Dive into Chilean wines when serving seafood
Print Edition
AMONG the treasures of Chinese cuisine are the mysterious monsters of the sea. Octopus, squid and cuttlefish are all cephalopods of different orders. They are also delicious when prepared in a variety of different Chinese cooking styles. This trio of tasty invertebrates also pair exceedingly well with wines. Two champion wine companions to octopus, squid and cuttlefish are Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc wines of Chile.
Featuring a long coastline bordered by the Andes Mountains that boast altitude and wind-aided cooling elements along with a range of porous soils with good drainage, Chile has long had important requisites to make superior white wines. In the mid to late 20th century there was a focus on making cheap wines for domestic consumption. These often insipid or harsh wines had few opportunities elsewhere. The oppressive Pinotchet regime from 1973-1990, when Chile was subject to many international sanctions, also retarded the progress of the wine industry. Political changes and a new focus on international markets since 1990 have resulted in a new golden age for Chilean wines.
The third-most planted variety in the wine world, Chardonnay is best know for the sublime wines it makes in Burgundy. It’s also a key player in the top quality sparkling wines of Champagne and Franciacorta. Previously many Chards from Chile more resembled the overly oaky Chardonnays of California but over the past few decades there’s been a successful effort to make more balanced and elegant wines. The best Chilean Chardonnays come from the cool climates of Casablanca, San Antonio Valley, Coastal Aconcagua, Maipo Valley, Colchagua Valley or Northern Limari.
Top Chilean Chards often feature a lovely combination of fruit, minerality and freshness. They also happen to be some of the most affordable well-made white wines. While oak is more judiciously used by top winemakers, some have even gone the other route and made unoaked Chardonnays. These are among my favorites and particularly good with the seafood dishes featured in today’s iDeal section. Chardonnay producers to look for include Montes, Montgras, Tarapaca, Con Sur and Casillero del Diablo Reserva Privada Sauvignon Blanc.
Sauvignon Blanc
When choosing a Chilean Sauvignon Blanc, three factors in particular can help you pick a good wine. First, as with Chardonnays, choose a wine from one of Chile’s cool climate regions. Chilean Sauvignon Blanc wines from warmer regions may have over-ripe fruit with dull flavors and flat acidity. Next, choose a quality producer known for their dedication to the varietal. There are still plenty of producers who make excellent reds and Chardonnays but treat their Sauvignon Blanc wines as an afterthought. The best Chilean Sauvignon Blanc producers with wines available in Shanghai are Carmen, Santa Rita, Miguel Torres, Casa Lapostolle and Vina Chocalan.
When in doubt, it’s usually a good idea to choose a reserve level wine. While entry level Sauvignon Blancs may be drinkable and in some cases even quite nice, I suggest sticking to lower-yield reserve level wines that are made using more discerning winemaking techniques. These wines tend to have greater intensity, complexity and freshness and unlike reserve level wines from other countries, Chilean reserve wines are only moderately more expensive than the entry-level wines.
Cool climate Chilean Sauvignon Blanc wines are not as outwardly exuberant as their counterparts in New Zealand and they share some of the elegant characteristics of French Sauvignon Blanc wines while still retaining plenty of New World energetic fruitiness. Many of these wines have little or no oak aging and exhibit a range of zesty lime, grapefruit, passion fruit, pineapple and apple flavors along with mineral and grassy notes and a bracingly dry finish.
Where to buy in Shanghai
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
