Wine for the Weekend of 10/11/19

Wine from Chile is the Wine for the Weekend of 10/11/19

The reason I chose Chile to be the wine of the weekend of 10/11/19 is because it is starting to get chilly outside. LOL. Actually, it is pronounced Chill-LAY. Chile is very unique due to its geography and climate. It is bordered on the west by the Atlantic and to the east by the Andes mountains. This creates a uniquely shaped country which is thin but long. The picture above depicts their wine regions. Therefore, it has its own unique micro-climate. The cool air comes off the ocean at night which helps increase the acids in the grapes. This provides many different flavors in the wines. And, the sun helps the grapes ripen during the day. This helps increase the sugars in the grapes which turn into what we love, alcohol. The picture below depicts Chile’s geography in relation to South America.

Chilean Wines

Chile is the only country that doesn’t really have a wine varietal to call its own. For example, Argentina has torrontes which is an amazing white if you want to try it. Therefore, Chile relies on traditional grape varities like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, etc. See the chart below. Also, I will give you some wines below.

Suggested Chilean Wines

One of my favorites is Casillero del Diablo by Concha Y Toro. Their is a cool story behind the name. There is a beautiful old wine cellar in Chile that has been gaining world-wide acclaim. The Devil’s Locker known as Casillero del Diablo in Spanish is located beneath the countryside. It once belonged to a businessman in the 19th century, who went by the name Don Melchor. Now, rumour has it that he noticed that his fine wines even though were kept under lock kept mysteriously disappearing from the cellar. So, he invented a tale about 100 years ago that a devil lived deep down in his cellar to discourage thieves from stealing his wine. Some people have even admitted to seeing the devil known as the Cellar’s Guardian.

The best news is you can get some of these wines for under $10. These are wines that are delicious and affordable. If you decide to buy them, just pick what you like as long as it doesn’t have a silly looking label.