Recently I interviewed both halves of Cultivar Vinos on Episode 137 of The Vincast wine podcast – Lucy Kendall and Alice L’Estrange – and some time ago Alice gave me some bottles they have imported from Chile. Here are my notes on the wines I tasted over a few weeks.
Cacique Maravilla 2016 Pipeño País (1L) – RRP $45.00
Quite spicy raw pepper five spices, sweet mirin, bacon fat, all spice, red fruits. Very bright and fresh, wild herbs and spices, lovely and earthy, lithe with a bit of bite, crunchy and first and softens out. Excellent light red wine option, easy on its own but good with food too. Over delivers.
A Los Viñateros Granitico Pais 2015 – RRP $32.00
Earthy dried floral dusty leathery spices, dried cranberries and plums. Very intense and certainly more tannic than the first wine, still very fresh and whilst long gets lighter on the palate as it travels back, bright but earthy and mature spice notes. Much more serious and requires food.
Huaso de Sauzal Carinena – RRP $35.00
Deep ruby colour. Bold sweet fruited, salted carob notes, crunchy pomegranate. Ripe and mellow yet fresh and a bit crunchy, nice weight but still plenty of personality, juicy but a bit of bite too. Very yummy.
Gonzalez Bastias Pais en Tinaja 2015 – RRP $32.00
Quite light but lovely brick-red colour. Very aromatic, pretty floral red fruits but also earthy and quite wild, burnt notes, meaty and a bit spicy, very focused. Light and exuberant on the palate, juicy but also fresh, not heavy at all, full of flavour but long as well, earthy savoury notes linger, great drinking.
Hey Hermano 2015 – RRP $28.00
Juicy sweet red fruits with some blood orange squeezed over it, slightly smoky stewed persimmon. Solid mouth filling earthy juicy red and purple fruits, round and soft with a tension of savoury tannins.
The Intrepid Wino 
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