After attending the Toronto Drink Chile event in November 2022 sponsored by the Wines of Chile I made an effort to sample the wines of the participating wineries and was well rewarded with stellar wines from Las Veletas, Perez Cruz, Miguel Torres Chile and San Pedro Tarapaca. Since then it has been a slide downhill from the non-participating wineries.
Hoping this downhill slide can be arrested we try a Casas Del Toqui 2019 Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon from the Cachapoal Valley.
Aromatics: By the nose it looks like yet another stiff and tight Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon! Black cherry, blackberry and all said and done this wine is so locked up not even parole would seem to liberate it.
Palate: Moderate tannins. One has the impression there is fruit struggling to coat the palate but it is lost in the maze. Slight notes of concrete “compliment” the carboard on the nose I was reluctant to admit to.
Personality: This wine writer is insulting me. I am tightly wound up but why not give me a few years to mature? If you don’t have cellar to let me blossom it is obvious you have no patience to let me mature.
Cellarbility: There are sufficient tannins and repressed fruit that just might blossom like some 1970 Bordeaux but I for one do not think it will happen. It is so barren now I would rather take a risk with a Chilean winery that has already excelled and that I can trust. If a winery gets one chance this winery has blown it. I might adopt a Ronald Reagan “three strikes and you’re out” approach, Casas del Toqui you have two more strikes.
Food Match: You know what this means: a Friday night pizza and burger wine or use it in cooking some coq au vin.
Personality: Dull and boring.
Price: $19.95 (Ontario).
RKS 2023 Wine Rating: 68/100. Jamessuckling.com 93/100.
(Casas del Toqui 2019 Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon, D.O. Cachapoal Valley, Casas de Toqui, Requinoa, Chile, Liquor Control Board of Ontario # 25278, 750 mL, 14%).
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