South American Explorer - Mixed Half Dozen

A mixed selection from Chile and Argentina, both producing wines that, while familiar, can be a bit more interesting if you seek out the more challenging areas away from the mass produced. A good example is the Sauvignon Blanc from Patagonia, a hot, flat plain that is tempered by wind that cools the vines, while a little further north you find Gouguenheim making Pinot Noir in the high ‘lost valley’ above Uco. Both of these Argentinian wines, and our own-label Argentinian Malbec, are made with restraint and elegance rather than power and weight, bringing better balance to the end wine. Stir in the White Malbec and you have a range of interesting flavours. Over in Chile we’ve teamed up with Sutil Wines to make a wonderfully lush Chardonnay, full of moreish tropical fruit, while the flag-bearing Carmenère grape from Santa Ema, with its rich, spicy character, brings a further dimension to getting to know the wines of South America.