De Martino Organic Wines of Chile

This particular wine tasting came about as a result of my new relationship with Snooth as well as my friendship with fellow blogger and journalist extraordinaire Susannah Gold, who was working with Opici, importer of these wines to the United States. Somehow, I ended up with a double set of samples. This happens occasionally, and I tend to assuage any Presbyterian guilt by giving away the extra bottles as gifts to friends and family. I happen to have a couple of neighbors from Chile that are pretty friendly, and even friendlier when I can pass them some bottles of Chilean wine. Nothing makes me happier than taking the gentle suburban nod at the mailbox to the next level.

We're talking here about the organic Chilean wines of De Martino, tasted online with the folks from Snooth, the winemakers, a bunch of my buddies from the weekend in NYC, and other wine bloggers that I have yet to meet in person.

2012 De Martino Estate Sauvignon Blanc
Maipo Valley, Chile
100% Sauvignon Blanc
$14, 13.5% abv.

Light nose of lemongrass and grapefruit pith. Very mild body with balanced acidity and a brief finish. If there was ever a wine made to go along with raw fish, this is it. I enjoyed it with some salmon and tuna sashimi, and the wasabi didn't diminish any of the flavors.

2011 De Martino Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
Maipo Valley, Chile
100% Cabernet Sauvignon
$14, 13.5% abv.

For a bargain cab sav, this one is quite gentle and restrained with mild red cherry notes and low tannins. I'd suggest pairing this with roast pork and grilled vegetables.

2011 De Martino Estate Carménère
Maipo Valley, Chile
100% Carménère
$14, 13.5% abv.

Classic Carménère profile with heavy green bell pepper and meaty aromas, elements of leather and coffee. Once again, a good bargain, and strongly recommended with steak. I'm thinking a good, heavily seasoned New York strip grilled over fire with some chimichurri sauce on the side.

2010 De Martino Reserva Legado Cabernet Sauvignon-Malbec
Maipo Valley, Chile
$18, 13.5% abv.

This one was a lot of fun, with what I often think of as a "cherry pie" note: bright red cherries, toasty pie crust, and a creamy, mellow finish. That's not to imply that it's sweet, but whenever I encounter that particular combination it makes me smile. Definitely a testament to good blending. As is often the case, for this wine I don't have a specific food pairing but will instead say that it's a better match for a good book or a sentimental movie.

Note: These wines were received as samples.