ISRAEL is WHERE IT'S AT!

Bear with me if I sound like a broken record, but you know I go nutso over wines from less-common locales, and here's another one! I have long enjoyed wines from Israel, but two recent tastings catapulted the country to the forefront of my mind; the quality is amazing, the potential is HUGE, and the value is incredible. So banish those thoughts that Israel only makes grape-juicy Kosher wines already and get with the program!

It's a little funny that in one sense Israel is absolutely "Old World" -- it's one of the very first places ancient people grew grapes. But it's certainly "New World" in guts and style.

Here are some things to keep in mind:

• There really is no clear "signature" grape of the region. In fact, Grenache was first planted only about ten years ago and is making some of the world's best already! As knowledge, experimentation, and technology grow, so will the quality and variety of Israeli wines.
• Many bold Israeli reds are actually super-approachable, meaning they're not overly-structured and require years of cellaring before you pop them. These are meant to be drunk now!
• This is a group of winemakers who are forging forward, breaking conventions, and doing it all with passion and a strong intellectual and environmental basis. They are Jewish, Muslim, Christian, and non-religious to boot. 
• There are only about 35 commercial wineries, but around 250 boutique ones, and this number is rising as grape-growers peel off to make their own wines. Some of which are already achieving "cult" status!

Here are some of my standouts from those recent tastings:

2018 Five Stones “D vs G” White (David v Goliath) 

Appellation laws are fairly relaxed in Israel, so they have a lot of options for experimentation with blends. I initially had a "hmmmmm" reaction to this 60% Gewurztraminer 40% Sauvignon Blanc blend, as who thinks to put those two grapes together?! And I did feel it kind of butted itself in the head, BUT boy how it would go with the spiced and spicy food of the region. Typical "grandma's boudoir" Gewurz notes of dusty rose perfume with litchi, accompanied by SB's green, linear acidity. Outrageously long finish. I definitely warmed up to it! ~$30

2017 Recanati Winery Reserve Marawi 

Marawi is one of the indigenous varieties of the area now getting resurrected. This was first commercially released in 2014, and is the tricky story of a Palestinian grower who sells the grapes grown in his backyard to an Israeli company. (His name isn't released because they have had death threats on both sides, yikes.) Recanati also has their own vineyards, and produce a Roussane/Marsanne blend and an old bush vine Carignan, all farmed biodynamically. This had yellow fruit, sweet brioche, juicy apricot, lanolin, honeysuckle, and a little spice with smoky, flinty minerality. Long yet mild finish. Little Chenin Blanc-like. 1 year in French oak. ~$34

2011 Somek Carignan

This is from a single vineyard with 40-year old vines. The Someks are 5th generation winemaker-grapegrowers, so this is a family vineyard since 1882; the winery itself was founded in 2002. The family does it all, including marketing and distribution. This Carignan is aged 24 months in French oak and 2 years in bottle. Definitely earthy, terroir-driven. Cola, hi-tone blueberry, mocha dust, minerally, with licorice, brambly berries, wild sage, a little spicy, and has tightly wound, balanced tannins over a super long finish. Continues to be tangy after 7 years! And it's still kind of a baby. This will be fascinating in a few more years! ~$35

2016 Hayotzer Lyrica

Arza, Hayotzer's parent company, started in 1847! Here we have a GSM blend (40% Grenache, 35% Syrah, 25% Mourvedre.) Soft red and pink flowers, crunchy red fruit, white pepper, smooth and sexy, plush but juicy, whiff of smoke on finish, not super-complex but really tasty and I wanted to slurp it uuuup. ~$40

2016 Gvaot Masada

Shiva Drori, Gvaot's winemaker, is interested in the academic side of making wine; he does DNA testing, studies wine at a high level, and brings that information back to the vineyards and winery. The Masada is a blend of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 22% Petit Verdot, from rocky, steep, mountainous vineyards, with a huge diurnal swing; the elevation and diurnal keep the temperature in check and preserve the grapes' freshness and acidity. At my tasting, I thought this wine glass was not properly clean, muting the wine's aroma, and so this showed merely dusty on the nose. But in the mouth there was loads of tightly wound purple fruit (that PV really jumps forward!) leading to a big and structured, but balanced wine. Wow. ~$75

