Red wines from Chile commenced 2023 virtually flying high then a very bad spill with a Viña Del Pedregal Kidia Reserve Carménère 2018. Real bad. Then a weak recovery with a Viña Marty Pacha Reserva 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon.
As Bogart said in Casablanca, “Here’s looking at you, kid.” I am looking at a Vistamar Gran Reserva 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon from the Cachapoal Valley.
Aromatics: Mostly black cherry with blackberry. Generous oak gives a vanilla edge and a hint of a possible creaminess on the palate. The aromatics also give a hint of a wine that is not going to give much fruit on the palate.
Palate: Moderate tannins. Like a nun just graduating to a junior position at the nunnery very stern and cloistered on the palate! The aromatic interpretation of mine as to a hint of creaminess on the palate did not materialize but the hint as to a scarcity of fruit was right on.
Personality: I am not giving much in the way of richness or complexity on the palate. Crudely put I am a tight ass.
Cellarability: Not much to work with here. It will hang in there until 2026 but will not improve in the bottle.
Food match: If you were sitting down in a hospital cafeteria about to drink a glass of this wine you would hear a,” CODE RED” on the hospital intercom meaning in wine writer code a Friday night pizza and burger wine meaning not so great but utilitarian.
Price: $20.95
In a nutshell: The Liquor Control Board of Ontario has this at its wine of the month in its 17December2022 Vintages release. Often that means a kiss of death. Chile can do much better. In this case Chile stumbles along.
RKS 2023 Wine Rating: 85/100. Patricio Tapia 93/100.
(Vistamar Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2019, D.O. Cachapoal Valley, Viña Vistamar, Pelequén, Chile, Liquor Control Board of Ontario # 27204, 750 mL, 14%).
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