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About the Wine
The Mâconnais, Burgundy's southernmost region, is the gateway to the enchanting land of the world's finest Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Just last year one of the Mâconnais most prestigious sub-regions, Pouilly-Fuisse, had 22 individual vineyards receive official recognition as 1er cru or 'first-class' terroirs. But over the years, the vineyards have largely remained the same as this region continues to get overlooked for Bugundy's more premier appellations. In 2000, a wine aficionado, Sophie Cinier, with almost no winemaking experience took over her Grandmother's Mâconnais vineyards. Her grandparents had been involved in wine production since their vines were first planted in 1941. Since she took over, Sophie has become a White Burgundy wizard crafting some of the most impressive whites from this unheralded southern part of Burgundy.
There is a stunning range of different styles from her minuscule Domaine. Sophie maintains 9 1/2 acres of vineyards, a small amount even by Burgundy standards. Unlike large parts of the Mâconnais where machine harvesting is the norm, Sophie’s vineyards are entirely hand-harvested. Sophie is currently transitioning the vineyards to be fully organic. In a world where quality white burgundy seems so out of reach, Sophie Cinier, with her cape blowing in the wind, brings hope that you can find quality white burgundy at an affordable price.
Cinier's wines are unoaked, barrel-fermented, with little to no oak aging. There are no lees stirring, and with a touch of the fashionable reductive aromas so much in vogue. Her wines are rich with great purity and tension. Sophie creates one of the finest expressions of Chardonnay from the Mâconnais, ripe, full-flavored wines with exciting and bracing acidity.
Tasting Notes: 100% Chardonnay. Aromas of white flowers, lemon curd, fresh nuts, crushed stones. Plush, fruity, refined. Perfect alongside grilled chicken, soft-rind French cheeses, and sushi.
Reviews
NYR
About the Wine
Looking for that perfect quaffer to bring you back to the Mediterranean Sea? Look no further. The key here is that the wine is sourced from 30+ year old vines. You get a graceful wine that would normally sell for much more. Since BHW is a direct importer, our price here is unbeatable.
This wine has only four months in French oak barrels, and it is light, uplifting, and a joy to drink with tapas, light to medium weighted foods. It's perfect with B-B-Q too.
Tasting Notes: Very intense red-violet color. Aroma: notes of red and black fruit and spicy touches. On the palate: very fresh, complex and soft wine, with a long finish.
Blend: 60% Carignan, 35% Grenache Noir, 5% Syrah
Serve this wine with a light chill.
About the Wine
Viña Tabalí is located in the Limarí Valley in Chile, known to be one of the most promising Valleys in all of Chile. It’s worth noting that although BHW staff have tasted thousands of wine from Chile, we feature only a small handful that pass our stringent tasting panel.
This property originally founded by Guillermo Luksic is currently managed by his son Nicolás Luksic, and is constantly improving with new growth and innovation. “What we seek is to produce high-quality wines that demonstrate their origin, that when tasted, transfer the person to the soil and climate that characterizes the Tabalí vineyards. That was what my father always wanted to convey”, says Nicolás.
Tabalí has a strong focus on quality. The Winery is a small-scale, exclusive, family winery focused on details. It is built in such a way that the fruit and wine are transported by gravity. The winery aims to avoid any unnecessary pumping and relies on nature to do the work wherever possible.
Felipe Müller, Tabalí’s winemaker since 2006, was born and raised in Santiago, Chile’s capital. Today, at the age of 41, he is considered one of the country´s most influential and important winemakers.
In 2001 he joined Viña De Martino as the second winemaker, in charge of viticulture as well as the vinification for red and white wines. In this winery, he worked with winemaker Marcelo Retamal, and formed a bold and renowned "Wine Dupla". Together they discovered new wines, studied various valleys, regions of Chile, and vinify around 350 vineyards throughout the country.
Felipe harvested two famous Chateaux Grand Cru Classé in Saint Emilion, France: Chateau Canon La Gaffeliere and Chateau La Mondotte.
Felipe Müller was named ‘Best Winemaker of the Year’ in the sixteenth version of “Guía de Vinos de Chile 2010”, Chile’s oldest and most prestigious wine industry publication. This distinction was an important recognition for the enthusiasm, passion, and dedication he puts in crafting wines. “Wine is my passion and an important part of my life. I feel capable of leveraging the knowledge I’ve built throughout these many years", says Felipe.
In the year 2011, Felipe was appointed Manager Director, keeping his position as Chief Winemaker. From then Felipe was not only responsible for the quality of the wines but also for the global strategy of the company.
In January 2014 Felipe Müller was chosen ‘Best Young Winemaker’ (next to Aurelio Montes who was chosen Best Senior Winemaker).
The grape to produce 2017 Tabali Malbec-Cabernet Franc Vetas Blancas comes from El Espinal vineyard, in the coastal area of the Valley. This vineyard is located in the oldest alluvial terrace in the coastal sector of the Limarí Valley. With a cool climate, alluvial soils, and volcanic rock compounds, the terroir of this area is ideal for producing high-end wines.
