From Casablanca

That's the Casablanca Valley in Chile. No, we don't carry any products from that other Casablanca. The Errazuriz Wild Ferment Chardonnay is our pick of the week, and here's why.

Chile is a land of soaring Andes mountains, a mild Mediterranean climate, and fine wines. From the premium wine producing regions of Chile come the best grapes, and it is here that Viña Errázuriz has been producing the highest quality Chilean wines for more than 130 years.

Don Maximiano Errázuriz founded Viña Errázuriz in 1870 in the Valle de Aconcagua, 100 kms north of the capital city, Santiago. Recognizing that this valley, with its cool, rainy winters, hot, dry summers and moist Pacific Ocean breezes, was ideal for growing grapes, Don Maximiano sent for the finest clones from France and with tenacity and perseverance transformed this barren land into a world-class vineyard.

Today, the tradition of quality lives on with Don Maximiano’s descendant, Eduardo Chadwick. Eduardo is the fifth generation of his family to be involved in the wine business.

Over the last five years, Errazuriz’ Chardonnay Wild Ferment has become recognized as perhaps the top Chardonnay from South America.  Errazuriz ferments its best lots of Chardonnay using natural yeasts. Natural fermentation starts slower than inoculated fermentation because the yeasts must grow to sufficient numbers to transform sugars into alcohol. During this period the yeasts produce by-products which add distinctive flavors and complexity to the wine. Some lots start the fermentation and eventually finish, others ferment slowly and do not finish off the sugars completely, leaving more mouth feel. These natural fermentations take anywhere from 3 to 6 weeks to complete while the inoculated lots take less than a week.

This 2013 vintage was a big hit with the wine industry's professional reviewers:

"This a phenomenal white with sliced apple, papaya, and chalk with hints of slate. Turns to limes. Full body, with bright acidity and a racy acidity that goes on for minutes with the fruit. Dry austerity at the end gives it incredible character. This was fermented and aged in second and third year oak. Ten months. A triumph. A reductive structured style. Screw cap. Drink now." - 95 Points James Suckling.

"The 2013 Chardonnay Wild Ferment Aconcagua Costa, from vineyards planted in 2004-2005 on schist soils on the coastal part of the Aconcagua valley, 10-12 kilometers from the sea, is fermented with indigenous yeasts in French oak barriques (and aged there for 10 months, 0% new). Fifteen percent of the wine went through malolactic fermentation, because it was a cold year and they wanted to give it more volume, with no battonage and only 13% alcohol. The nose is very clean, with well-integrated wood, orange peel, crisp aromas of citric fruits, high acidity, great freshness and minerality. The wine is light to medium-bodied, sharp and delineated, in a Chablis way. Drink 2014-2018."  - 90 Points Wine Advocate.

This great Chardonnay is available at Joe Canal's for only $22.99.