There is no better way to celebrate a 21st birthday other than to go to Chilean wineries and try new foods. So, that is what I did. As an enthusiastic amateur wine taster, I am beginning to learn what all of the official wine tasting terminology means (even though I do recall my parents mentioning tannins, blends, dry wines, aged wines, fruity wines, and other terms of the sort). This newfound enjoyment for the entirety of the wine making process goes to all of the wineries that had guides who explained their processes more specifically. Everything I learned today started with a bus ride to Casablanca Valley, between Santiago and Valparaiso.
Emiliana. This is the first vineyard we went to, where they are known for their organic practices in the Casablanca Valley region. A wide variety of plants, such as horse tail and dandelions, and animals, like chickens, are used to help with the organic practices that focus on using what the earth has to create nutrient dense and flavorful grapes that go into the wine. One technique they use to help sustain their vineyard is biodynamics. Biodynamics use the natural energies and cycles of the Earth to create healthy ecosystems. Part of biodynamics is an attention to the soil being used in an ecosystem, much of which is important to Emiliana. One key element this vineyard focused on was having healthy soils because they found that healthy and rich soils produced the best grapes. While the focus of any winery might be grapes, a specific attention to soil is what makes this vineyard unique to the Casablanca Valley. As someone who is studying not only food and nutrition, but also the environment and sustainability issues, I enjoyed this unique aspect of their vineyards. Their dedication to nurturing their vines is definitely reflected in the wines they produce. At Emiliana I tried 4 wines (2 white, 2 red). All of them tasted very good but my favorite one was a red wine, made from a blend of seven grapes, called Coyam. Coyam is the first organic wine they produced and because of this it is their signature wine. I am hoping to buy this wine sometime when I come back to Ohio as a memento of some of my first Chilean memories!
Bodegas Re. The second vineyard we went to had a very different focus than Emiliana. At Bodegas Re they specialize in their blends, creating unique flavors and names for each of the grapes they decide to put in one bottle. They also have a young history because they are small family owned vineyard, started by Pablo Morande. This vineyard is like many others in the region on how they decide to grow their grapes. The mixing of the different grapes is what makes their wine stand out in the Casablanca Valley. I enjoyed Bodegas Re very much because the wine tasting was complemented with a four course meal. My favorite course was the quinoa roll with marinated shrimp on top and wrapped with seaweed and avocado, presented with watercress. This was the first course and was paired with a rose wine called Pinotel, a blend of pinot noir and moscatel rosado. It tasted amazing together. Quite honestly though, I enjoyed all of the blends and food prepared for us. One new thing I tried was eel. After trying one bite I was amazed at the light flavor of the eel. I definitely stepped out of my comfort zone trying that dish. If I had the chance to go back to Beodegas Re for their wine, balsamic vinegar, and four course meal, I would without hesitation.
Kingston. The last vineyard we went to was different because it started with an American family, not a Chilean one. The Kingston family has both interests in Chile and the USA, as the Casablanca Valley used to be known for their agriculture. Though the Kingston's came to Chile in search for gold, the ended up having a farm because of the agricultural focus. 1998 is when the Kingston's created their first vineyard. During the tour I learned that planting rose bushes near the vines can help people detect if the vines have disease because of the rose bushes sensitivity to the changes that a disease might bring. I also learned how the grapes are pressed after being picked makes a difference for white and red wines. This particular wine tasting is where I learned about how different years could make completely different wines based on the climate of the year and the region, even if it was the same grape. I tried a Syrah from 2013 and 2014. Both Syrahs were excellent, but I enjoyed the bold flavors of the 2014 wine, which I was told was made from a warmer summer climate compared to the 2013. I never knew how much weather affected grapes until I tasted these two wines side by side!!
All of these vineyards have websites, so if one of them sparked your interest I encourage you to look up more detailed information. It may even spark an interest for your next vacation (or study abroad destination). I would go back to each of these vineyards. The tour guides spoke English very well and each of them were excited to share their knowledge and love for wine making. It was obvious that all the winemakers were passionate about their profession because of their dedication to the vineyards and wealth of knowledge on their specific winemaking process that they want to share with those around them. The people I meet today were truly enthusiastic about every aspect that goes into making wine.