Swirl Wine Club November Wines

So we all know that Chile is hot right now - producing some great wines and exceptional value. Everyone is drinking Chilean wine but have you had any from the Northern most Viticultural areas? Here lies the Limari Valley. This is a great area and we have selected Tabali wines for this months club. It is one of six main winery's in Limari and is producting fantastic wines that are now getting a lot of attention world wide but have yet to find their way to the Twin Cities... until now. The wines are fantastic and the area is very unique. The vines are planted in the oldest alluvial terrace of the Limarí river, just 18 miles from the Pacific Ocean. These Pacific breezes cool the area and make it ideal for the vineyards. The soil profile is very unique to Chile with a mix a gravels of different sizes, clay and sand, with high concentrations of active calcium carbonates (limestone) and different types of salt, due to the very little amount of rainfall. These Chilean wines are also unique in that many can and perhaps should be tucked away in the cellar for a little longer. We think you're going to love these wines. Viva Limari and Enjoy!


2008 Tabali Reserva Carmenere - $24.99
(Limari Valley, Chile)

Dave’s one word descriptive: Wow, Spicy, Chocolate, Oak, Smokey, Smooth, Complex, Intense, Finally, Quality, Rock-n-Roll… ok, that’s more than one word J This 2008 Carmenere is concentrated and spicy, like bang-on a tenner; perfect for Fridays, or if you fancy a treat on Tuesday! The color really tells the tail: insane jet black with purple haze. Old world French - Truffles, mushroom, tea leaves and green tomato aromas are evident on the nose, along with the obvious black fruit and chocolate combined with a slight medium toast from barrel. Wow… I LOVE this wine. The palate prances with smoky notes, black fruit, mocha and vanilla from the use of French and American barrels for 12 months… Perfect integration between oak and fruit. Tannins are smooth and juicy, providing a fine long finish. NOTE: Decant or let breath awhile. This wine opens up even more over time and really evolves. Can’t get over it… I love this wine… it will be even better after 3 – 5 years in the cellar.


2009 Tabali Sauvignon Blanc - $16.99
(Limari Valley, Chile)

Incredibly light and refreshing, I am betting this 2009 Sauvignon Blanc will be a big hit! … Parker’s Wine Advocate agrees, giving 90 points! The nose is very elegant with obvious citrus notes, passion fruit and fresh grassy aromas. I love the volume on the front palate with light, fresh grapefruit, steely and mineral – limestone influence. It leads to a lively middle that is crisp and refreshing with a balanced acidity. This wine really stands out on it’s own as a sexy and smooth Sauv Blanc but also a fantastic food wine. On the finish, it dances vibrant and full of life. The wine again is really fresh, crisp and light tying the fruit together very well with a fantastic finish that lingers playfully with elegance and grace. This most northerly Chilean area is both unique and mystical as is this Sauv. Blanc. Enjoy! We think you’re going to LOVE it!


2008 Tabali Reserva Syrah - $19.99
(Limari Valley, Chile)

This reserve 2008 is 100% Syrah from the Limari Valley and should get your attention…. It’s big overall and certainly not your grand mothers boxed Shiraz. The wine is revealed in part at sight: Deep red with black Amherst at the core and throughout with violet showing through. Likewise, decant this wine or otherwise let it breathe. If you can, you want to cellar this for another couple years (up to 5) if you can bear the wait… it definitely has very good ageing potential. Want to drink now? I don’t blame you and I think you will likeJ The nose is as attractive as it is intense, with plumb, black cherry, white pepper, asparagus and herbaceous notes intermingled with all the deep red fruit. This wine is 14.5% alcohol and has a big jammy mouth feel with that deep red fruit and a little spice showing through on the approach. The middle is fat with more dark cherry, leather, smoke, oaky complexity and youthful chocolaty tannins. I think the finish is the best part : 12 months in French barrel shows through with good structure and a remarkably long finish.


2008 Tabali Reserva Pinot Noir - $19.99
(Limari Valley, Chile)

Unlike some 2008 Pinots you may want to wait a year before releasing the cork and raising the glass. Regardless, definitely decant and let it rest for an hour. Steven Tanzer gives this 88 points and it’s certainly worthy of that - Intense and elegant to the nose, with earthliness; red currant and strawberry are definitely highlighted. I love the explosion of sweet red fruit on the front with figs and plumb. The mouth feel is rich and round, full of cherry and raspberry with soft spices and nice acidity overall. The middle shows its soft tannins mixed with toasty hints that arise from being aged for 9 months in French oak barrels making it a round lingering finish wine with medium persistency.