Limarí Valley and the wines of Tabalí

The majority of Chile's premium wine producing regions are found in the central portion of the country. From Aconcagua to Bío Bío, the wine we typically drink rarely comes from the northern climes. Maipo is famous for its premium Cabs, Ledya is fast gaining a reputations for its scintillating Sauvignon Blancs, Carmenere is finding a home in Colcahagua and the coastal range of Peumo and Apalta while Chardonnay is excelling in the Casablanca Valley.

But the north is a different story.

A LITTLE HISTORY

In Chile's distant past, before the Spanish, the Limarí was home to the various indigenous tribes of South America. The Incas, the Diaguita and Molle controlled the low hills and hotter, arid plains of the region. Whereas wine played a central role in the religious traditions of the European conquerors, hallucinogens such as peyote cactus (Lophophora williamsii) were commonly used in the rituals of these peoples (and reportedly still are today).

It was the Spaniards in the 16th century who first developed pisco, the brandy of South America. Peru, Chile and Bolivia continue to make this aromatic brandy using Moscatel (Muscat). But for the most part, when you mention Chile's north, table grapes and pisco have been the first thing that comes to mind.

FRANCISCO DE AGUIRE

Not oddly enough it was a pisco cooperative by the name of Capel that set up the first winery in the valley. Capel, in association with private growers, founded Francisco de Aguirre in 1993, a bodega that would become the Limarí's primary wine producer for over a decade. 

Mind you, the wines were hardly above average and only exciting to the extent that somewhat decent wines were actually being produced in the north. But what is important is that the company established the first structured foothold in the region. Francisco de Aguire's winery and vineyards were eventually bought out by Concha y Toro in 2005 after years of financial difficulties.

LIMARÍ VALLEY AND CONCHA Y TORO

With Concha y Toro's takeover, the Limarí Valley has made some excellent progress. The wine giant is notable for its dedication to quality and has taken several detailed surveys of the coastal zone where the majority of international varieties are grown. 

On the positive side, the Limarí experiences a longer growing season than regions in central Chile. Whereas wineries of Maipo and Colchagua might bring in the harvest in early April, winemakers have noticed that remarkable vintages have been a result of May harvests. 

Tabalí winemaker Yanira Maldonado regards this as a plus. Just think of a slow roast, how complexity and character are imparted to one's cooking. The same could be said with the grapes. 

The wines also don't require acidification, a norm in Chilean winemaking practiced by those in Aconcagua and Central Regions of Chile. (In acidification, acid, tartaric typically is added to wine to adjust the ph levels.)

On the downside, there is a risk of oidium (aka powdery mildew - a fungus that attacks the green parts of the vine) caused by the humidity found in the morning mists. The other challenge is the soil, much of which is heavy clay. Vines need water but too much can be a substantial problem. 

Tabalí has been able to counteract the clay problem by irrigating less, allowing the soil to dry.

TABALÍ

The winery is owned by both San Pedro (another wine giant) and Agrícola y Ganadera Río Negro - Guillermo Luksi, who also owns Río Negro not to mention a brewing firm with his family business, the Luksic Group, sits on the board of San Pedro. With these two big guns, it is unlikely Tabalí will be able to repeat Francisco de Aguire's previous problems.

The advantage Tabalí has had is not only on the financial end but the age of their vines. Between 1993 and 1998, Jacques Lurton, a French wine consultant was then working with San Pedro and advised the company on certain plantings. By 2002, the vines had matured to the point that San Pedro decided to bottle the wine under the new Tabalí label.

TASTING NOTES

Tabalí Reserva Merlot D.O. Limarí Valley 2006

Varietal Merlot in Chile happens to be one of my favourites (amongst others). When I drink a Chilean Merlot I feel it compares well those of Washington and California as well as France. 

Gordon Stimmel of the Toronto Star gave this wine 90+ points (he said it  was easily worth $30 dollars). However, he rated the wine back in April of 2009. As much as this wine was mocha and vanilla, the flavours were muted and flat for me - the wine had either gone back to sleep or was on its way into decline (I would suggest the latter). I still got the blueberries and this wine would definitely pair with steaks but at this point, the wine no longer lives up to the hype. 

Tabalí Reserva Carmenere D.O. Limarí Valley 2007

Compared to the Merlot, this wine was fresher and firmer (and a year younger which probably makes an obvious difference). Immediately I got the black fruit, the roasted herb, the sweet pepper and chocolate. 

Wine and Spirits gave this varietal Carmenere 89 points back in June of 2009. The wine still has a pulse, a solid backbone made of good acidity and gentle tannins. From the tip of my tongue to the finish, the wine covered all the bases and I would recommend it over the Merlot. This is the wine to bring home for roast beef sandwiches, for deli platters and lasagna.

Bibliography
Richards, Peter, The Wines of Chile. Mitchell Beazley, London 2006. 

Robinson, Jancis (ed.), The Oxford Companion to Wine. Oxford Univ. Press, Oxford, 2006.