Having attended the first annual Wine and Travel Week in Porto with a side trip to Pico Island in late February I had the opportunity to chat with a representative of Chilean winery Matetic as they had a booth as an exhibitor in the Alfândega in Porto. We didn’t talk wine but rather accommodations available at the winery including glamping which in more readily understandable terms means glamorous camping. Matetic has three levels of accommodation at the winery. Your standard luxury room, basic cabin units and glamping. Chileans are not afraid to glamp and given the accommodations I would have no fear of glamping either! Given the weak Canadian dollar perhaps glamping is our destiny.
Many of us are Eurocentric here in North America so we focus our wine/tourism/gastronomy thoughts in the European direction. It takes about the same time from Toronto to fly to Athens as it does to Santiago in Chile. For someone who has been travelling to Europe for five decades perhaps it is time to travel to Chile where great food, wine and gastronomic delights await. Somehow heading to Matetic seems a bit more attractive after learning about their winery, food and accommodations. Who knows I may get there eventually!
As their booth had no wine to sample as all the other booths it was exciting to see one of their wines newly arrived at the Liquor Control Board of Ontario called Corralillo a red blend from Valle de San Antonio very close to Santiago so very convenient. The blend is 25% Cabernet Franc, 25% Malbec and 50% Syrah.
Aroma: Rich black fruit predominates but as often is the case with many Chilean red wines I have sampled, particularly Carménère, there is a rich little streak of raspberry running through the wine.
Palate: The raspberry is more noticeable as it combines with black cherry and blackberry. There is a slight peppery influence on the long and clean finish.
Personality: I am a youngster who requires until 2025 to really open up and strut my stuff. Perfectly drinkable now but I think you will like me more with food especially with food prepared at the winey restaurant. Chilean wine, Chilean food while in Chile. Who could ask for anything more!
Food Match: Not having sampled the gastronomy of Chile I am at a bit of a disadvantage here. But why not a rich Mushroom Bourguignon served over Polenta?
Cellarbility: If Steppenwolf can sing “Born to be Wild” perhaps this wine can sing “Born to Age” and it will do so nicely up to 2029.
Price: $25.95 (Ontario).
RKS 2023 Wine Rating: 91/100. Tim Atkin 92.
(Corralillo 2019 Winemaker’s Blend, D.O. Valle de San Antonio, Santiago, Chile, 750 mL, 14.5%, Liquor Control Board of Ontario # 541177)
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