In order of promoting the Valley potential to produce high quality wines and grapes, Ruta del Vino de los Valles de Curicó viagra for the second year a wine tasting called “Destacados” (Outstanding) at Viña Miguel Torres. Among the guests there were specialized Gastronomic Columnists, who had the opportunity to taste some of the best wines of Curicó Valley and Sub-Valleys like Lontue, Molina, and Sagrada Familia.

At the event attended Wine Producers, Wine Makers, Specialized press as well as the local press. This selected group had the opportunity to taste nine outstanding wines of Curicó Valley as: Aresti, TRISQUEL GEWURZTRAMINER 2009; San Pedro, CASTILLO DE MOLINA, PINOT NOIR 2009; Altacima, 6.330 Blend Vintange 2008; Millaman, LIMITED RESERVE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2008; Echeverria, FAMILY RESERVA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2006; Miguel Torres, MANSO DE VELASCO CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2007, Viñedos Puertas, AGUANEGRA MALBEC 2006; Viña Valdivieso, LA PRIMAVERA, SINGLE VINEYARD, FIELD BLEND 2006 y Viña Las Pitras, RAÍCES CABERNET SAUVIGNON GRAN RESERVA 2006.

Spontaneous words of praise were said for all the presented wines, due the high quality of them. The refreshing reds, vibrant and marked red fruits, have had started to mark a difference of the Wine produce in Curicó and the surrounding Valleys. Eugenio Eben O., President of La Ruta del Vino de los Valles de Curicó concluded: “There is diversity in the Valley of Curicó and we will continue working in order to get the best of our Land.”

After the tasting there was a gastronomic combination, held by the best restaurant of the region: Miguel Torres Restaurant. Where each bite was specially thought for the wines presented, getting a perfect food and wine harmony. This was enjoyed by the specialized press as well as the Associate Wineries Representatives.

On January 22nd, Ruta del Vino Curico Valley organized a hiking trip for wine and food journalists and tourism journalists to the volcanic lagoon “El Planchon” at 2.500 meters high (8200 ft high) over the sea level.

The idea was to discover this new touristic destination and to enjoy of the beautiful valley. In this opportunity after a two hours hike, guests were delighted with the sight, this was stamped on pictures as well as on the memory of the hikers. Guided by Patrick Pellet, a French professional hiker, who knows this place as his own hand.

The goal was to show this new destination that complements the touristic offer of Ruta Del Vino de Curico. And also experience and live the nature and the adventure through multiple related activities- Winery tours, wine tasting gastronomy, sports, culture and well been.

With a picnic and a wine tasting at El Plancho’s lagoon, ended this hiking trip. On our way back we enjoyed a traditional lunch made with products from the region, through Camino la Montana on la Querencia Natural Reserve.

For further information: info@rutadelvinocurico.cl

An excellent result was achieved by the Curico Valley Wine Route wineries in the prestigious Concours Mondial de Bruxelles Chile 2009, held recently in Curico. Over 300 wine samples from all of Chile’s wine growing regions were submitted and 92 medals were awarded: 6 Great Gold Medals, 35 Gold Medals and 52 Silver Medals. The Curico Valley Wine Route wineries won 15 medals: 8 Gold Medals and 7 Silver Medals.

The important distinctions awarded five member wineries is new evidence of the bid for quality made by all wineries associated to the Curico Valley Wine Route. “We are proud of this recognition of our wineries as we have worked together to produce quality wines. Our job as a Wine Route is to show the unique diversity of the Curico Valley, the different terroirs of our vineyards from the Andes mountains to the Pacific Ocean coasts which offer many variations of climates and soils and allow us to produce a wide range of red and white wine varieties,” stated Eugenio Eben, President of Curico Valley Wine Route.

