Over the years we have reviewed many Chilean wines, generally with very favorable results and, subsequently, excellent reviews. Here we’ll look at two more wines from Chile, produced by Viña Ventisquero. This producer has been making wines from a number of estate vineyards since 1998, and has premium vineyards in many of the best wine growing valleys. These include the Coastal Maipo Valley, Colchagua Valley, Casablanca Valley, as well as the Leyda and Huasco Valleys. They make several different lines of wine, ranging in quality and price, including a premium line. You can read more about everything they do on their website, at http://www.vinaventisquero.com/en.
The two wines here are from the Kalfu line, and specifically the Kuda series. In the language of the indigenous Mapuche people, Kalfu means “blue”. This represents the long, endless miles of the blue Pacific Ocean which influences all of the vineyards, as well as the blue of the free sky. There are three different lines of Kalfu wines, sourced from different vineyard sites. Here are the two wines we have for review:
Wine: Viña Ventisquera – 2018 Kalfu Kuda Sauvignon Blanc
Winery Location: Sourced from the Leyda Valley, Chile
Tasted By: Neil & Cheri Date: August 2019
Tasting Notes: Light straw colored with green hues, this has a nose of pear, citrus and some herbal notes. On the palate it is predominantly grapefruit, and it pretty intense. It is still smooth though, and the wine is fresh, long and finishes well. We put this in the fridge and on the second day it was a bit more restrained, and elegant. The fruit was still at the forefront. If you like a more intense citrus profile in your Sauvignon Blanc, this wine is for you.
Price Point – $19
Would We Buy It? – We tend to prefer the more restrained and elegant style in Sauvignon Blanc. Still, we can recognize the quality of this wine. It is an excellent wine for those who like the big, citrus dominated profile. It is well made, and under $20 is a fair price.
And the second wine:
Wine: Viña Ventisquero – 2017 Kalfu Kuda Pinot Noir
Winery Location: Sourced from the Leyda Valley, Chile
Tasted By: Neil & Cheri Date: August 2019
Tasting Notes: this medium red colored wine has a gorgeous nose of red cherry fruit, with lots of spice and herbal notes, vanilla and a touch of oak. On the palate you get some macerated cherry, with a very noticeable, and extremely cool, vanilla flavor. This is complex, medium bodied, fresh and well balanced. It finishes very long. This is really an excellent Pinot Noir.
Price Point – $19
Would We Buy It? – We would. This wine represents an excellent value in Pinot Noir, with beautiful fruit and a long, complex profile. Well done indeed. We’ll add this to our Value List.
The two wines above continue the excellence we have come to expect from Chilean wine. There is a lot more to explore from Viña Ventisquero, and we look forward to doing just that.
A votre santé!
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