2016 Covenant Syrah

Covenant brought winemaker Jeff Morgan from Napa over to consult, and that has led to its growing cult status. This wine is 90% Syrah with a dash (10%) of Cabernet Sauvignon. It presents as liquid red fruit, spicy and juicy and lush and sexy, pepper, light savory notes, super balance of fruit/savory/spice/oak use plushness, wow! Lifted tang on long finish. Chewy. It brings voluptuousness without blousy-ness. ~$75

2016 Tura “Mountain Peak” Red

Another cult comes from the husband/wife team Vered and Erez Ben Sa'adon (she's the winemaker.) The Mountain Peak red is a blend of 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 6% Petit Verdot. Cassis, cedar, herbal liqueur, pyrazine, good acid once again, tangy juicy outrageously long finish. This is definitely a creative take on a CS-based Bordeaux-style blend. ~$75

2016 Segal “Unfiltered” Cabernet Sauvignon

The Israeli cults just keep on coming! Winemaker Avi Feldstein has boldly produced an unfiltered Cab since the days when that was a kind of blasphemy. This is a super-interesting wine, with cassis liqueur, bright red fruit, mocha, toasted coconut, a bit of shortbread. Wow. Really “red,” dense and intense. Long finish. Big but plush/approachable. Segal is owned by the large company Barcan — "big kids" in Israel sometimes acquire or start small wineries to have a garagiste offering. ~$60

2014 Golan Heights Winery Yarden “2T” 

Golan Height is one of the coldest areas in Israel, and much like the U.S.'s Old West, there are wild horses galloping along wide volcanic plains. This is one of the country's more classic wineries, and here they're showcasing how Portuguese varieties can shine in Israel. A blend of 69%Touriga Nacional and 31% Tinta Cão sourced from 2 vineyards in Golan Heights: Springs Vineyard at 700 meters elevation, and Geshur Vineyard at 400m. Aged 18 mo in 40% new French oak. Smoky, spicy mocha, black plum, blackberry, black cherry, lots of peppery spice on finish. Good combo of juicy, approachable fruit, some more savory notes, and balanced acid and subtle tannins on long, balanced finish.  ~$33

2014 Tabor Winery Malkiya Single Vineyard CS 

Tabor was founded in 1999 by four families of growers that have working there for five generations. This Cab is from a single vineyard at 726 meters elevation with Terra Rossa (the most famous soil of Coonawarra in Australia,) under topsoil, and lots of limestone rocks they refer to as “a lot of stars.” Viticulturist Michal Ackerman found this area and she convinced them to make wine there! Her vines' roots go down 20 feet so they have access to water and unusually for Israel don’t need irrigation. She’s also planting Malbec and Chenin Blanc in the Negev desert, so watch for those.  These Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are hand picked, they use only free-run juice, and it is aged 18 months in new French oak with an additional 1 year in bottle. Smoky, cassis, cedar, cloves, wow, VERY tasty, with the red fruit coming out more on the palate. Tightly wound, and it releases layers of flavors over an incredibly long, balanced finish. Would be fun to blind taste this on some smarty somms! ~$60

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I don't know about you, but I am definitely planning to seek out more of these amazing wines from Israel. At the high end, maybe $60-75 bucks seems like a lot, but you'd be paying $150-300 for a similar wine from Napa, so these actually are a steal! Ask your merchants and somms about providing more quality wines from Israel; they may appreciate your "insider" know-how, but they also need to know you're interested in trying these stunning offerings. (Seriously, there was hardly a dud in the bunch, and I sampled over FIFTY wines.) I look forward to my next "visit" to Israel, for sure!

Cheers.

Wonderful Wines Of Washington! (WWOW!)

With the rise in popularity of quality wine from less-than-usual locales, we're forgetting about one right here in the U.S.: Washington State. WA is actually the second largest producer of American wine (behind California) but it's hardly forefront in the mind of consumers looking for wonderful wines.

