Just imagine, you venture down to the Southern Hemisphere of the Americas and fall in love with Chile’s diverse and gorgeous wines. Located on the western edge of South America, Chile is an isolated paradise for grape growing. Bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Andes Mountains to the east, Patagonia ice fields to the south and the Atacama desert to the north – it’s a truly wondrous and magical place making world-class wines.
Home to the world’s largest desert and 2900 active volcanoes – 500 that are active contributing to unique soils for vines – and snow & meltwater from the Andes rivers with many Valleys, that are perfect for grapes that are complex and elegant. The illumination of the sun in Chile allows for grapes to grow to full fruit maturation and the Andes mountains offer cool breezes to keep the grapes comfortable giving the final wines freshness, structure and balance. Vines are also planted on higher altitude plots making them struggle to find pure water and grow supple and complex berries. There are large variations from east to west in this long wine growing country and almost all of the wines at the LCBO are from wineries that are certified sustainable. In fact, – 70% of all wineries from Chile are under the National Sustainability Code from Wines of Chile, so you can feel good about the wine you’re drinking and the people and region you’re supporting.
“70% of all wineries from Chile are Certified Sustainable”
With opposite seasons as us in Canada, it’s a viticultural paradise offering wine enthusiasts plenty of value. Many bottles from Chile over perform for their price point. So the next time you’re looking for great value and true super star wines venture to Chile and give them a try. If you’re looking for something truly special, discover the grape Carmenère. Originally from the Bordeaux region of France, and unfortunately destroyed by phylloxera (a vine eating louse that has threatened many european grapevines), the grape made its way to Chile where it truly flourishes and now calls home. A playful and wonderful red grape that was historically used in blends, Chile has created a Carmenère personality that is fresh, fruity, easy to drink and delicious. It’s a must try wine if you want to appreciate the region and its flavours.
You have GOT to try Viña Tarapaca’s Chilean wines!
Taste through the Tarapaca lineup of wines and you’ll definitely find something new to love! These wines will elevate any occasion and are the perfect addition to at-home date night, special celebrations and cottage getaways.
But don’t just take our word for it, Abhishek from @AbhishekDekate on IG had a lot to say about them too…
Celebrating 145-Years of Chilean Winemaking
Viña Tarapacá this year celebrates over 145-years of Chilean winemaking history and tradition. It offers a wine portfolio widely recognized with national and international acknowledgements, supporting its winemaking consistency by protecting the natural biodiversity of its vineyards, which at the same time enhances the quality of the wines of its elegant portfolio.
But don’t wait, you can now pick-up their incredible wines at the LCBO:
Viña Tarapacá Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon
750 mL bottle | LCBO#: 647636 | $13.90
Perfect to pair with dinner, pretty much any night of the week, with a wide range of red meats, burgers or even tomato based pasta dishes. Who says you need to settle for less when dining in? Your wine nights in are about to get an upgrade!
Viña Tarapacá Reserva Sauvignon Blanc
750 mL bottle | LCBO#: 634402 | $13.90
Light, crisp and refreshing, pairing well with cream based pasta, cheeses and quite frankly and afternoon in the park, patio dining, or an afternoon netflix and chill sesh–or Disney+, we don’t judge. 😉
Viña Tarapacá Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
750 mL bottle | VINTAGES#: 18721 | $18.95
The palate on this elegant wine has such intense tannins that are very centrally focused and composed. There’s a striking core of flavor here with good acidity. This one you can definitely drink, or hold. Afterall, James Suckling scored a whopping 93-points! So this red wine although priced well enough to be enjoyed pretty much any day, is best off paired with a special occasion. Whether that’s a date night, celebration or gift, it will not disappoint.
Viña Tarapacá Gran Reserva Carmenère 2018
50 mL bottle | VINTAGES#: 57513 | $17.95
Carmenere wines are sooo underrated! This one has tannins that are dense, soft and plush. The clay soils of these parcels deliver some good body and carry plenty of sweet dark-fruit and chocolate flavors to close. Drinking well now, but will age well too. Also scoring 93-points from James Suckling too.
To learn more about Viña Tarapacá, please visit their website, and the LCBO for availability. (Cover photo: Abhishek Dekate @abhishekdekate).
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