Vina Ventisquero

Vina Ventisquero is big business wine.  It is one of the ten largest wine companies in Chile and has just been in existence since the year 2000.  That tells me there are big bucks behind this operation.  But because of the reliability of the product quality and my dependence on them as a "go to" brand, I feel like I have been selling the brand for twenty years.  To go one step further, the quality of Ventisquero wines often seems to supercede others at twice the price.  Twice in recent months I was able to taste the complete line of Ventisquero wines and the following is a brief introduction to and description of the wines we will taste here on Friday August 16th, 5 to 7pm.   

Because the company is so large, you would expect them to market several labels and that is the case here.  The everyday ten dollar level is called Yali which is named after a Chilean wetland.  Ventisquero Reserva is the line priced at twelve to fifteen dollars and Ventisquero means "glacier".  Queulat means "sound of the waters" and that quality level is roughly priced between fifteen and twenty dollars.  Grey is the name of the largest glacier in Chilean Patagonia and the two Grey reds are in the twenty to twenty-five dollar range.  Vertice (vertex) is a red blend from Apalta; Heru is Pinot Noir from Casablanca; and Pangea is Syrah from Apalta.  The last three are priced between thirty-five and seventy dollars per bottle.

In the Atlanta market Ventisquero offers sixteen wines.  Of the three Yali wines the Cabernet-Carmenere is the best and it is simply a solid well-balance, fresh and fruity, new world red.  There are four types in the Ventisquere Reserva line and all are winners but, being a Sauvignon Blanc lover, that one is my fave.  Friday we will taste the Carmenere, Pinot Noir, and Sauvignon Blanc.  Queulat similarly has four great types with the Carmenere possibly being the best, but for our event on Friday I chose the Sauvignon Blanc because, well, that's the way I roll.  Grey has a Cabernet and a Carmenere and this time I thought the Cabernet showed better than the Carmenere so we'll do that one.  We will have the Pangea on the table Friday but because of the cost, we probably won't open it.

Those Spanish and Indian names for Ventisquero wines is a tip-off as to their environmental bent.  Ventisquero is the only Chilean wine company that has 100% sustainable viticulture, and remember, they are huge.  Moreover, the Yali wines are carbon neutral, meaning the energy from fossil fuels used in making and transporting the wines is offset by the use of  renewables and/or the purchasing of carbon credits to make up the difference.  So if you're a greenie or you just love the environment, be here for the tasting.

David Hobbs of Prime Wine & Spirits will present the wines on Friday.  We hope you can join us.