Time to change that, and how! First of all, let's do some edifying: A) don't equate rainy Seattle with your concept of WA wine—most of the state's wine regions lie to the east of the Cascade Mountains, which act as a rain shadow, in the dry Columbia Valley AVA. B) the area's latitude is the same as between Bordeaux and Burgundy (fairly well-regarded regions, eh?), there is an unusually long length of day, which equals over a hundred more hours of glorious daylight during the growing season—and WA's wide daily temperature fluctuations are great for ripening. C) there is NO phylloxera in the state, so the vines are grown on their own rootstock. D) for you soil nerds: there is volcanic bedrock layered under glacial deposits and soil from multiple ice age floods, with a windblown loess dusting on top—a trifecta of loveliness. E) there are over FORTY varietals planted, with subregions showcasing an incredible array of grapes; Riesling and Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah… rarely at home in the same region.

There's so much more, but let's get to the juice!

I recently spent a day walla-walla-wallowing in the bounty of WA state wines at a trade event sponsored by the Washington State Wine Commission, and found some truly wonderful wines during two seminars and a walk-around tasting.

I was first knocked out by the 2013 àMaurice Cellars Sparrow Viognier, Walla Walla Valley AVA. Nose of straw, lemon, white florals, very viscous, and tangy lemon zest with lots of minerality on the palate. Florals emerge on the super long finish. Winemaker Anna Schafer spoke of her passion in cultivating this gem: "I absolutely love making white wine—you're not making white wine for the scores!" ~$35.

At the walk-around, I beelined to her table to taste more of her offerings: the 2011 àMaurice Cellars Night Owl Estate Red Blend was light but complex, with a super elegant, smoky nose, a bit of earth and charming, well-balanced fruit. ~$48. 2011 àMaurice Cellars Fred Estate Syrah had lots of perfume, spice, and herbs, with lavender sachet in the mouth. Not a hot-n-ripe overblown Syrah, rather an elegant, integrated example. ~$42. And the 2011 àMaurice Cellars Anderson Red Blend showed a great perfumey nose! Sweet plums, rose petals… wowzers! Love this. Elegant, and very flavorful. ~$40.

Another standout was the 2012 Januik Klipsun Vineyard Merlot, Red Mountain AVA. Complex, forward nose of blueberry, blackberry, lavender pastilles, and mocha, in the mouth it had compact, elegant fruit, with good balancing acidity and soft tannins, with a long finish of blackberry pie. ~$30

Almost presented as an answer to the question, "But how will WA wines age?", the 1994 Woodward Canyon Winery Merlot, Columbia Valley AVA had an amazing "whoa!" nose of intense spice box, sweet cedar, and tobacco leaf. It was still very present in the mouth, with flavors of dried herbs and mesquite, with good acidity. Just lovely. (The fruit was actually sourced from the Wahluke Slope AVA, but at the time, it hadn't been granted an AVA designation yet.) Not too shabby for a 20-year-old Merlot from lil' ol' Washington! ~$NA.

Chateau Ste. Michelle winemaker Bob Bertheau is an important figure in the growth of the WA wine industry, always looking to innovate and perfect, and his 2010 Ch. Ste. Michelle Artist Series Meritage, Columbia Valley AVA has the highest percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon he's ever put in a Bordeaux-style blend. He said, "The elegance of the Cab this year just sang to me, and I couldn't hold it down." It had blackberry liqueur and floral perfume, with dense and dark purple notes. Suuuuuuper smooth, with pepper and graphite on the finish. A big wine, but it doesn't punch you in the face. Wow. (Bob also said that "Washington tannins are like a thoroughbred—you have to teach it, train it… that's a good problem to have, to have a wild horse." I loved that.) ~$60.

His 2013 Ch. Ste. Michelle Eroica Riesling carries on a solid tradition of dependable Eroicas, with a great nose of florals—massive honeysuckle!—and spice, mandarin orange, and mouthwatering acidity. ~$20. And I also loved the 2011 Ch. Ste. Michelle Cold Creek Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, with its dead-on-Cabernet nose of cassis, cedar, and a little green-ness. It was incredibly smooth and integrated, and had a long finish of cassis and earth. ~$30.

Next stop was the Charles Smith/K Vintners table—I've been a fan of their wines for a long time. (I've gleefully written about the Boom Boom Syrah and the Kung Fu Girl Riesling in the past.) And sure enough, out of the gate, I was incredibly impressed with the 2013 ViNO Pinot Gris. Attractive floral nose, spicy, good acidity, florals carry through—wow! Impressive. And only ~$12! I also went coo-coo for the 2012 Sixto Uncovered Chardonnay, with its smooth presentation, cheeky note of taffy, and loads of minerality. No new oak, 100% native fermentation, sourced from three different high-elevation vineyards—a rival to famed CA chards, at half the price. ~$30. Another incredible value is found in the 2013 Wines of Substance Cabernet Sauvignon, which was "kind of left alone," according to co-winemaker Brennon Leighton. Robust red fruit, good balance and length, complex. ~$15.

