Earth Day is a good time to celebrate some of the innovations in the wine industry. In this particular case I’m thinking of Chile’s Concha y Toro. They’re the largest producer in Chile with a vast portfolio of wines in varied styles and price tiers. They also continue to push the envelope when it comes to earth friendliness. They do this in a variety of ways including lighter glass bottles to lower their carbon footprint as well as being the first winery to measure their water usage footprint. And that’s just a couple of examples. Here’s a delicious wine that comes from a vineyard in a cooler area that naturally withstands the effects of climate change.
Concha y Toro 2012 Serie Ribera Gran Reserva Chardonnay – This offering is from a series of wines Concha y Toro has released that focuses on grapes grown near one of Chile’s major rivers. This selection is 100% Chardonnay and all the fruit came from the Ucuquer Vineyard in Chile’s Colchagua Valley. It has a suggested retail price of $16.99. An inviting nose is lead by lemon curd, apple, and vanilla bean aromas. The palate shows off a pure and unadulterated burst of yellow delicious apple and Anjou pear flavors. Supporting bits of spice are present as well, Mineral notes, tart granny smith apple and wisps of lemon ice which marks the long, crisp, clean and pleasing finish.
Sauvignon Blanc from Chile gets a lot of attention, and rightly so as it’s one of the great countries for that grape. However it seems to overshadow the Chardonnays, which is a shame because Chile produces quite a few excellent ones. This particular example from Concha y Toro is not only delicious it’s also a terrific value and represents their dedication to earth friendliness. That is certainly something to tip a glass back to any day of the year but particularly on Earth Day!