The Colchagua Valley, it turns out, is a fantastic place for Carménère, with the combination of the right soils and the long growing season that make this unique variety shine. Now that Chile is about 30 years into its journey with this Carménère, there is much to celebrate and champion. Chile has found its niche with wines that stand alone in the marketplace as showcases for what this grape can do.
Read MoreThe wines from El Enemigo are some of the very best from Argentina—and, I would say, in the world. The easiest way for me to justify this statement is to make a sports comparison. When athletes are at the pinnacle of their sport, they make what they do seem effortless and simple. And the very best can take that to the next level—to me, it is almost like magic. All the wines from El Enemigo are like that for me, they are elite!
Read MoreLaberinto is without a doubt one of the most exciting producers in Chile. If you have been following our South American wine program, you’ll know that I have dedicated a rather large number of words to the wines of Rafael Tirado, founder of this Maule Valley winery. And, because I am so enthusiastic, I cannot help myself from putting more words towards this cause! I love when a wine/producer/region is so connected ideas and threads that can enrich the experience of a wine. That is what I am looking for. There is so much good wine out there that interesting and delicious beat out just delicious for me, always.
Read MoreKirk Walker is our Spain, Portugal, and South America Buyer—if it has a Latin flair, Kirk likely brought it to our shelves. He loves research, and he’s a great person to talk to if you want to know how, for instance, the Andes’ rain shadow affects the vines in Chile. He’s also a good person to talk to in order to understand what’s going on with sparkling wine in Spain, the new wave of dry wines in Portugal, and for all your Rioja needs (I think it’s safe to say we all have Rioja needs). If you want to talk about the context of a wine region while drinking great wine, Kirk’s your man!
Read MoreSouth American Wine Buyer Kirk Walker has assembled a line up of wines from Chile and Argentina that will make you rethink what you know about this winegrowing region! Collectibles, cult producers, value wines—maybe even the world's best value Pinots?
Read MoreSouth America’s wine industry is not new, but there’s plenty of new energy flowing through it right now. With high altitudes, vineyards that span a thousand miles, and rediscovered viticultural areas, Chile and Argentina have a ton to offer wine lovers. In this week’s newsletter, South American Buyer Kirk Walker assembles a lineup of favorites from up and down the continent, from desert to foothill to former dinosaur stomping grounds.
Read MoreSummertime, and the livin’ is…well, decidedly different than we all had expected. But the wines are excellent, and there’s no shortage of options, both tried-and-true and off-the-beaten path. In this week’s newsletter, our Buyers have joined forces to bring you a guide to beating the heat with the coolest of the cool summer wines on our shelves.
Read MoreBuyers Kirk Walker and Thomas Smith have joined forces in our Southern Hemisphere newsletter to bring you the best values, the best new finds, the best oldies-but-goodies we have from south of the Equator. From Uruguay to Marlborough, the “New World” is bringing their A-game, and our newsletter is your guide to your new favorites!
Read MoreWe are excited to welcome Clos de Luz to our shelves, a producer from Chile that is new to our Direct Import program, but definitely not new to the game. Their family has owned their estate south of Santiago since 1892, and their vines are among the oldest Carménère in the world, from a valley known as the birthplace of Carménère in Chile. These bona fides help them create vibrantly rich reds with depth of flavor that operate on a tightrope of acidity.
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