I'm also familiar with Andrew Will's wines, and really enjoyed the two vintages I tasted from his Champoux Vineyard (and the little kid in me cracked up every time someone seriously mentioned a "shampoo" vineyard.) The Cab Franc-based 2012 Andrew Will Champoux Vineyard Blend, Horse Heaven Hills AVA was big and extracted, with dense black fruits and florals, ~$65, and the 2011 Andrew Will Champoux Vineyard Blend, Horse Heaven Hills AVA lathered up the palate (see what I did there?) with spiced blackberry jam. ~$74.

If a group of flamingoes is a flamboyance, what do you call a group of Master Sommeliers? (That may be a good question for the twitter.) Three MSs—Shayn Bjornholm MS, Chris Tanghe MS, and one of my former instructors John Ragan MS—led a blind seminar to illuminate WA location, grapes, and blends. (Yes, my palms sweat the minute I realized we'd be tasting blind, but I nailed the three varietals and a couple of sub-regions, so I guess the Minx has some mad skillz after all.)

The quality of the wines in this group was high across the board, but if pressed to name some favorites, I'd include the 2011 DeLille Cellars Harrison Hill Blend Snipes Mountain AVA; cassis, herb liqueur, and sage notes, integrated fruit, elegant and delish! ~$95. Also the 2012 Avennia Justine Columbia Valley AVA, with its red and black berry salad, strong cherry, and florals, was super dense and tasty, and quite grippy. A blend of Mourvedre, Grenache, and Syrah. ~$40. And I loved the 2012 Gramercy Cellars Third Man Columbia Valley AVA, with silky red fruits, it was a bit meaty (genoa salami) and peppery, with alpine notes. Big, but beautifully balanced. Another S. Rhône blend, this time with the emphasis on Grenache. ~$45.

The 2012 Betz Family Winery Bésoleil Columbia Valley AVA was also incredible, with coffee grounds and herbs on the nose, and a luxe, elegant palate of blueberry, a hint of chalk—so tasty. ~$45. I went to their table for more, falling for the 2011 Clos de Betz Red Bordeaux Blend, with an amazing, packed nose of cassis and cedar, and a flinty minerality. ~$55. Also the 2011 Betz Family Winery Père de Famille Cabernet Sauvignon: "ooooh, rich & smooooooth!" say my notes. Violets, delicious fruit, elegant, quaffable yet good with food. 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot, and 3% Merlot. ~$68.

"Dense" is the word of the day for the 2011 Col Solare Blend Red Mountain AVA, which also drew me in, with its notes of cassis liqueur, brick dust, velvety red fruit, liquid herbs, it was very dense and very ripe. And very sexy. ~$75.

Still with me?! I know this is a lot, but seriously—each table I visited kept surprising me with such gems, it was truly a bounty. If I didn't have an appointment to get to, this post would have been three times as long, I'm sure. My last stop on the way out was at the Seven Hills table. I'd correctly blind tasted the varietal of the 2012 Seven Hills Vineyard Merlot Walla Walla Valley AVA during the seminar, and still loved its ripe blue and black fruits on the nose, elements of smoke and mocha, and tasty, intense blueberry pie. ~$38. Next was the only rosé I sampled that day, the 2014 Seven Hills Dry Rosé Cabernet Franc—loved the nose, strawberry-lime rickey, clean and crisp watermelon Jolly Rancher, good acidity, super dry finish. ~$18.

 Their hits just kept on coming: the 2012 Seven Hills Ciel du Cheval Blend Red Mountain AVA: "melting" red fruit, big but super integrated, lovely. My friend Mr. Some Damn Good Wine kept crowing over the note of "Maraschino! Maraschino!!" ~$45. The 2012 Seven Hills McClellan Estate Petit Verdot Walla Walla Valley AVA: just loved the nose. Intriguing. Plummy purpleness across the board. Wow! I drew a heart. ~$35. And the 2012 Seven Hills Klipsun Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Red Mountain AVA: spot-on Bordeaux nose—cedar, cassis, eucalyptus. Scrumptious, with high tannins, but very integrated. ~$45.

