Ladies and Gentlemen: once again, the wine fair in Santiago known as Vinos de Chile (in its 12th version) will take place at the Hotel Plaza San Francisco September 27, 28, and 29. I am not a huge fan of large wine fairs as they are crowded, overwhelming, and in my experience, many times the wines served hit the mid-range ho-hum variety. However, not here! This event, well-organized and sporting a decent entrance fee to cover the costs, establishes itself in a different niche. Oriented for wine aficionados of all levels, the focus is on educating the consumer and ultimately creating more interest in wine via tasting, learning, and perhaps some mingling. In Chile, I need to underscore how important events like this are! Although Chile is large wine-producer, almost 95% of total production is exported and most (average) Chileans still reach for a piscola (local grape brandy with coke) or beer. We need to help induce and spread the wine-drinking culture and appreciation here urgently!
Back to the event. To get future wine geeks (I mean, consumers) really into the event there will be blind tastings; tastings of the great wines from Apalta (this includes Clos Apalta, Montes M, Purple Angel, and Folly, and the newcomer blend, Neyén); the “Aroma” table (sniff and ask a sommelier to clarify); great workshops on wine topics of interest for those wanting learn more about the lay of Chilean wine like Getting to Know Organic Wines; Climate and Vineyards of San Antonio Valley (Chile’s hot little number producing good whites and Pinots with inspiring volume and acidity); The Great Wines of Apalta (the hyped micro valley in Colchagua), and What is Icewine? (A wine Canadians make well and they are trying to make artificially here, boo!). If that isn’t enough to get you to the door, then okay, the entrance fee includes tastings from 40+ great wineries, a permanent cocktail prepared by Chilean cuisine evangelist Chef Guillermo Rodriguez and a souvenir wine glass. So for all you Chilean enophiles, if you live here or happen to be in town, it would well be worth for your wine education to swing by have a swirl, sniff, sip, schmooze, and nibble.
Essential info:
Entrance fee: 19.900 Chilean pesos (around US$35)—includes tastings at all stands, cocktail, and wine glass.
Tickets go on sale September 4, 2006. www.feriadevinos.cl or www.plazasanfrancisco.cl
