Los Vascos Chardonnay 2015 comes from Chile’s Casablanca Valley, 75 Km northwest of Santiago and renown for the good quality of its wines, commonly made from international grape varieties. Chardonnay thrives here, as the region’s climate is not unlike that of California’s cool spot Carneros, another “it” zone for Chardo.
And it doesn’t only benefit from a suitable terroir, Los Vascos’ winery is managed by Domaine Barons de Rothschild (Chateau Lafite), one of Bordeaux Premier Cru Classé, a ranking of Bordeaux’ best made in 1855 and still alive and well with very few changes.
Los Vascos Chardonnay 2015 is clear and bright, with lemony gleams and citrusy aromas to match. On the nose, the fruit parade continues after swirling and you get a remarkably crisp green apple with a tropical background of pineapple and passion fruit.
On the palate, this is balanced with a touch of minerality, more sea than river, and a delicate nuttiness, almonds to be more specific. The acidity is vigorous enough to keep up with the wine’s 14% ABV, offering a powerful yet balanced flavour of moderated but very pleasant length.
It’s a very food friendly wine that will pair lovely with oily and rich seafood dishes, as it has the sharpness needed to refresh the palate after every sip. Try it with a Sea Trout with Clams recipe by Gordon Ramsay, or perhaps with these Gubeen Chorizo gratinated oysters by Darina Coffey.
Los Vascos Chardonnay 2015 is available at O’Briens Wine at €14.95.
Gabriela’s passion for writing is only matched by her love for food and wine. Journalist, confectioner and sommelier, she fell in love with Ireland years ago and moved from Venezuela to Dublin in 2014.
Since then, she has written about and worked in the local food scene, and she’s determined to discover and share the different traditions, flavours and places that have led Irish food and drink to fascinate her.
Gabriela Guédez Gabriela Guédez