After our
recent spin through some of their new organic Chilean wines, I had the
chance to try a few bottles from Emiliana Winery’s “Novas” line. “Novas” means “new”
in Latin – and is the astronomical term often used for an appearance of a new
star.
The Novas wines, according to Emiliana, are their line of
smaller production wines, each highlighting grapes from a particular Chilean
growing region. I received three bottles of the Novas, each labeled “Gran
Reserva.” In some countries or growing regions, a “Reserve” wine can mean any
number of things – such as the length of aging, types of fermentation, grape
harvesting techniques, etc. I wanted to know what this meant for these South
American selections.
According to the definitions I found, a Chilean wine can
be labeled “Reserva” if it has “distinctive organoleptic characteristics.” The
obvious question follows: What is an “organoleptic characteristic?”
“Organoleptic,” according to good ol’ Merriam-Webster, means
“acting on or involving the use of the sense organs.” Thus, a wine with “distinctive
organoleptic characteristics” has…well…good flavor, as defined by the winery.
Generally, “Reserva” will refer to the better wines made by a particular
winery, but there’s not a consistent standard.
However, “Gran Reserva” (as well as the terms “Reserva
Especial” and “Reserva Privada”) does have a particular definition. If a
Chilean wine is labeled as “Gran Reserva” – then it means that it should be a
good-flavored wine that’s at least 12.5% alcohol and has been treated in some
way with oak.
Allow me to share with you my organoleptic observations
of this set of Gran Reserva wines, all of which are available in the
neighborhood of $16.
Emiliana 2014
“Novas” Gran Reserva Sauvignon Blanc – This 100% sauvignon blanc is from
the San Antonio Valley, a coastal valley about halfway down the west coast of Chile.
Cooling breezes from the sea allow for slow-ripening grapes like sauvignon
blanc and pinot noir to thrive. In this particular bottle, I thought the nose was
very reminiscent of a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc with similar grassy,
grapefruity aromas. I found it quite tart at first taste, with more of that
grapefruit flavor, which included a little bit of a rindy bitterness. The body
is medium-weight with a mineral-flavored backbone which prevents it from
dropping into acid-ball land. The finish is crisp and acidic, with a peach note
hanging on at the end. If you’re into EnZedd Sauvignons, you’ll probably get a
kick out of this. If you’re more on the fruitier, more tropical sauvignon blanc
end of the spectrum, I’d suggest you give this one a pass.
Emiliana 2012
“Novas” Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon – I thought this was a very
interesting little cabernet. It’s from the Maipo Valley, just inland from the
San Antonio Valley. Maipo is one of the primary grape growing regions in Chile.
In general, I’ve found many Chilean reds lean towards the juicy end of the
spectrum. In this case, I was pleasantly surprised when I found a more brambly,
Old-Worldish flavor waiting in my glass. Sure, there’s lots of fruit –
blackberries and currant especially – but I thought it also had a good earthy
backbone. “Grubby” was the word I used when I poured it for the Sweet Partner
in Crime, and our resident “dirt drinker” concurred. The earthy edge smooths a
bit as the wine gets some air, but it’s not a one-note fruit bomb. I would certainly
recommend it, and I thought it was pretty darned nice next to a marinated London
broil that I’d grilled up.
Emiliana 2012
“Novas” Gran Reserva Pinot Noir – A very straightforward pinot noir from
the Casablanca Valley, which is located just to the north of San Antonio on the
coast. Casablanca is also known for cool-climate grapes like pinot noir, as
well as clean, crisp chardonnays. With the cool climate, I expected a little
more smokiness and depth, but I was struck first by the fruit. Full cherry
aromas get you right off the bat – aromas that are mirrored by the flavor on
the palate. There’s definitely a smokiness, as well, but the fruit that goes
with it isn’t overly complex. The cherry continues into some fairly strong, at
least for pinot, tannins. If you’re looking for an easy drinking wine that’s
got the good basic bones of pinot noir, it’s workable. If you’re looking for a
subtle complex pinot, this isn’t really your wine. We opened this on a night
not long after that we got home from vacation – and we powered through the
bottle fairly quickly.
All in all, I do think these are slightly higher in
quality than the first set of Emiliana wines, and the price point is just about
right, especially for the cabernet.
(Thanks to Rebecca at Banfi for the hit!)
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