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Viognier

Trapiche Iscay

by Amanda Barnes June 3, 2022

More about the wine

One of the best Syrah wines in Argentina, Iscay has been an iconic wine from Trapiche for many years. Combining the floral freshness you can expect from the Uco Valley, the juiciness from a dash of Viognier in the blend, and the density, dark fruit and spice from Syrah, this is a rich, mouthwatering wine which cellars well.

More about the winery

Trapiche is one of the most emblematic wineries in Argentina and also one of the largest producers with a diverse range of wines from all over Argentina. The flagship winery of the Peñaflor group, you’ll find Trapiche winery in Maipú in a beautiful 1912 Florentine building which was lovingly restored in recent years.

Read more about Trapiche

June 3, 2022 0 comment

Beyond Wine Brazil Wine Guide

The ultimate guide to Viognier in South America

by Amanda Barnes April 29, 2022

written by Amanda Barnes

As we get celebrate Viognier Day today on 29th April (and for some on 30th April too!), we take a look at some of the most exciting wine regions for Viognier and Viognier wines in South America. Chilean Viognier is a little easier to find, as the top Viognier producer in South America, although we’ve got you covered with recommendations from Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay too!

Ultimate Guide to Viognier in South America

Viognier key descriptors

Medium lemon in colour. Aromas of peach, white blossom & mango. Dry with soft acidity (low) and medium body.

Viognier winemaking styles

South American Viognier is usually a monovarietal wine but sometimes used in white blends. Both youthful and oaked styles are common, and alcohol is normally around 13.5%.

Viognier in Chile

Hectares planted: 761 hectares

I don’t think we’ve really seen Chilean Viognier show its true potential yet, and there’s certainly no defined style or identified top terroir. There’s plenty planted around Chile — from the Atacama Desert down to the Lakes region, and between the mountains and the coast — but there are relatively few serious wine endeavours with the variety so far.

As winemakers have turned their attention to red varieties from the Rhône, however, they have also started to show a more interest in the white Rhône varieties, and some exciting Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne blends have emerged. These varieties can certainly find an ideal home in the alluvial and granite soils of both the Andes and the Coastal mountain ranges. A dash of Viognier also often makes its way into the blends of a few of the country’s top Syrah wines. Chilean Viognier has potential, but so far it is rather unexplored.

Favourite producers

Tabalí, Ventisquero Tara, L’Entremetteuse, ViuManent, Von Siebenthal, Emiliana, Cono Sur, Casas Patronales.

April 29, 2022 0 comment

Interview with Felipe Muller, winemaker Vina Tabali of Limari

Limari Chile Features Chile Wine Guide Videos Wine

Limarí wine region: A terroir talk with Felipe Müller, winemaker at Viña Tabalí

by Amanda Barnes September 2, 2021

written by Amanda Barnes

Viña Tabalí is the most renowned producer in the Limarí wine region of Northern Chile and winemaker Felipe Müller knows this exceptional terroir better than almost anyone. In this Terroir Talk, Amanda Barnes interviews Felipe all about the terroir of Limarí and what influences the different sub-regions of Limarí and makes it coastal wines so distinctive.

Felipe Müller discusses the differences between the river terraces of the main Limarí wine region compared to the limestone seabed of their famed Talinay vineyard. He also delves into the mountainous wine region of Río Hurtado on the boarder of Elqui and explains why the wines from this Andes wine region are totally different to the coastal wine regions of Limarí.

They also taste through four key wines for Viña Tabalí in a tale of different terroirs: their Talinay Chardonnay and their new Pai Pinot Noir from Talinay vineyard, and the Barranco Viognier and Roca Madre Malbec from Rio Hurtado. If you love Chilean wine, this is an interview not to miss.

September 2, 2021 0 comment