Goodbye Thailand, Hello Chile
Chile is the next stop on the year long, around the world, Wine Quality Crusade. We will be arriving in time to celebrate the New Year, and will be staying in South America until their harvest gets underway.
We have been exploring the lesser known parts of the world to uncover their hidden wine gems, and what a trip a has been so far. We are just over the halfway point and have visited seven countries, and discovered a veritable treasure trove of wines that are all but unheard of in the US.
Chile is not a secret you may point out. Certainly a look at the shelves in any wine outlet will uncover any number of selections. This is as true in Thailand as it is in North America. Take another look at those wines though. How many are entry priced, ready now quaffers?
This is the reputation that Chile has garnered around the world, and I am determined to see first hand if it is all they have to offer. My guess from afar? I expect to be wowed by an avalanche of high quality wines that have never been seen by the likes of myself and probably most of you.
Wines that are made in small quantities have an advantage when it comes to quality, but the disadvantage when it comes to distribution. The small lots allow the winemaker to use a hands on approach, but if there are only a few hundred cases made, chances are you are not going to find it in your local grocery store.
This doesn't mean that I only think small volume wines are capable of high quality. Nor does it mean that I have not had high quality wines from Chile in the past. I am just in search of what I am missing.
One of the fun things about wine is that you can not possibly know everything about it. There are always more surprises to be had. Wine touring is a non stop adventure in vinous discovery. There is always something new, something to share with your friends, and new favorites waiting to be discovered.
Next week I jet half way around the world to end up closer to where I started, but still a world away from the common wines that most of us find in our favorite stores. I will be meeting amazing people, seeing incredible sights, and of course, tasting fabulous wines, and I will be reporting it all back here to you.
We have been exploring the lesser known parts of the world to uncover their hidden wine gems, and what a trip a has been so far. We are just over the halfway point and have visited seven countries, and discovered a veritable treasure trove of wines that are all but unheard of in the US.
Chile is not a secret you may point out. Certainly a look at the shelves in any wine outlet will uncover any number of selections. This is as true in Thailand as it is in North America. Take another look at those wines though. How many are entry priced, ready now quaffers?
This is the reputation that Chile has garnered around the world, and I am determined to see first hand if it is all they have to offer. My guess from afar? I expect to be wowed by an avalanche of high quality wines that have never been seen by the likes of myself and probably most of you.
Wines that are made in small quantities have an advantage when it comes to quality, but the disadvantage when it comes to distribution. The small lots allow the winemaker to use a hands on approach, but if there are only a few hundred cases made, chances are you are not going to find it in your local grocery store.
This doesn't mean that I only think small volume wines are capable of high quality. Nor does it mean that I have not had high quality wines from Chile in the past. I am just in search of what I am missing.
One of the fun things about wine is that you can not possibly know everything about it. There are always more surprises to be had. Wine touring is a non stop adventure in vinous discovery. There is always something new, something to share with your friends, and new favorites waiting to be discovered.
Next week I jet half way around the world to end up closer to where I started, but still a world away from the common wines that most of us find in our favorite stores. I will be meeting amazing people, seeing incredible sights, and of course, tasting fabulous wines, and I will be reporting it all back here to you.
posted by Wineguy at 3:47 AM
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