GOLD MEDALS

MIGUEL TORRES
SANTA DIGNA MERLOT RESERVA 2008

MIGUEL TORRES
CORDILLERA CARMENERE - MERLOT - PETIT VERDOT RESERVA PRIVADA 2007

MIGUEL TORRES
MANSO DE VELASCO CABERNET SAUVIGNON VIEJAS VIÑA 2006

SAN PEDRO
GATO NEGRO CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2009

SAN PEDRO
1865 SINGLE VINEYARD SAUVIGNON BLANC 2009

VALDIVIESO
RESERVA CHARDONNAY SINGLE VINEYARD 2008

VIÑEDOS EL CARMEN DE MAJADILLA
RAÍCES SAUVIGNON BLANC 2009

VIÑEDOS PUERTAS
PARNASO 2004

SILVER MEDALS

ARESTI
FAMILY COLLECTION 2006

ARESTI
TRISQUEL LATE HARVEST 2007

MIGUEL TORRES
TORMENTA CABERNET SAUVIGNON RESERVA 2008

MIGUEL TORRES
SANTA DIGNA CABERNET SAUVIGNON RESERVA 2007

MIGUEL TORRES
SANTA DIGNA SAUVIGNON BLANC RESERVA 2009

SAN PEDRO
RESERVA CASTILLO DE MOLINA CARMENERE 2008

VALDIVIESO
CABERNET SAUVIGNON SINGLE VINEYARD 2007

The Curico Valley Wine Route guests, including of course the Concours Mondial Bruxelles Chile 2009 jury, press and media, organizing committee, Viña San Pedro team and friends stayed until nearly midnight. The 3rd edition of the Concours Mondial Bruxelles Chile ended with warm farewell words for the jury, representatives of the competition in Chile, members of the Curico Valley Wine Route and representatives of the Vinos de Chile 2020 programa of CORFO Maule and ProChile Maule. The speeches stressed the great contribution and importance of this event for the Curico Valley wine industry.

On this occasion the delegation was treated to a lunch named “Chile Terroir”. Guests were delighted with a 5-course meal which rescued products and flavors originating from every corner of Chile:

Chef’s welcome appetizer
Juan Fernandez Island lobster on tortilla de rescoldo (flatbread baked in embers) with Chilean papaya and green apple cubes, served with Miguel Torres olive oil, lobster roe and parsley sauce. Accompanied by Miguel Torres Brut, Pinot Noir, Curicó.

First course
Easter Island tuna fish tartare, green grapes and almonds with black truffle aromas, vanilla-avocado dumpling with yellow chili coulis. Paired with Cordillera Chardonnay - Viognier, 2008, Curicó.

Second course
Leg of wild boar with country herbs, served over Chiloe potatoes sautéed with Chilean wild morel mushrooms and onions, seasoned with Cabernet Sauvignon smoked salt and chancho en piedra sauce (crushed tomatoes, garlic, chili, onions). Accompanied by Manso de Velasco Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, Curico.

Third course
Magret of duck with Limarí goat cheese and lúcuma (eggfruit) gnocchi, in a demi-glace sauce of duck and murtilla (native Chilean berry) and pan-fried foie gras. Paired with Conde de Superunda Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo and Monastrell, 2002, Curico.

Dessert
Typical pastry from Curico, filled with dulce de leche flavored with Torres Brandy 10 and chocolate-covered nuts, served over a mascarpone and home-made goat cheese sauce. In harmony with Vendimia Tardía (Late Harvest), Riesling 2007, Curico.

In addition, guests enjoyed traditional country music with singers “Quinchas Corraleras” and folk dancing with the group “Alma Cuequera”.

Later the well-known horseman Alfonso “Chiqui” Navarro impressed guests with his Chilean Horse Show and the spectacular rein handling show (”Movimiento de Rienda”), a category in which he has been National Champion three times.

The day ended with a tasting of icon wine Matapanquero Nº1, a blend of several varieties, led by Viñedos Puertas winemaker Carlos Torres in the winery’s hilltop outlook, where there is an imposing view of the Curico valley and Mataquito river basin.

During the welcome cocktail the associated wineries of the Curico Valley Wine Route, in representation of the local wine industry, the wine experts, press, organization committee and friends enjoyed the best Chilean cuisine paired with an outstanding selection of wines produced by the associated wineries.

One of the most important wine competitions worldwide will be held in Curicó from October 4th to 7th; the third edition of the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles Chile 2009, with a selected jury of wine experts and journalists from France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, The Netherlands, USA, Canada, United Kingdom, Mexico, Brazil and Chile.

That the main area of wine production in Chile, the Maule Region, is the site of this competition is not accidental. Wines of Chile CORFO 2020 and ProChile Maule have come together to help strengthen the image of wine produced in this region. The organizers of this event that takes place every year in different countries such as The Netherlands, China, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, have chosen Chile, and for the second time this region will receive all their experience and attention in Curicó Valley, well known as one of the most traditional and high quality wine production areas in Chile.

In 2007 the Concours Mondial Bruxelles Chile began activities in Talca; in 2008 the event took place in the Valparaiso region. At these two competitions more than 70 companies participated and more than 200 Chilean products won awards.

The objectives of this event are to emphasize the Curicó Valley in the Maule Region, and Chilean wines, so that the international opinion leaders can distribute, via their respective media, information concerning the achievements of the Chilean wine industry and so continue to position our high quality wines in the demanding world market.

The blind tasting sessions of the competition will be held for two days on October 5th and 6th at Hotel Turismo Curicó and the Prize-giving will take place on Friday October 9th in Valparaiso.

