For this week's featured wines we turn to South America. From Mendoza, Argentina, a wine with rapidly growing popularity, Torrontés, and from Casablanca Valley, Chile, Reserve Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

Grab your favorite wine tasting glass and join us on Friday evening from 5-8 as we welcome our "Chilean connection", making a personal appearance, right here at Roget's, Señor Rodrigo Ramis of International Wine & Spirits, who'll pour samples of these tasty treats and help explain each wine.  I, Oviedo's own Monsieur Roget, will do the honors on Saturday from 1-5.

 

Our Featured Wines of the Week from South America

 

Finca La Linda Torrontés Mendoza, Argentina $12.99

The first grape that comes to mind when most wine drinkers think of Argentina is Malbec, which is a understandable, because they make the world's best Malbec.  Torrontés is a white grape, and soon, most people will be as aware of it as they are of Malbec today. Torrontés has a nice sweet aroma of honey, orange blossoms and lavender and is followed by a nice fruity (peachy, apricot) taste along with some tartness of green apples. The wine has great acidity and would go well with most white meats, seafood or even a spicy Indian or Asian dish. A wonderful warm weather thirst quencher!

 

Casas del Bosque Sauvignon Blanc  Casablanca Valley, Chile $11.99

This wine really turned us on to Chilean Sauvignon Blanc! We've carried it for 3 years and it continuously outsells all the others because of it's crisp, refreshing aromas and flavors and it's outstanding quality. For the new 2008 vintage, the winery has updated the label and produced a wine to make it a front runner where ever it's sold. Crisp and refreshing, showing lemon and grapefruit, this is a wine with powerful aromatic expression, delicious, natural acidity and a long finish. All in all, a great wine!

Wine & Spirits Magazine Rating "90", Wine Enthusiast Magazine Rating "86-Best Buy"

 

Casas del Bosque Merlot Casablanca Valley, Chile $11.99
The nose shows typical Merlot aromas of plums and blackberries, complemented by spices. It’s flavor is a great companion of meals, because of it’s structure, good presence of tannins and a very pleasant natural acidity. Italian food is a great pairing for this wine.

Casas del Bosque Cabernet Sauvignon Casablanca Valley, Chile $11.99

A nose is of red cherry fruit mixed with notes of vanilla from barrel aging. The palate has smooth and round tannins with mid to heavy body. The lingering finish confirms cherry and mint with notes of tobacco and smoke also from having spent 9 months in oak.