Chile’s Grapes & Terroir

PREVIOUS TASTINGS ARCHIVE – MARCH 2026

Is there more to Chilean wine than Carmenere and good value everyday bottles? This tasting seeks to answer that question with a resounding ‘yes’. We’ll explore some of Chile’s most interesting terroirs and it’s grape varieties old and new, through the wines of two prime estates.

Tom has been a regular visitor to both Argentina and Chile over the past 25 years and will lead a tasting that focuses on two estates: Errazuriz and Caliterra. Farming in the Colchagua, Aconcagua and Casablanca Valleys, both estates are renowed for precision viticulture and their eco credentials.

Caliterra derives its name from the Spanish calidad (quality) and tierra (land), combining a passion for viticulture and winemaking to produce environmentally friendly wines that reflect their terroir. We’ll taste a Sauvignon Blanc Reserva from the foggy, cool-climate coast of Casablanca, plus a Merlot Reserva from the Mediterranean climate enjoyed in the Colchagua Valley.

Errazuriz is one of the great names of Chilean fine wine, established by Don Maximiano Errazuriz in 1870. Errazuriz is led today by his descendent Eduardo Chadwick, who says: “Our challenge at Errazuriz is to produce world class wines that capture the essence of the grapes and the spirit of the soil. Tradition, innovation and visionary spirit has been our inspiration since the beginning.”

Focused on their home vineyards in the Aconcagua Valley, we’ll kick off with the Reserva Pinot Grigio, from vineyards 15 kilometres from the ocean, and the Aconcagua Cuveé Chardonnay, grown at some altitude. We then explore what Chile can do with Malbec, given the fame it has found across the Andes in Argentina, with the Estate Reserva bottling. We finish with a real treat: the ‘Max’ Cabernet Sauvignon. Max sits above ‘Gran Reserva’ in the Errazuriz portfolio and is labelled “The finest expression of the Aconcagua terroir.” A French oak-aged red, this is a wine of real quality.

The Wines

The six wines would normally cost £80.29 plus £12.50 delivery. Exclusively for this tasting they are offered for just £80 including UK mainland delivery. That’s a saving of £12.79.

The Tasting

This tasting runs over two sessions, from 7pm – 8:15pm each evening. The ticket price of £27.50 covers both sessions and is per household, not per person. We’ll open three wines each night, but they’ll drink just as well over the next couple of days so nothing is wasted. And of course, if you miss a live tasting session we’ll send you the video recording to taste along in your own time.