2017 Tabali Malbec-Cabernet Franc Vetas Blancas is aged in 100% French Oak Barrels for 14 months.
Tasting Notes: 60% Malbec, 40% Cabernet Franc. Deep red color. Elegant on the nose, with aromas of red fruits such as blueberries, cherries, floral and spicy notes. Great structure on the palate, firm tannins, and perfect balance. Pair this wine with a nice grilled burger or pasta.
Reviews
The 2017 Vetas Blancas Malbec-Cabernet Franc is a new red blend in the Vetas Blancas range that is made with a combination of grapes that is getting very popular across the Andes in Argentina. It was produced with grapes from their El Espinal vineyard in Limarí, a blend of 60% Malbec and 40% Cabernet Franc. It's very impressive and really integrated, with the two grapes complementing each other and coming through as harmonious and with very good freshness, combining power and elegance. It's floral and spicy, with fine tannins and a dry, serious finish. It seems to transcend the vintage and the price point. Great value. 9,000 bottles were filled in August 2019. ~ 92 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate
Violet-like flowers and forest leaves shroud fresh red berries in attractive and fragrant style, leading to a smooth, supple palate with glossy dark berries and a very smooth, finely chalky tannin texture. This is very drinkable! ~ 92 James Suckling
About the Wine
The Talinay Vineyard is located in the Limarí Valley, very close to the Pacific Ocean. The combination of the sea breeze, the very cool temperature and the calcareous soil composed of limestone allows for paradisiacal conditions for the vine and resulting in lovely wines!
Tabalí has a strong focus in quality. The Winery is a small-scale, exclusive, family winery focused on detail. It is built in such a way that the fruit and wine are transported by gravity. The winery aims to avoid any unnecessary pumping and relies on nature to do the work where possible.
Felipe Müller, Tabalí’s winemaker since 2006, was born and raised in Santiago, Chile’s capital. Today, at the age of 41, he is considered one of the country´s most influential and important winemakers.
In 2001 he joined Viña De Martino as the second winemaker, in charge of viticulture as well as the vinification for red and white wines. In this winery, he worked with winemaker Marcelo Retamal, and formed a bold and renowned "Wine Dupla". Together they discovered new wines, studied various valleys and regions of Chile and vinificated around 350 vineyards throughout the country.
Felipe harvested two famous Chateaux Grand Cru Classé in Saint Emilion, France: Chateau Canon La Gaffeliere and Chateau La Mondotte.
Felipe Müller was named ‘Best Winemaker of the Year’ in the sixteenth version of “Guía de Vinos de Chile 2010”, Chile’s oldest and most prestigious wine industry publication. This distinction was an important recognition for the enthusiasm, passion and dedication he puts in crafting wines. “Wine is my passion and an important part of my life. I feel capable of leveraging the knowledge I’ve built throughout these many years", says Felipe.
In the year 2011, Felipe was appointed Manager Director, keeping his position as Chief Winemaker. From then Felipe was not only responsible for the quality of the wines but also for the global strategy of the company.
In January 2014 Felipe Müller was chosen ‘Best Young Winemaker’ (next to Aurelio Montes who was chosen Best Senior Winemaker).
2019 Tabali Talinay Chardonnay is barrel fermented followed by a 10-month barrel aging. The French oak barrels comes from very exclusive forests as Jupille, Fontainbleau, Bertrange, Troncais and Allier.
Tasting Notes: 100% Chardonnay. Pale-yellow color. Fresh aromas of ripe white fruits, hints of herbs. Crispy acidity, balanced and vibrant on the palate, firm tannins and a great minerality, long and elegant finish. Pair this wine with salmon, tuna, chicken, pork and semi-hard cheeses.
~ 96 Tim Atkin
The 2019 Talinay Chardonnay comes from the Talinay vineyard with pure limestone soils, looking for the finesse and elegance of the variety. It is pure and varietal with a vertical palate and an almost-salty finish. It's made with the oldest Chardonnay planted in Talinay in 2006 on cool slopes rich in limestone and with a notable exposure to the wind. The full clusters were pressed and the juice let to decant for 18 hours, and then it fermented in used barriques with native yeasts. It matured in barrel for 10 months. This sets the style for the whites from the year—very good freshness, purity and varietal character. This has very integrated oak and a vibrant and sharp palate with a salty finish, saltier than ever. It has the precision of Talinay, especially for the whites, combining structure with freshness and consistency year after year. 12,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in December 2019.~ 94 Robert Parker
I tasted this wine when it was recently bottled, and it was already showing off its pedigree. Made with grapes from the Talinay vineyard on the Limarí coast, this Chardonnay is planted on granite soils with seams of limestone. Pressed with whole bunches to adjust the palate, it is a greenish-yellow wine with a nose of green apple, fennel, yeast and honey, along with a hint of yellow corn. All together, it is surprisingly understated, underlined by the cedar wood. Light in the mouth with a terse texture and significant acidity, this is an interesting Chilean exercise in balancing tension and volume. ~ 92 Vinous
Aromas of ripe peaches and baked pear pastry lead to a palate that has a gently salty edge with bright, tangy fruit and smooth, pastry-like resolve. Drink or hold. ~ 91 James Suckling
