TN: 5 from Cono Sur

We just tasted through our third consecutive vintage from the Chilean producer Cono Sur, and the wines just keep getting better and better, especially the whites. Here are our impressions on five of them:

2008 Cono Sur Colchagua Viognier, 13.5% alc., $10: Pale to medium straw in color, with a pretty apple, pear and honeysuckle perfume that carries over onto the palate with a good dose of mineral. Medium to medium full bodied, with excellent acids and good length. The minerality gives this a solid anchor and adds a nice counterpoint to the rich, ripe fruit. Would that more new world Viogniers did the same.

2008 Cono Sur Colchagua Viognier Vision Grafted Block, 13.5% alc., $15: Pale to medium straw in color, with less honeysuckle on the nose and less mineral in the mouth than the regular model, offering an apple, pear and lime character with subtle shades of mineral. Rich, fairly ripe, with good intensity and acids; just a hint of honeysuckle pretties up the fruit even more.

2008 Cono Sur Bio-Bio Riesling, 13.5% alc., $10: Pale to medium straw color, with straightforward green apple and citrus flavors and aromas that are somewhat steely and underscored with a touch of mineral. Medium bodied and more, with nice density and good acids; a solid dry Riesling that’s rich and enjoyable.

2008 Cono Sur Bio-Bio Riesling Vision Block Quiltraman, 13.5% alc., $15: Medium straw color, and a little richer than the regular model, but with the same basic profile of rich red and green apples laced with lime citrus and mineral; medium body plus, with excellent acids, intensity and a rich, appealing viscosity that make it seem like an amped up version of the regular Cono Sur Riesling. Very enjoyable!

2008 Cono Sur Casablanca Gewurztraminer Vision Block Las Colmenas, 13.5% alc., $15: Medium straw color, with a fairly typical peach and litchi nose that follows through in the flavors with some added green apple accented with subtle mineral on the palate. Medium bodied, rich and ripe, but not too sweet, with excellent acids and a long, dry finish. Very satisfying and delicious.

All of these (and many of the rest of the wines from Cono Sur) offer great QPR. We don't get this geeked about a batch of wines easily, but damned if we don't like these a lot!

-from Cono Sur 2008

Reporting from Day-twah,

geo t.

[Jenise]

Interesting! Cono Sur's reserve Sauvignon Blanc was probably the single greatest find of last summer's search for white wine, reaching a level of seriousness rarely found and certainly not expected from Chile. After that, I'd be all over other Cono Sur whites and have no trouble believing in your excitement. What about their reds? Got an offer the other day for their pinot noir, and found myself wondering.

Thanks for the notes, good to hear that you think they are improving. I have been a fan of their sauvignon blanc reserva for a while and also like their pinot noir reserva, though some of the higher cuvees (20 Barrels and Ocio) have disappointed. Hope to visit them in the third week of September.

Interesting! Cono Sur's reserve Sauvignon Blanc was probably the single greatest find of last summer's search for white wine, reaching a level of seriousness rarely found and certainly not expected from Chile. After that, I'd be all over other Cono Sur whites and have no trouble believing in your excitement. What about their reds? Got an offer the other day for their pinot noir, and found myself wondering.

Agree Jenise, the SBs are really good as well. (I'd rather drink them than most anything I've had from New Zealand.) I selected these 5 from the 11 we reviewed because I think the Sauvignons have already gotten some accolades and I wanted to shine a light on different varieties. The Pinot Noirs are also very good. Follow the link in my post to read our impressions of the two 2008s we tried. These have performed well in the past, but some of their Syrahs and Bordeaux varieties have been been too ripe and horribly over-oaked, so much so that it was hard to finish a glass. The 2008 Cabernet~Carmenere blend is pretty good.

Cheers,

geo

Thanks for the notes, good to hear that you think they are improving. I have been a fan of their sauvignon blanc reserva for a while and also like their pinot noir reserva, though some of the higher cuvees (20 Barrels and Ocio) have disappointed. Hope to visit them in the third week of September.

There's a lot to admire about their operation, Oswaldo. I'd like to visit there someday myself.

Cheers,

geo

Thanks for the notes, good to hear that you think they are improving. I have been a fan of their sauvignon blanc reserva for a while and also like their pinot noir reserva, though some of the higher cuvees (20 Barrels and Ocio) have disappointed. Hope to visit them in the third week of September.

There's a lot to admire about their operation, Oswaldo. I'd like to visit there someday myself.

Cheers,

geo

Sniff, just got an email from them saying they don't accept visitors. Their wines suck!

Thanks for the notes, good to hear that you think they are improving. I have been a fan of their sauvignon blanc reserva for a while and also like their pinot noir reserva, though some of the higher cuvees (20 Barrels and Ocio) have disappointed. Hope to visit them in the third week of September.

There's a lot to admire about their operation, Oswaldo. I'd like to visit there someday myself.

Cheers,

geo

Sniff, just got an email from them saying they don't accept visitors. Their wines suck!

Ain't THAT a kick in the head?!

George; who's the US importer?

George; who's the US importer?

Steve, it's Vineyard Brands out of Alabama. You probably know the Haas family?

I think the Vision label Pinot Noir would be one wine to look out for. Tasted twice last year with consistent results. Fine juice!

I think the Vision label Pinot Noir would be one wine to look out for. Tasted twice last year with consistent results. Fine juice!

The regular bottling is pretty darned good to, Bob.

i've been impressed by these guys too; and really didn't want to be - large industrial producer and all that.

i was particularly happy with the varietal Carmenere 2007 - not overdone with either oak or fruit - nice showing of the rare varietal

as for visits; everyone has them if you know the right person.

as for visits; everyone has them if you know the right person.

Well, I thought of writing to Martin Prieur at Domaine Jacques Prieur, who is the winemaker for Ocio, but then I thought life's too short to go badgering people. Will just visit others.

well, i really meant 'knowing' the right person; though 'badgering' the right person might work too.