Latin warmth for cold nights

Carol Brown selects some reasonably priced and delicious wines from Chile and Uruguay

This week we are heading to South America to bring some sunshine to the cold November evenings.

Chile is always reliable when it comes to quality, and my selections today are all priced at less than £10.

Being a long, narrow country, the wine regions of Chile are diverse climatically and that gives the potential for a wide range of wine styles.

Dividing the regions further into geographic classifications of Andes, Entre Cordilleras (between the mountains) and Costa (coast) gives even more definition, and now as grapes become established in particular areas, you really do see the climate influences on the wine styles.

The DO (Denomination of Origin) system guarantees the origins of the wines.

If you would like to put together your own mini Chile tasting then these wines are a good starting point.

The website winesofchile.org resource. is also a great

The Society’s Chilean Chardonnay, DO Valle de Limari 2019, Chile

The proximity of the ocean (25km away) influences the climate of the Limari Valley.

In the morning, the Camanchaca fog brings moisture to this low rainfall area and cooling ocean breezes take over in the afternoon.

This, coupled with calcareous soils, mean Limari has become an important region for Chardonnay.

This is lively with lemon, lime and peach scents; dry with a fresh acidity and tropical and citrus notes. Lees stirring gives a mid -weight texture. Drink alongside pasta with a creamy salmon sauce. £7.95, thewinesociety.com

Yali ‘Wild Swan’ Sauvignon Blanc 2019, DO Aconcagua, Chile

The Aconcagua Valley follows the Aconcagua River from the Andes to the Pacific.

Inland, it’s all about red grapes such as Cabernet and Merlot, whereas closer to the coast, cooler climate-loving grapes such as Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir perform well.

Forward on the fragrance, with citrus and herbaceous notes and the passion fruit trait I always associate with Chilean Sauvignon Blanc, this is dry and tangy with apple, lemon and pink grapefruit and a juicy passion fruit edge.

Squeeze some lime juice over your fish tacos before you enjoy them with this wine.

£7.50, Co-op.

Yali ‘Wild Swan’ Merlot 2019, Central Valley, Chile

Another wine from the first winery to gain the “Certified Sustainable Wine of Chile” accreditation for 100% of its vineyards.

The Central Valley is a large producing area, much of which is protected from ocean influence so good for red grapes.

This is a ripe, plummy Merlot with crushed bramble notes.

Full and juicy, it’s easy drinking with fruits of the forest and warm spices.

One for your midweek casserole or mince and tatties (yes, I can find a wine to match most things!) £7.50, Co-op.

The Society’s Chilean Carmenere 2019, Rapel Valley, Chile

This Carmenere is made for the Wine Society by Concha Y Toro.

The warm Rapel Valley is ideal for ripening the variety which has become Chile’s signature red d grape.

Carmenere is an old Bordeaux variety, which in n the early days was confused with Merlot.

This late-ripening grape needs to spend longer on n the vine than Merlot to fully ripen it, as in the early y days, when picked too early it would come across as s stalky.

These days it’s all about that ripeness, and this one has a lovely purity of fruit on the nose – think blackcurrant, blackberries, liquorice and spice.

Mid-weight and balanced with ripe tannins and d dark berry flavours, there is some subtle savoury y oak too.

Drink with steak or gourmet burgers.

£7.95, thewinesociety.com

To finish, I’m crossing from the Pacific to the Atlantic c and to the fourth-largest wine-producing country in South America, Uruguay, which was the subject of a recent enlightening webinar with Carla Bertellotti of f winesofuruguay.co.uk

The wines are less widely available than those of Chile but well worth seeking out, especially if you like a red wine with elegance, as the proximity of the Atlantic moderates the climate in Uruguay as it does for Bordeaux wines.

The signature grape is Tannat, which came to Uruguay with French-Basque settlers in the 1870s.

Pisano ‘Progreso’ Tannat Reserve 2019, Uruguay

The Progreso region is 25km north of Montevideo.

Intense scents of dark berries, black cherries, black olive and cinnamon lead to a structured, ripe wine with well-tuned savoury, vanilla oak.

One for your Sunday beef or lamb roast. £9.95, thewinesociety.com

Carol Brown hosts regular virtual wine tastings which can also be arranged for private and corporate groups. wineuncorked education.co.uk

Pisano ‘Progreso’ Tannat Reserve 2019, Uruguay.