Fine Gift Ideas

The Spanish conquistadores introduced wine to Chile just over 500 years ago, however it was the French Bordeaux grape varieties of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon that had the most influence over their wine industry.

Chile has always been geographically isolated in the world, and as a result they have never had the diseases that have destroyed many vineyards. To some wine experts Chile has the perfect light, and ideal climate making it a grape growing paradise.

Chile’s wine industry is still fresh and young with many different wines and grapes to explore such as the Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chile’s own signature grape, the Carmenère.

Recommended Wines

Sauvignon Blanc Rapel Valley 2008. Grapefruit, lime and peach aromas leap from the glass, followed with crisp, citrus flavours on the palate. A refreshing acidity and zingy finish make this perfect drinking either on its own or with light seafood dishes.

Cabernet Carmenère Rapel Valley 2007. Red berry flavours from the Cabernet with spicy notes from the Carmenère intermingle with hints of vanilla, chocolate and coffee. A well structured, medium-bodied wine with a soft, pleasant finish.

When it comes to wine making and variety of wines offered France is still number one.

However when it comes to the French they do like to make things confusing including their system of wine classification. Vin de Table is the lowest ranking wine, and Vin de Pays are excellent wines at great prices.

France has several wine regions each with their own distinctive grape. Champagne produce wonderful sparkling wines, Alsace produce aromatic white wine, Burgundy is the home of Chardonnay, Bordeaux produce outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, as well as many dry and sweet white wines such as Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. In the far south the Rhône Valley is the home of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Côte-Rôtie, while on the Spanish border Languedoc-Roussillon is the source of the ubiquitous Vin de Pays d’Oc.

What can be said about French wine, is that there is a wine for everyone!

Recommended Wines

Montagny 1er Cru Les Millières Cave de Buxy 2006. A delicious, fresh Chardonnay which has been fermented and matured in stainless steel tanks to preserve the pure peach, pear and acacia aromas. Soft and rich on the palate, it’s a genuine bargain not to be missed.

Château Guyon La Roseraie Bordeaux 2006. From the supple, attractive and ripe 2006 vintage this “petit château” offers exceptional value for money. With an enticing nose of blackberry, plum and grilled herbs the palate is nicely balanced with a long juicy finish. This is a real food friendly and savoury bottle of claret which is made at a qualitatively driven property.

Wine is Germany is made in the south-west and traditionally most of the wine is made for domestic consumption.

However the wine that is exported is made from the fruity Riesling grape, grown in steeply trellised vineyards along the Mosel and Rhine river valleys.

The Riesling grape is one of the worlds finest white grapes. When young the wines have an aromatic, herbaceous, appley ‘primary fruit’ character which, when aged, develops into a deep, honeyed complexity.

German wines are a good starter wine for a wine enthusiast as they are generally low in alcohol, often being between 7% and 10%.

Recommended Wine

Margarethenhof Ayler Kupp Riesling Kabinett 2006. From a quality conscious small family producer who works with low yielding Riesling vines on the steep slopes above the river Saar, this Kabinett has an aromatic honeyed nose, with fantastically concentrated, ripe fruit and plenty of tangy acidity.

After France, Italy is the second largest producer of wine with a huge variety of wines from the red wines of Barolo in Piedmont to the light fruity white wines of Pinot Grigio.

The huge variety in grapes is due to the geography of Italy as they have cold winters and hot summers in the North, and a more mediterranean feel in the south.

The white wines of Italy have a fresh lightness with the best variety being Pinot Grigio. The red wines include Tuscany’s Chianti Classico, Barbera d’Asti and Valpolicella Superiore and the finest wine Barolos, Chianti Classico Riservas.

In general Italian wines are great value for everyday drinking, and have reasonable mid-priced wines to drink with food.

Recommended Wines

Pinot Grigio Bacaro IGT Pavia 2008. Made using 100% Pinot Grigio this wine displays notes of citrus fruits, with a hint of floral aromas.

Chianti Classico San Leonino Tenimenti Angelini 2006. This is a very traditional style of Chianti made from 95% Sangiovese and 5% Canaiolo. It has all the violet and red cherry characters you’d expect, with vibrant acidity and sweet spice lingering on a sumptuous finish. This will be a fantastic partner to roasts, barbeques and pasta dishes.

New Zealand is relatively new to the wine world, however their climate is perfect for high quality wine making, and demand frequently outstrips supply. The cooler climate is perfect for making Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir.

Like most countries different areas of the country produce different wines. Marlborough is famous for its Sauvignon and Chardonnay wines, Hawkes Bay for the smooth Bordeaux style Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, while Martinborough, Wairarapa and Central Otago for their Pinot Noir wines.

Recommended Wines

Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2008. Made from Sauvignon grapes that are cool fermented in stainless steel vats to retain the delicate fruit aromas and flavours. Showing pronounced aromas of gooseberry and tropical fruits, alongside a subtle herbaceousness. Crisp, elegant and refreshing, this is a classic aperitif wine from New Zealand’s famous Marlborough region.

Resolute Pinot Noir Winegrowers of Ara Marlborough 2006. This wine is from Ara, an ancient river terrace formed through unrelenting geological processes. Resolute wines are the culmination of a long and difficult journey; from bare land to fine wine. Enduring extremes of climate, both grapevine and winegrower have overcome the challenges of rock, dust and mud to forge a wine of great complexity and finesse. This magnificent Pinot Noir boasts ripe red cherry characters with underlying earth and spicy oak notes supported by a wonderfully firm structure and a long silky finish.

Portugal was made famous for its Port, a type of fortified sweet wine. Today Portugal is an untapped source for excellent indigenous grape varieties, and is yet to immerge as a large wine exporter.

Portugal are now trying to make a lighter, fruitier styles and even make white wines, moving away from the traditional heavier red wines.

As with many countries the wine making is split into two areas.

In the north Vinho Verde, a crisp, spritzy white wine is made together with some exciting red wines from the great Port grapes.

In the south in the Alentejo and Estremadura regions the wine is more modern with new fruiter wines being made.

Recommended Wine

Malvis Douro Reserva 2005. Made from a blend of traditional Douro grapes, this wine combines powerful ripe fruit with classy French oak nuances.