Wineaux, if you haven't figured it out by now, wines from Washington State are indeed wonderful. This tasting confirmed that they have the ability to rival wines from other great regions around the world, and many are values at every price point. Do yourselves a favor, and start familiarizing yourselves with the wonderful wines from WA.

(Side note: as of this writing, I am very close to finalizing a date to sing this summer for the Seattle Mariners as part of my quest to sing the National Anthem for every Major League Baseball team. Rest assured that I will do my very best to tack on a visit to the Columbia Valley to get up close and personal with more of these gems! I love it so when my worlds collide.

UPDATE: The Seattle date is set, barring any theatrical conflicts: July 28. Very excited, not only to sing, but to stomp around Washington State vineyards for a few days. Keep an eye out for my report.)

Cheers!

WINES OF CHILE—INVIGORATING!

Fact: Chile is a long and skinny country in South America that has cultivated wine since the Spanish Conquistadores arrived in the 1500s. Fact: Chile is one of the only places in the world where the devastating root louse Phylloxera failed to take purchase, so vines there are planted on their own roots. Fact: Carmenere in the vineyards there was long mistaken for Merlot, so it flourished in Chile while nearly becoming extinct elsewhere. 

All pretty substantial facts, where the world of wine is concerned, yes?

But also: Chile hasn't really been known for making quality wine until a few decades ago, so with relatively speedy advances in winemaking techniques and passed-along knowledge, there has been a kind of "secret" major growth in the Chilean wine industry. Wineaux, we can keep this secret no longer!

At a recent tasting of Chilean wines led by the always-engaging Fred Dexheimer, MS, and Hector Vergara, MS (South America's only Master Sommelier,) it became evident that the current generation of Chilean winemakers are infusing their industry with a fresh, invigorating breath. Experimentation and rule-breaking are the buzzwords, and the results are delicious. Not to mention, there are diverse styles of grapes—something for everyone—and the general price point is unbelievable for the quality. (Starred entries are particular favorites.)

*2013 Caliterra Tributo:100% Sauvignon Blanc from the coastal Leyda Valley. Pale straw gold color, fresh nose of kiwi and gooseberry, lemon-lime, papaya and lime curd. Well-balanced fruit and acidity, grass and fresh herbs emerge on the long finish, mid-palate minerality, a bit of kelp/seaweed, quaffable but complex. ~$15

2012 Casa Silva Sauvignon Gris: from over 100-year-old vines in Colchagua Valley, was thought to be Sauv. Blanc until 1998 when they discovered it was actually Sauv. Gris. Pale straw color, über-minerally, herbaceous, "hot" lemon, not overly acidic but it clings to the teeth, white pear and peach on the clean finish. ~$18

2011 Tamaya Chardonnay T Line Limited Release: Limari Valley. Pale gold, pineapple and cream, bit merde-y, warm apple pie. In the mouth, white florals, lime zest, chalky minerals, integrated use of oak. ~$15

2012 Clos des Fous Subsollum Pinot Noir: Aconcagua Coast/Pucalan/Traiguen Valley. The winemakers are four "crazy guys" who are seeking out unusual terrors and pushing boundaries. Fred said, "They don't care what anyone thinks about their wines," which I believe is often a good thing! And Hector opined, "It's a beautiful example of what's new in Chile. Wines with minerality—wines breaking barriers." Pale garnet/ruby. Underripe berries, very spicy, rose petal potpourri, stemmy bramble fruit nose. Very spicy in the mouth too! Tart cranberry, pepper/cinnamon, sour cherry, minerality, fairly tannic, decent acidity, very interesting. ~$22

*2009 Oveja Negra Carignan Single Vineyard: Maule Valley. Mostly Carignan though somewhat of a field blend, with Petit Verdot as a backbone. Medium ruby, warm, velvety nose of cherry liqueur. Elegant, fresh cherry/berry notes, warmth and integration on the finish, bit of licorice/bark, good acidity, integrated tannins. Very nice! ~$20