Also in Curicó and with the support of the Wine Route in Curicó Valley, the selected jury can enjoy a gastronomic tour near the city and visits to different vineyards.

Those interested in participating in this competition can find more information on the website: http://www.concoursmondial.com

Our partners for the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles Chile 2009: ProChile, Wines of Chile Corfo 2020, Wine Route Curicó and Maule Valley, the National Society of Agriculture, Codesser, National Association of Winemakers of Chile, Chilean Wine Corporation, Hotel Turismo Curicó, Municipality of Valparaíso, Gran Hotel Gervasoni, Hot Express, Hotel Manoir Atkinson, Zero Hotel, University Federico Santa María, 3IE, Asia Reps, Riedel and Colorama

The wineries associated to the Curico Valley Wine Route met to present and taste the 2009 vintage of Sauvignon, with origin appellation Curico Valley. The meeting’s objective was to gather winemakers, wine growers, experts and members of the wine industry and hold a technical review of one of the favorite white grape varieties in the valley. The company INSUVIT collaborated with this activity.

The Curico Valley is considered an exceptional growing zone for Sauvignon, given its Mediterranean climate and well-defined seasons - rainy winters, and dry, cloudless and very luminous summers. The climate also has wide day-night temperature variation which helps the adaptation of many varieties and contributes to unparalleled flavors and aromas. The wines have high fruit concentration and Sauvignon Blanc is the most representative variety. The Sauvignon 2009 technical experience held last August 5, 2009, in the Villa el Descanso Hotel in Curico, focused on this variety

To enrich guests’ knowledge and experience, the event also provided relevant information about Sauvignon. Prestigious exhibitors presented their research, which has helped strengthen the wine sector.

The meeting began with a presentation of the study “Aromatic Characterization of the Sauvignon varieties of the Curico Valley”, in charge of Daniel Miranda, a winemaker who heads the project “Characterization of the aromatic component of Sauvignon Blanc and Sauvignon Vert of the Curico Valley” and supported by technology consortium Vinnova. Next Gerard Casaubon, Manager of the Center of Aromas of the Catholic University of Chile, presented a sensory evaluation of 4 wines with different Sauvignon aromatic standards.

Next was the turn for biologist Marcelo Cerdan, Sales Manager Latin America at Fermentis, Lesaffre Division, with the presentation “Current practices to create value and avoid fermentation problems in Sauvignon Blanc”.

Finally the technical tasting began, in which each winemaker presented to their peers the principal distinctive sensory components of their varietal wine; its character, aromatic concentration and texture. The Sauvignon 2009 present at the meeting, in order of appearance at the tasting, were from the following wineries: Aresti, Correa Albano, Echeverría, Inés Escobar, Las Pitras, Mario Edwards, Millamán, Viñedos Puertas and Valdivieso. Nine wine samples were tasted as well as a complete description of their vineyard and cellar management and procedures.

The meeting ended with a short debate on the typical characteristics of the Curico Valley Sauvignon 2009. Klaus Schroder, Vice Chairman of the Chilean Association of Enologists, and also a member of the Curico Valley Wine Route, stated “The most interesting aspect for me is to highlight the attractiveness of Sauvignon, particularly when it is grown in the terroirs found at the foothills of the Andes and in the coastal areas, which in my opinion have not been acknowledged by other valleys. I am sure that if we were to hold a blind tasting, Curico Valley wines would amaze the public when compared to wines from other valleys which have enjoyed marketing strategies and achieved positioning. However, it is important to admit that we have to work harder at promoting the wines from our valley”.

Gerard Casaubon, Manager of the Catholic University Center of Aromas, said “It is very interesting to taste Sauvignon Vert. I think we have a potential capital here that is important to acknowledge. There should always be a permanent collaboration between producers and researchers. We can enhance a variety which presents a very attractive potential to work on”.

Likewise, Marcelo Cerdán, Sales Manager at Fermentis, Lesaffre Division, a French company which is the major yeasts producer worldwide, admired the joint effort to develop the valley. He stated, “I value the joint search carried out by the Curico Valley Wine Route wineries to promote and characterize this valley. From where I come from, it is common to see more individual than group efforts. These are events that help form your own identity”.

At the meeting’s end participants enjoyed delicious regional cuisine, accompanied by the best wine of the Curico Valley region, served in a pleasant setting.

1.- Francisca Santa María, at the Bride’s Veil cascade outlook
2.- Héctor “Parquímetro” Briceño
3.- Hugo de la Fuente, Sergio Correa de la Cerda and Mirtha Segura Ovalle
4.- Lautaro Quevedo and Héctor “Parquímetro” Briceño