[Foodyin-68] Chilean Wine Erazuriz (feat. Chairman Eduardo Chadwick)
The wine market, which had the highest stock price during the COVID-19 pandemic, is now experiencing a bit of a recession. Still, owners and winemakers of overseas wineries still regard the Korean market as attractive. So when we go on a world tour to promote their wine, we always stop by Korea.
Eduardo Chadwick, the owner of the Chilean wine master Erazuriz, who has continued the family tradition for five generations, is also one of the regular visitors to Korea.
In particular, Chairman Chadwick is proud to be on par with French Bordeaux Grand Cru wines such as Chateau, Mouton Rochilde, and Chateau Margot, as well as Italian super-tuscan such as Sasaccaia and Tinyanello. In fact, he succeeded in imprinting Erazuriz’s icon wine as a top-notch wine around the world through “The Berlin Tasting” in 2004.
He said he brought a bunch of presents like Santa Claus during his visit to Korea, so I hurried to visit him. The weather is nice, so a glass of wine while looking at the Han River didn’t taste heavenly.
사진 확대 Chairman Erazuriz Chadwick introduces the history, philosophy and representative wines of Erazuriz at a master class held in Banpo, Mood Seoul on the 13th. Reporter Ahn Byung-joon
Erazuriz, a Chilean wine master who has been a family tradition for five generations
사진 확대 Erazuriz Winery, located in the aconcagua valley in north – central Chile. Erazuriz
The Erazuriz Winery began in 1870 when its founder, Don Maximiano Erazuriz, planted a vineyard in the Aconcagua Valley in north-central Chile.
The Aconcagua Valley is surrounded by glacial waters in the eastern Andes, the western Pacific Ocean, southern Antarctica, and northern Atacama Desert, creating a natural clean grape-growing environment without sticking to organic cultivation methods. Due to its short east-west width and long north-south length, it is possible to grow a variety of grape varieties, and it is closer to the equator than other wine producers, so it has the advantage of receiving strong sunlight evenly.
Don Maximiano was the first Chilean producer to visit France and select his own grape variety to create a vineyard in the Aconcagua Valley, which is today recognized as a world-class wine producer. Thanks to Don Maximiano’s foresight, who recognized the potential of the Aconcagua Valley early on, his descendants were able to make great wines.
In particular, the Erazuriz family has led the luxury of Chilean wine, producing four Chilean presidents, and is also called the “Kennedy House of Chile.”
사진 확대 The Berlin Tasting was held in Berlin, Germany in 2004.
Chadwick, the founder’s fifth-generation grandchild, has made a remarkable contribution to Erazuriz’s reputation around the world. In particular, “The Berlin Tasting” highlighted Erazuriz’s icon wine as the finest wine.
First launched in 2004, Berlin Tasting blind tasting was conducted by mixing erazuriz wines with top-notch wines from France, Italy, and the United States. It was inspired by the “Judgment of Paris,” in which American wine in 1976 dampened the pride of French wine.
The result was amazing. “Vineedo Chadwick” and “Sena” by Vigna Erazuriz ranked first and second, while Don Maximiano was named one of the world’s top 10 wines. Since then, 22 additional blind tasting has been conducted in 18 countries, of which 20 events have included Chilean wines in the top three.
In particular, Don Maximiano topped five events, the most during the tour, while Kai 2006 Vintage also topped Opus One and Chateau O’Brien in a 2010 tasting in New York.
사진 확대 Erazuriz wines served at the master class on the 13th. From left, Aconcagua Costa Sauvignon Blanc, Aconcagua Costa Chardonnay, Don Maximiano Founders Reserve 1990, Don Maximiano Founders Reserve 2010, Don Maximiano Founders Reserve 2021, Kai 2013, Kai 2021. Reporter Ahn Byung-joon
In the master class held by Chadwick on the 13th, Don Maximiano, who became a star at Berlin Tasting, Kai, which is native to Bordeaux, France, but is now Chile’s representative variety, and Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay made by Aconcagua Costa were provided.
