Tag: Concha y Toro

Benjamin Mitarakis, Director of Trade Development for Viña Concha y Toro discussing Viña Don Melchor I was recently honoured with the opportunity to sample iconic Cabernet wines by Chile’s Viña Don Melchor with food pairings at Riley’s Fish & Steak in downtown Vancouver. It was a fantastic evening with Benjamin Mitarakis, Director of Trade Development for Viña Concha y Toro,…

The history of the Carmenère grape is a tale of rediscovery and revitalization, with its roots deeply intertwined with the viticultural landscapes of both France and Chile.  Carmenère faced near-extinction in France due to the phylloxera epidemic in the 19th century. Unbeknownst to many, some vines were transported to Chile before the devastation, where they thrived in the climate and…

If you are in the Vancouver lower mainland, you may want to participate in these special events at BC Liquor Stores.  Italy and Chile highlighted in January. 39th & CAMBIE START THE NEW YEAR IN STYLE WITH FANTINI Saturday, January 13th 3:00 – 7:00 p.m. Enjoy a delicious range of Farnese Fantini wines this winter season! These wines express ripe…

In conjunction with TED2016, held here in Vancouver, the Wines of Chile participated by bringing some wines for us to try.  These wines though represent sustainable initiatives taken by these wineries. In Chile there is a sustainability code that a winery can be certified for through a 3-tier qualification process.  While not all Chilean wineries are sustainable, the goal is…

Over the past year, I’ve had the opportunity to try many wines from around the world, in many different styles.  Out of my recommendations from the year, here are my picks that I think will make the holiday season more festive.  I tried to pick wines from most price points and all corners of the world. I also only picked…

Have you ever heard of a portfolio tasting?  Most people probably have not, unless you attend wine tastings on a fairly regular basis.  A portfolio tasting is when a wine agency, like Select Wines & Spirits, pours their selection of wine (and spirits) in a casual (usually) walk-about fashion, where you can taste the wines and talk with the rep…

Vineyards surround Chile’s capital of Santiago. In the 19th century, Santiago’s rich moved to the valley around Santiago to try their hand as a landowner. They planted vineyards and built large estates. Despite Santiago’s growth and rapid consumption of arable land the Maipo Valley still thrives. It lies between the Andes and the coastal mountains, which keep the climate dry…

Chile is a fascinating country, with climate and terrain that vary from the Atacama desert in the north to glaciers in Patagonia to the south, and everything in between!  From Wikipedia I learned that by surface 80% of South America’s glaciers lie in Chile.  Then there are the Andes Mountains, which controls/modifies the weather coming in from the Pacific Ocean.  With…

To complement my blog article about the “Northern Gem, Southern Icon” dinner with Concha y Toro at the Blue Water Cafe, I also recorded a video.  The video is an introduction to the winery, the wines we will be tasting, their iconic Cabernet Sauvignon wine “Don Melchor“, and an introduction to Chile’s signature red grape “Carmenere“.  Our speaker was Ms….

Last week the Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival finished, and more work began for me.  Last week was about tasting the wines from Chile and from many other wineries around the world.  This week starts my writing my experiences in seminars and in the International Festival Tasting room. I made the following recommendations for Chilean wines that I had tried…