Veramonte- The mountain comes to you Edited by Darryl Beeson Chile is as geographically unique as it is rich in history. Boundaries  define a long and narrow country, spanning over 4,000 kilometers of Pacific Ocean coastline on the western edge of South America. The Andes Mountains,  rising over 5,000 meters, create a natural barrier between Argentina on the  east. Between the ocean and mountains, Chile is no more than 480 kilometers  wide at any point. To the south is Patagonia a region with thousands of  islands and fiords reaching to the Antartic. In the north, the Atacama  Desert.   The vineyard at the Veramonte is the largest contiguous vineyard in Chile.  It stretches over 350 hectares in the prime growing area of Chile's  Casablanca Valley. In 1990, Agustin Huneeus chose this site for Veramonte  recognizing that the microclimates and soils of this beautiful valley are  similar to California's prestigious Napa Valley and Carneros winegrowing  regions.   Veramonte was first introduced in 1996, and has since earned international  critical acclaim for Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc  and Primus, a rich, spicy proprietary red, blended from Carmenère, (a fine  Bordeaux varietal now virtually unique to Chile), and Cabernet Sauvignon.  More information is at www.veramonte.com.   Veramonte Sauvignon Blanc, Casablanca Valley 2005 Price $10 Rating 92 The nose is vibrant with grapefruit, grass and melon. The sip enters with  soft grapefruit and mineral in the long length on the palate. "Casablanca  Valley in Chile is the premier place in the southern hemisphere to grow  Sauvignon Blanc," proclaims wine maker Rafael Tirado. "It ripens to  perfection with rich fruit flavors complemented by lively acidity. Our  Sauvignon Blanc grapes are grown in our estate vineyards with well-drained,  sandy decomposed granite and alluvial soils. Warm days and cool nights are  the signature conditions of the dry growing season."   Duo Sauvignon Blanc, Casablanca Valley 2005 Price $14.99 Rating 90 The nose is fragrant with cantalope melon and lemon blossom. There are rich,  chewy flavors of grapefruit, tropical fruit and mineral. Serve this crisp  white with boneless chicken breast (pounded, breaded and crisply sauteed,  served in a citrus butter), with pasta in a cream sauce, or with harder  cheese selections like thinly sliced Romano.   Veramonte Chardonnay, Casablanca Valley 2004 Price $14.99 Rating 89 The nose is balanced with apple, pear and soft oak influences. The sip is  crisp and refreshing, with treefruit and tropical melon in the mix.  "Veramonte's Casablanca Valley is surrounded by coastal mountain ranges  creating a diversity of unique microclimates and terroirs," says wine maker  Rafael Tirado. "Its close proximity to the Pacific Ocean provides ideal  growing and ripening conditions for Chardonnay. The valley floor provides a  cool Carneros-like climate, while the terraced hillside blocks have warmer  temperatures, similar to the northern Napa Valley.   Veramonte Reserve Chardonnay, Casablanca Valley 2003 Price $20 Rating 93 The nose is powerful with pear, and assertive, toasty oak. The sip is more  gentle and elegant with flavors of pear, apple, and toasty hazelnut in the  long, but delicate length. 90% of this Chardonnay was fermented in French  barrels. The acidity is crisp making this an excellent wine for pairing with  food. Serve this important white wine with lusty prawns in citrus butter,  firmer fleshed fish, or with pasta in a cream based sauce.   Veramonte Pinot Noir, Casablanca Valley 2003 Price $10.00 Rating 90 The nose is rich with ripe blackberry and mulberry. The sip enters with a  spectrum of dark fruit with underlying mineral. Then there are notes of  mint, soft spice and black cherry. The production of their Pinot Noir is  small at the present, and is therefore allocated in stores. Match this  gentle red with firmly fleshed fish, sauteed veal in a lemon caper sauce, or  with beef stew made with winter vegetables.   Veramonte's Casablanca Valley is surrounded by coastal mountain ranges  creating a diversity of unique microclimates and terroirs. Its close  proximity to the Pacific Ocean provides ideal growing and ripening  conditions for Chardonnay. The valley floor provides a cool Carneros-like  climate, while the terraced hillside blocks have warmer temperatures,  similar to the northern Napa Valley.   Duo Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot, Maipo Valley 2003 Price $15 Rating 90 The blend is 75% Cabernet Sauvignon. The nose is rich and vibrant with  mulberry and soft, brown spices. The sip is bright with a spectrum of red  fruit. Pair this fun red wine with veal in a red wine sauce, gourmet pizza  or with grilled steak in a peppercorn sauce. Don't let the value price fool  you, this red blend is good.   Veramonte Reserve Merlot, Casablanca Valley 2002 Price $20 Rating 91 The nose is bright with spiced plum and wild berries. The sip leads with  raspberry, plum the mocha richness rises along with soft oak and mineral  complexity. Serve this limited production Merlot with lamb in a spiced berry  sauce, or with venison in a juniper and black pepper sauce, with grilled  green onions.   Veramonte Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Maipo Valley 2002 Price $20 Rating 93 The nose is powerful and complex with cassis, black fruit, leather, mineral  and Bordeaux-like pencil shavings. There are flavors of dark fruit, soft oak  and tannins, with leather and mineral in the long, elegant finish. Serve  this red with tender, rare filet of beef in a mushroom sauce with cheese  polenta, or for fun with gourmet meatloaf.   Veramonte Primus Red, Casablanca Valley 2003 Price $18 Rating 92 The blend is composed of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Carmenere,  approximately broken down into thirds. The nose is big with ripe plum,  mulberry and spice. Then there are flavors of red cherry, leather, pepper  and exotic Asian spice within the long length on the palate. Serve this  vibrant red wine blend with grilled pork in spiced fruit sauce, grilled  lamb, or with pasta in a lusty red meat sauce. Primus pairs beautifully with  duck, beef tenderloin, wild game (venison, elk, squab, rabbit), bitter  greens (arugula, endive, radicchio), bell peppers, olives, black pepper and  legumes.   For more great wine suggestions, click here Do you have any questions, comments or suggestions? Email: jwdineline@aol.com Copyright © 1998 Inter Active Media Solutions. All Rights Reserved. The interactive components of this site require that you use a current browser version of Explorer; be sure to maximize your window out so you can see the entire page. This page was created by Inter Active Media Solutions.