Wine52 Case Review: Curico Valley

The latest case from Wine52 was a good one, showcasing the Curico Valley region of Chile. It did very well with diversity, featuring the signature Chilean Carménère variety, a surprise Riesling and an inky Cabernet Sauvignon.

The Curico Valley is a diverse region with a large variety of soils and climates. The central part of the valley is warm and fertile allowing it to comfortably grow a wide range of grape varieties with relative ease. As a result, the wines have gained a reputation for being reliable and good everyday wines. It’s hard to beat a solid go-to!

The Wine52 wines were exactly this, although as I’ve already half-mentioned, did a fantastic job in bringing out wines that really spoke of provenance, namely with the Carménère and Riesling. So, how were the wines?

The Wine Reviews

La Lluvia Persisteby Riesling by Vina Aresti

This wine was distinctly Riesling displaying an intense and vibrant nature. It had lemon and lime in abundance which was backed up by bracing acidity adding to the freshness. It wasn’t a one trick pony however. This refreshing palate was given additional depth by tropical fruit notes - Think pineapple and ripe peach. These really helped add some weight and complexity which smoothed the palate and worked well with the zesty notes.

Las Palomitas Sauvignon Blanc by Vina Aresti

Similarly to the Riesling, this is bright and vibrant displaying some vivid, citrus heavy flavours. Mellowing these is a more herbaceous element and even a little minerality. The classic lemon, lime, gooseberry and passionfruit all kick things off, but a nice grapefruit note helps offset these which I usually find overbearing in Sauvignon. This is further helped by the herbaceous grassy flavours. It’s light, lively and pure with some good depth.

Follaje Cabernet Sauvignon by Vina Aresti

This I suspect came from the warmest part of the warm valley floor. It is soft, supple and ripe in nature indicating a lot of sun. The flavours are well rounded with plenty of black fruit on display from blackberry, to blackcurrant to plum. It is smooth, relatively low in acidity (which will definitely appeal to some), well-structured and with a juicy finish.

Nido de Parra Carménère by Vina Santa Julia

I was glad to see this as it would have been disappointing not to have Chile’s signature red variety on offer. Wine52 are thankfully quite good at really exploring a region and country properly.

You’ll first be greeted with sweet aromas of black cherries and black plums, presenting a nice dark fruit medley to kick things off. A little raspberry note also comes into the mix. This then is complemented by added depth from a herbaceous green bell pepper note. Might sound funny to some, but green bell pepper is a genuine aroma often associated with this grape! And these finally cede to more savoury undertones with chocolate and earthy notes. A delicious wine and a little different from the usual you may have tried.

Overall, Wine52 are great at exploring regions both obscure and better known. They provide great diversity, good value and delicious wines to keep your rack fresh and interesting. This case from the Curico Valley did just that!