Today we were at Black+Blue for a lunch featuring Chilean wines. This was an intimate affair held while the restaurant was closed. We were seated on the second floor, by the windows and had the quiet or the entire restaurant surrounding us.
Today’s visiting winemaker was a younger fellow and was asked what he would be bringing to Viña Errázuriz, a winery with an over 150 year old history. His response was innovation and a different perspective. He specifically gave the example of breaking the myth that using technology will sacrifice the quality of wine. Therefore he is focusing on their young wines and what they can become with an open mind.
Our lunch began with education. We learned about the geography of Chile. How it is surrounded by dry desserts, is mountainous, and is an island in the Pacific Ocean that separates them from the rest of the continent. All this undoubtedly affects the grapes they grow.
The Andes and coastal mountain ranges collide North to South, creating many valleys that intersect. The winery has done the work to learn what grapes are expressed best in each valley. For example the Central Valley is warmer and drier, making it more appropriate for red grapes like Malbec and Syrah.
The really cold sea brings chilling breezes that creates humidity with fog and clouds. All this creates a fresh climate perfect for white grapes like Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, which is what we would be starting with.
This was an example of how their smaller territory lends itself with different climates to grow a good variety of grapes. The goal for today was to show Chile’s potential for high end wines.
This was my first time learning about how when it comes to high end wines grapes undergo a cooling system, and how that translates to quality wine. Basically grapes are made out of cells and as they ripen they need energy. When their temperature rises they need to eat faster, feeding on sugar and organic acids. Ripening drops the acidity. Here, a balance is critical for taste and expression of colour, plus aging potential.
The more sunlight, the more aromatic the grapes become with a fresher and more distinct citrus profile. Not too tropical or intense, but elegant and subtle like with the 2023 Aconcagua Costa Sauvignon Blanc. This was on the savoury side, and reminded me of fermented plum. Its bits of saltiness excited the mouth, watering it and adding a juicy quality to it.
This was a parallel to our amuse bouche of East Coast Oyster, with Green Grape-Citrus Emulsion, and Cilantro Oil. The wine was gentle enough to not distract from the flavour of the oyster. Its green grape and citrus flavour was similarly found in the wine. This was a fantastic start and a true testament to the Chef, expertly highlighting the wine through his food.
Our next wine was La Cumbre, which translates to “hill top”. This was a small release product with only 350 cases, meaning only a few markets get a chance to try this. This was an example of the winery focusing on their new and young wines, trying to do new things even if it is not easy. They have installed a new irrigation system and have their first block of Syrah, which has ripen well and easy in many places. They don’t usually feature it as a single varietal, it is usually used in blending.
The cool breezes mentioned above, gives this wine good aging potential. Its distinct colour makes this expression so different. It is a full bodied wine with gentle tannins. Its backbone of acidity is the first and the last thing you taste. Spicy on nose with a fruit expression, plus a lovely pepperiness to match with the coarse black pepper in tartare pairing below.
They make many of these blends every year, where 2019 is said to be the best expression as it was a slightly warmer year, giving the wine a floral freshness with structure. This well washed the density of the tartare, with its acidity adding spice to the meat.
Steak Tartare with Smoked Merken Oil, Cured Egg Yolk, Pickled Shallot, and Toasted Marrow Bread. This was a good portion. More bread than meat, should you need it. Heavy alone, but the wine helped to add some levity.
Kai 2016 was our second course wine. Chile is known for their Carménère grapes. They don’t have rain during the season, therefore spring and summer offers a healthy environment for these grapes to ripen. They are able to take their time, balancing notes of kerosene.
With this they are focused on acidity, which means they need direct sunlight. They prune to thin the canopy, only allowing for a single layer of leaf cover, and not too much shade. The wine has a distinctiveness of black pepper on the nose, followed by notes of green olives, spicy paprika, toasted coffee beans, and jalapeño.
This was paired with a Charcoal-Seared Lamb Loin Skewer with Aj Amarillo-Miso Glaze, Rosemary Crumble, and Crispy Black Olive Crumb. The lamb was zesty and seasoned bold, the wine becomes a wash for it. Alone the wine felt like it was missing something, having it with the red meat here completes it.
Our third wine was a 2018 Don Maximiano, a special one for Chile, and our winemaker declared it as an interesting wine to make, as the winery’s flagship. This they hailed their founding father of high end wines, with the longest history and the greatest aging potential. The winery has a bottle from 1960, their first vintage was 1983. They have since kept every vintage to follow. This well showcases the aging potential of Chile, as a country not recognized for the production of aged wines. Our host was the fifth wine maker making this, so being able to go back and taste the previous bottles is instrumental in capturing its essence for the wine’s legacy to come.
It is a balance between freshness and over ripeness, juicy and fruity on the nose. Between 2018 and 2021 was deemed the best. This was elegant in the mouth with flavours of graphite, cassis, and florals notes that are not as intense as they may have been 2 years before.
The wine was a lovely companion for the incredibly tender beef. Red Wine-Glazed Short Rib with Black Garlic Puree, Smoked Carrot, Crispy Garlic, and Red Wine Jus. Compared to the meat above it was so easy to cut through, and as soft as its carrot sides. A flavour bold enough to keep up with the wine, but still carry its own.
For dessert we had Viña Errázuriz’s Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc 2023. This is 100% Sauvignon Blanc from 12km off the coast, aged 12 months in oak barrels. It was not too sweet, the tartness of the tart below helped to lessen this even more.
Passionfruit and Honey Tart with Vanilla Ice Cream, Toasted Quinoa Crunch, and Citrus Zest a lovely gentle end to such a rich and meaty meal.
In short, this was a nice way to discover the ageing capability of Chilean wines. Where they are normally known for being lively and playful, making them very easy drinking.
Black & Blue
1032 Alberni St 3rd floor, Vancouver, BC V6E 1A3
(604) 637-0777
blackandbluesteakhouse.ca/vancouver-home/
