So clearly Chile has a thriving wine market, but how many Americans do you know that actively imbibe from Chile? I could count the ones I know on one hand.
Maybe the earthquake will heighten world-wide recognition of the region. Maybe that will lead to more people buying Chilean wines. And, perhaps, with the increase in export/tourist dollars, the country will be able to rebuild itself to levels it was unable to reach before the quake.
Looking for a good place to start your Chilean wine experience? How about with a bottle of 2008 Terra Andina Valle Central Carmenere? It’s all blackberry pie and blueberry on the nose. On the palate this wine is thick with cigarette smoke, tart blackberries and a bit of cigar box.
Want something a little lighter? The 2008 Terra Andina Reserva Sauvignon Blanc is a great choice. Refreshing notes of melon and lemon and honeysuckle in the glass. In the mouth you’ll taste melon and grass. It’s a great warm weather wine.
These are both bigger, fruit-forward New World-style wines. They are also an incredible value at around $8 per bottle.
But Terra Andina is only one winery out of many. Chilean wines can be found everywhere – from the local liquor store to the most bourgeois of boutique wine shops. Go out and discover how delicious these wines can be. In the process, you’ll be helping to put a country back together and rebuild their badly bruised wine business. You’ll be investing in more than just a fruity wine – you will also be drinking with purpose - and that will certainly make even an already delicious wine go down that much easier.