First, a comparison of vintage 1990, 2010 and 2021 from the Don Maximiano Founders Reserve. In fact, it’s no different from the main character of the day.
Even if it was the same Don Maximiano, the taste and aroma could be slightly different depending on the grape quality and blending ratio of the year. The winery’s continuous pursuit of change to produce the best wine was felt.
The Don Maximiano Founders Reserve 1990 is made from 100 per cent cabernet sauvignon grown in the oldest compartment (Max I, II, V) of the Don Maximiano Vineyard in the Aconcagua Valley. It was also aged for 10 months in French oak barrels, and 40% used new oak.
Don Maximiano Founders Reserve 2010 is a wine blended with 78% cabernet sauvignon grown in Don Maximiano vineyards, 10% charmener, 7% petit verdo and 5% cabernet franc. It was aged for 22 months in French oak barrels, and 81% used new oakYes.
Don Maximiano Founders Reserve 2021 mixed 63% cabernet sauvignon, 22% Malbec, 8% Carmener, and 7% petite verdo grown in MAX vineyards (Max I, II, V) inland from the Aconcagua Valley. It was aged for 22 months in French oak barrels, and 70% used new oakYes.
Wine is often compared to a woman, but vintage 1990 is quite old, so it reminded me of a woman after middle age who can look at life in a contemplative way. You can feel leather, cigar boxes, and ripe red fruit scents on the nose, but overall, there were fewer powerful sides.
Vintage 2010 was the best ‘one pick’ of the day. I felt the woman of her heyday, who maintained the vitality of youth and at the same time had the maturity of time. In 2010, the average temperature was low, so the sprouting period and harvest were late, and ripening proceeded slowly and evenly in the mild temperature of March.
Vintage 2021 has reminded me of a high school girl in her late teens who is simply tireless and energetic. Blackberries and nutmeg scents poke the nose, and tannins are soft but young and powerful. It was a wine that made me wonder what new charm would be felt as time passed.
사진 확대 Don Maximiano Founders Reserve 1990, 2010, 2021 look. Reporter Ahn Byung-joon
“Kai 2013” and “Kai 2021” were also available on that day. Kai means “plant” in the Chilean native Mapuche language, reflecting this, the wine label has the characteristics of the autumn vine turning red.
Kai 2013 is a wine made by blending 90 per cent charmener, 7 per cent petit verdo and 3 per cent shira grown in the top compartment of MAX V vineyards in the Aconcagua Valley. It was aged for 22 months in French oak barrels, and 60% used new oak.
Kai 2021 mixed 85% Carmener, 11% Shira and 4% Malbec selected from MAX I and MAX V vineyards inland in the Aconcagua Valley. It was matured for 22 months in French oak barrels, and 60% of the time with new oak was the same as vintage 2013.
Nevertheless, the two wines showed off their different charms and personally, the vintage 2013 was more relatable.
“In the past, grapes were grown mainly in Cabernet Sauvignon, but after a long study, we found the clay soil and climate in the Aconcagua Valley to be optimal for Carmener cultivation and produced Kai,” Chadwick said.
Aconcagua Costa Sauvignon Blanc and Aconcagua Costa Chardonnay are made from grapes grown in the Aconcagua Costa Vineyard, 12 km from the Pacific Ocean. Aconcagua Costa Sauvignon Blanc 2023 features excellent acidity and minerality, and it is said that the winter precipitation was abundant, which gave the vineyard a good boost.
Aconcagua Costa Chardonnay 2023 features elegant and excellent acidity and minerality, and it is said that the balance between aging and acidity maintenance was good in the moderately late season. Both wines showed the characteristics of each grape variety, but were affected by slate-type soil, a volcanic metamorphic rock soil, and felt a mineral feeling.
Drinking wine reminded me of the saying that wine is made by adding the blessings of heaven, the grace of the earth, and the efforts of man. Humans are infinitely weak in the face of the power of nature, but I can’t help but admire their persistent determination to continue generations and make high-quality wine.