2011 De Martino Vigno Carignan: Maule Valley. In terms of experimentation, this winery is the first Chilean operation to buy large Austrian oak barrels, and they're working with concrete eggs and modern amphorae vessels as well. Medium ruby color. Pizza (!) nose—oregano, tomato, dough—and meaty with a high tone of perfume. Cherry jam, spice, earthy. The acidity lifts it up; I wasn't initially a fan, but this one grew on me and I kept returning to it. ~$35

*2012 MontGras Antu by Ninquén Syrah: Colchagua Valley. Medium ruby. Interesting nose of lilac, violets, pepper, blackberries, clove, licorice, and a bit of oak. Lightly spicy in the mouth, but it lingers. Less-ripe fruit on palate, but rich, long, integrated finish. Herby, juicy, touch of vanilla, touch of chocolate, very nice (I even drew a heart.) ~$12

2013 Viña Ventisquero Grey GCM: Colchagua/Apalta Valley. A bit of a takeoff on the GSM (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre) blends of the Rhône and Australia, this Grenache, Carignan, Mataro (aka Mourvedre) is a medium ruby, with a very clean and laser-like nose of red fruit, whiff of merde, and floral perfume. In the mouth, raspberry prevails, with cherry and savory notes of bay leaf, cinnamon, black pepper, and eucalyptus. Good acidity, soft but grippy tannins, this is really interesting. Fred calls these guys "thrill-seeking winemakers." ~$20

*2011 Odfjell Vineyards Orzada Malbec: Curico/Lontué Valley. Medium-plus ruby. Interesting nose! Liquid herbs, rosemary, sweet basil, with black cherry, violets, and smoke. Surprisingly lighter in mouth after such a powerful nose, with blueberries, spicy cigar leaf, iodine. Elegant with good tannins and lifted by acidity. Yum. ~$18

*2010 Concha y Toro Terrunyo Block 27 Carmenere: Cachaopal Valley. From one of the Chilean names you may recognize, the Carmenere from the "perfect storm" Peumo Vineyard has a medium-plus ruby color, and a nose of burnt cinnamon spices, graphite, coriander, and wood. In the mouth, plums, graphite and ashes, and very integrated tannins and subtle acidity make for a long, smooth finish. ~$38

One of my favorites was the *2011 Montes Purple Angel: Colchagua (Apalta/Marchigue) Valley. 92% Carmenere, 8% Petit Verdot. Opaque ruby color. Nose of mocha powder, lavender, ripe blue and black fruits. Incredibly dense in the mouth; cedar, "sweet" spices, fresh herbs, blackberry liqueur, bit of graphite/iodine. Very complex and lush, big but balanced, some acidity and sweet tannins. ~$75 (I was so hoping it was $12.99, but no dice!)

2010 Santa Rita Triple C: Maipo Valley. If you're looking for something "Evocative of Bordeaux with more fruit and spice," (says Fred,) look no further! 55% Cab Franc, 30% Cab Sauvignon, 15% Carmenere. Medium-plus garnet, nose of cranberry, bright green pepper, rose and violets, graphite, tobacco, cedar, tea leaves. In the mouth, fresh berry salad, very spicy, peppery, eucalyptus, cigar box, with subtle tannins. Certainly age-worthy. ~$43

*2010 Undurragua Altazor: Maipo Valley. From an "old" winery, this is a "new" wine; a Bordeaux-style blend, inspired by Vincente Huidobo, the author of the poem "Altazor." (80% Cab Sauvignon, 8% Carmenere, 8% Syrah, 4% Petit Verdot.) Medium-plus garnet. Harmonious nose of cherry liqueur, lots of lush, ripe red berries, cassis, smoke and spice, lots of cigar box, cedar, violets, cola, dried figs. Really elegantly woven together, dense and lush, very long, nuanced and harmonious (that is definitely the word for this wine,) finish. Velvety tannins. Oak not overly prominent, seamlessly integrated. Just WOW. I have to give it another star: * ~$70

With such diversity, it is really worth giving Chile the due it deserves. These wines were inspiring, and really spoke to the focused attention from their winemakers, especially where microclimates are concerned. And with so many quality wines under $20, you can afford to try a variety of Chilean wines yourselves. It's a no-brainer: when you need some invigoration, simply turn to Chile! Cheers.