TRADE EVENT: Chilean Wine Festival October 3, 2007

The Time and Date: Wednesday, October 3, 2007 2PM to 4:30 PM

The Event: Chilean Wine Festival

The Venue: Fermentations Cellar, Distillery District

The Target Audience: wine trade

The Availability/Catalogue: a high slim booklet, with copious data on all
the wines: names, regions, vintage years (some incorrect), varietals,
availability, prices. Wines were sorted by agent. Wines could be purchased
through the General List, Vintages, Consignment, and private orders.

The Quote: "Great food, lots of room, but it seems lightly attended. Lots of
elbow space."

The Wines: I did not taste all the wines. Here are my faves, with a QPR
number.

**** Four Stars (90 - 93):

- Casa Marin Gewurztraminer 2007 Casona Vineyard ($35, Tannin Fine Wines)

- Casa Silva Viognier/Sauvignon Gris/Chardonnay Quinta Generacion 2005
($19.95, Churchill, but Vintages in July 2008)

- Garces Silva Chardonnay Amayna 2005 Leyda ($24.75, Whitehall)

- Haras de Pirque Albis 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon/Carmenere Maipo ($56.95,
Mark Anthony)

- Luis Felipe Edwards Shiraz Gran Reserva 2006 Colchagua ($14.95, Classique)

- Montes Alpha Chardonnay 2005 Casablanca ($23.95, Whitehall).

- Montes Alpha Syrah 2005 Colchagua ($23.95, Whitehall)

- MontGras Ninquen 2004 Colchagua Cabernet Sauvignon ($27.95, Kirkwood
Group)

- Morande Red Blend 2003 Maipo ($47.25, Majestic)

- San Esteban Laguna del Inca 2006 Syrah/Cab/Carm/Sangiovese Aconcagua
($24.95, MCO)

- Castillo de Molina Chardonnay 2006 Reserva Casablanca ($13.20, Corby's)

- Santa Rita Chardonnay Medalla Real 2005 Casablanca ($18.95, Vintages)

- Santa Rita Triple C Cabernet Franc/Cabernet Sauvignon/Carmenere 2004 Maipo
($44.95 but moving to $70 with next vintage, Mark Anthony)

- Tabali Shiraz Reserva 2006 Limari ($16.95. Vintages)

- Veramonte Primus 2006 Casablanca Carmenere/Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon ($20,
Churchill Cellars)

*** Three Stars (86 - 89):

- Valdivieso Malbec Single Vineyard ($22.60, Carriage House)

- Casa Silva Cabernet/Carmenere/Petit Verdot Quinta Generacion 2004 ($21.95,
Churchill Cellars)

- Casas del Bosque Chardonnay 2006 Casablanca ($14.95, Vintages Dec 2007,
Lorac)

- Miguel Torres Gewurztraminer/Riesling 2007 Santa Digna ($15.95, Pacific
Wines)

- Montes Sauvignon Blanc Limited Selection 2007 Leyda ($15.15, Whitehall)

- Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 ($23.95, Whitehall)

- Perez Cruz Syrah Limited Edition 2005 Maipo ($24.95, Vintages)

- Santa Alicia Chardonnay Reserva 2006 Maipo ($10.75, General List
Eurovintage)

- Santa Carolina Chardonnay Reserva de Familia 2006 Casablanca ($17.95,
Charton-Hobbs)

- Tabali Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva 2005 Limari ($14.95, Connexion
Oenophilia)

- Tabali Carmenere Reserva 2006 ($14.95, Connexion Oenophilia)

- Veramonte Chardonnay Reserva 2006 Casablanca ($13.95, Churchill Cellars)

- VIA Sauvignon Blanc Chilcas Aguas Fresca 2007 Casablanca ($19.95, Vergina)

- VIA Pinot Noir Chilcas Piedra Feliz 2006 Maule ($19.95, Vergina)

The Food: fabulous cheeses, empanadas (chicken and/or beef), salsas, plus
two separate stations for trying food with red or white wines (a seviche and
a chicken-pesto station).

The Downside: some of the lighting was too diffused, which made reading the
catalogue difficult in the corners. Also, it took me about 20 minutes to
register (and this cut into my tasting time), even though I had RSVPed. This
wait needs to be fixed, especially since I noticed that people around me
seemed to be in a bad mood from the wait. At least we could have been
offered the catalogue to peruse. I just used my MP3 player, listening to a
Bing Crosby radio show from 1944. I just thought that you'd like to know
that...

The Upside: great food, some interesting high end wines.

The Contact Person: sandy@forefrontcom.com

The Effectiveness (numerical grade): 89.

Chimo!
www.deantudor.com