroir. Daniel pi is the winemaker.

Tasting Note: Dry, full bodied and deep ruby this wine offers bright and fresh aromas of red and black cherry followed up with green peppercorn, mineral salt and oak spice. 
Bottle price: $44.99

Carménère, Pewën 2019, Santa Rita Winery, Chile

​Santa Rita Winery was founded by Don Domingo Fernández Concha in the 1880s who brought the French grape varieties to the Maipo Valley along with winemakers and equipment. Pewën de Apalta Carménère 2019 was made from small blocks of Carménère on vines dating back to 1938 by winemaker Sebastián Labbé who has no fear of the classic herbal note that characterizes the expression of Carménère. This vineyard is dry farmed on poor granitic soils that offer good drainage. The wines have very concentrated fruit profiles. Oak barrels are 60% new. 

Tasting Note: Aromas and flavours of green pepper, fresh flowers, crunchy bright red fruit balance on the palate with fresh, juicy and tart with texture to the finish. 
Price: $71.99

Wings Carmemere 2019, Montes Wine, Chile

​Montes Alpha ultra premium wines from Apalta, Chile represent some of the most celebrated styles of Carménère in the world. A recent arrival on the scene is Wings Carménère 2019 a project designed to showcase a sense of place by founder Aurelio Montes and his namesake son. Carménère is a late ripening grape variety that loves the terroir especially of this vineyard. 95% of the wine exported. 

Tasting Note: Dry, full bodied, deep ruby in the glass, with rich, black fruit aromas and flavours with a distinct jalapeno character followed by oak, cedar and vanilla spice. There is perfect balance and a long silky finish that carries the spice finish to the end.
Price: $74.99

Red Blend, Gernot Langes 2019,
​Bodega Norton, Argentina

​Bodega Norton was founded in 1895 in Luyan de Cuyo by Edmond Norton in 1895. Today it is led by Michael Halstick, part of the Swarovski family. At 26 years of age, he moved to Argentina and started running the winery after his father Gernot Langes suddenly died. In 2003, he honored his father with a blend of the best grapes from the estate vineyards. The Gernot Langes 2019 is a blend of Malbec and Cabernet Franc from five vineyards located in Lujan de Cuyo & Uco valley with an average age of 30 years. The vines are older in Mendoza than Uco Valley but was the first DOC for wine in Argentina. This is the poster child for wine from the region.

Tasting Note: Dry, deep ruby, with aromas and flavours of more red than black fruit, toasted bark, oak spice and mineral salts. It is fresh and juicy with great structure and at 14.9% abv you can’t tell. Great balance and finesse. 
Price: $100

Red Blend, Gran VU 2015, Bodegas Salentein,
​Uco Valley, Argentina

​Bodegas Salentein also located in Uco Valley, Argentina started making wine in 1993 long before there were other commercial operations. In fact, Uco Valley was a desert when Ben Pon engineer and co-owner, took up a fancy to establish a winery. Winemaker Jose Gallante joined the team and the rest is history as they say. The vineyards sit at 1100 m to 1700 m with the winery in the center. Grapes are hand picked, carefully sorted, and made into first class wine. Today the winery employs state of the art production. Gran VU Blend 2015 highlights the ripeness grapes achieve here along with soils of alluvial and sandy soils, tons of sunlight, and run off from the Andes glaciers. This vintage blend is 62% Malbec and 38% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Tasting note: Wow ripe fresh black fruit over liquorice spice and herbs on soft tannins to a long silky finish. Elegant and delicious.
Price: $100

Red Blend, Founder's Reserve, 2017,
​Errazuriz Winery, Chile

​Named after the Founder Don Maximiano, Errazuriz is a great example of world class wine. Cinthia Morabito, Marketing Manager shared 2017 Founder’s Cabernet Sauvignon pointing to history as the oldest winery in Chile. Originally this wine was more French than Chilean which was the style of the 90s with a fuller body, grippy and higher alcohol. Now the focus is on more fresh fruit and silky tannins. True to form, the style is made from a blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Malbec, 8% Carmenere, 7% Petit Verdot and 6% Cabernet Franc.
Price $78.99

Red Blend, Balasto 2017, Garzon Winery, Uruguay

​Bodega Garzon is home to a town called Garzon in Uruguay, a small country north of Argentina and possibly South America’s best kept secret. The wine Balasto 2017 is named after the soils composed of granite, granite, and more granite. Along with oceanic influence, rolling landscape and variable terroir, this best of the vintage style offers tension and voltage with structure and flavour power. Made from 40% Tannat, 34% Cabernet Franc, 18% Petit Verdot, 5% Merlot, 3% Marselan this unique blend was dry, full bodied, spicy red and black fruits with good structure, textured tannins and great finish. 
$115.99

Red Blend, Nicolas Catena Zapata 2019, Bodega Catena Zapata, ​Uco Valley, Argentina

​Catena Zapata from Uco Valley Argentina was presented by Dr Laura Catena who showcased the wine that is an homage to her father. Nicolas Catena Zapata 2019. It featured the best fruit of 2019 and when tasted blind against Lafite and Petrus, it stood out not only for tremendous profile, and age-worthiness but also for price. With 120 years of focus on Malbec in the end the love of  Cabernet Sauvignon won’t fade. This blend is 42% Cabernet Sauvignon from Gualtallary (Adrianna vineyard) and 30% Malbec from Altamira (Nicasia vineyard) and Cabernet Franc (28%). It reflects a bordeaux blend with more toasty, spicy notes along with classic black currant, precise structure and balance with drying fine grain tannins and a very long finish. An exceptional example of the wines offered at these seminars. The bottle price is $144.99

Conclusion

​Tasting wines like Nicolas Catena Zapata 2019 (new release) was unexpected. This is not a typical wine or a typical tasting experience. South America presented La crema de la crema and  this tasting experience will go down in history as one to beat. 

If you want to create memories and celebrate your passion for wine, attend seminars. As described they can be unforgettable. Hell ya! So next year, when the Vancouver International Wine Festival is taking place (it will be February 2024), don’t be shy. Find a seminar that interests you and buy a ticket. You won’t regret it. 

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