Its great location produces surprising, interesting wines

I have to give Chile credit.

This is a country that has fine, decent wine options for every taste. Quite possibly it’s because of its great location: Pacific Ocean on one side, the Andes on the other side; cool winds from the Antarctic coming from the south, and one of the driest desserts in the world on the north, Chile has everything it takes to produce wines of quality. In my humble opinion, Chilean wines are surprising and interesting.

The first one I’ll mention today is the Veramonte 100% Sauvignon Blanc ($152). Who doesn’t love this grape? Even if you never drink whites, you must try it. At first you’ll experience the intense fruit aromas, of mango, peach and hint of melon. Then comes the classic Sauvignon Blanc signature of fresh-cut grass. Finally, all of these close with a final touch of citrus.

I hope my description is good enough to make you want to try this wine. Its crispness and body is surprising, and that is, dear audience, the best thing a wine can give you. When we say a wine is surprising, it means that it’s unexpected, in a good way: it tells your nose a little bit about itself, but when you drink it, it develops more complex and interesting notes – which is what surprises you. (An addition to your wine vocabulary, si?) This Sauvignon Blanc goes well with fish, shellfish, salads, asparagus, and even chicken with light sauces.

The next Chilean wine we’ll discuss is a rather extraordinary red, from Luis Felipe Edwards. The grape is the very versatile Merlot ($90). This is the kind of wine that generally pleases the entire table, from the woman who doesn’t drink reds very often to the guy who knows a thing or two about wines. It has a perfect balance between smoothness, tannin presence and body. You’ll find hints of vanilla, tobacco, pepper and wood combined with fresh plums. Drink it, enjoy it, feel the oak and the good structure - nice! This merlot goes great with poultry, pork, red meat, pastas, salads or all by itself, a perfect choice for any occasion.

Both these wines are available at La Vid de Dolores, Calle Francisco Solis #3, Col. Francisco Villa, off Av. Rafael Buelna near Gasolina La Marina (Store: 669-182-0600 (new phone number system), (cell) 6691-15-6629. Also at Domitila Restaurant in the Plazuela Machado, where they’re my house wines for the entire month. Salud!

Mariana Gomez Rubio is Executive Chef at Domitila Restaurant in the Plaza Machado. She offers catering, courses and advice. Contact: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .