December, 2011.-

Michael Schachner, the expert on Chilean wines of this prestigious publication, made a complete analysis of San Pedro’s evolution, declaring that “today’s San Pedro is not the same of our parents”, highlighting from the title down, that this winery has achieved a notable reinvention, a “renaissance”, and stands out currently for its commitment to talent and the exploration of new wine-regions.

On this path, Schachner stresses the engagement of Marco Puyo, “one of Chile’s most innovative and skilled winemakers” in charge of its high-end wines; the addition of a forward-thinking executive, as Javier Bitar, to run VSPT, and the assignment of other winemaking talents to each of its mayor wine lines, to improve consistency and quality.  This added to the fact of stepping from exclusively source its wines from its main vineyard in Curicó, to count with over 3,500acres along the country, from northern Elqui Valley, to southernmost Bío-Bío, thanks to an eagerness to explore new emergent winegrowing zones.

Additionally, the expert notes that this winery has entered into the field of organic wines and adopted green and sustainable viticulture and production practices.

“San Pedro’s reputation, now tied to high-end wines from all of Chile as much as GatoNegro, has never been stronger”, concludes Schachner, adding it is due to this reason he congratulates this winery as New World Winery of year 2011.

May, 2011.-

This is why, Cabo de Hornos’ vertical tasting made with experts of the Chilean press a couple of weeks ago in our Winery at Molina, which included its first vintage, year ’94, besides the harvests ’97, ’99, ’01, ’03 and the one currently on the market, the 2006, captivated the critics’ attention and already one of them published his impressions.

It was, Daniel Greve, food&wine journalist, member of the Chilean Gourmet Journalist’s Association and from the Federation Internationale des Journalistes et Ecrivans des Vins, FIJEV. He is editor and collaborator of several local and international specialized media, jury in wine concourses and guides. Host of TV gourmet spaces, such as Wine Bar at Elgourmet.com channel and now, his program CoBe [Comer, Beber] (Eat & Drink), which counts its third season on 13Cable channel, along its parallel magazine, CoBe {mag].

He is currently in charge of the Gourmet section of prestigious Chilean magazine Qué Pasa, from newspaper La Tercera, where he just featured his experience tasting Cabo de Hornos in vertical:

“If you had the chance to taste several years of Cabo de Hornos, San Pedro’s icon wine, you would realize that its vintage 1994 is still standing, with an elegant and subtle profile, and that years such as 1997 and 2001 are hits, rounded versions. Also, that 2006, the one current, is among the best this winery has managed –states Greve–. This is an elegant wine, but very savory, spicy, complex, which unveils through layers: black fruit, tobacco, spices. Little by little, and from everything a little bit.”

(find the note at: http://www.quepasa.cl/articulo/guia-del-ocio/2011/05/11-5680-9-gourmet-el-mejor-momento-de-borago.shtml )

Cabo de Hornos, a wine for connoisseurs!

April 2011.-

The Guest House of Viña San Pedro is an example of how to turn a tragedy into an opportunity and an exemplification of the recovery ability of our architectural heritage.

The specialized “Vivienda y Decoración” (“Housing and Decoration”) magazine that comes along with the El Mercurio newspaper, recently published a report entitled “Rest among the Grapevines”, where the reconstruction process of our Guest House is explained, highlighting the commitment and hard work carried out by the professionals in charge of this labor.

Undoubtedly, a worthwhile effort, since the place is now particularly cozy and attractive, specially designed to receive our clients and visitors in the best of ways.

January, 2011.-  San Pedro’s

On one hand, renowned wine-writer Anthony Gismondi, from newspaper Vancouver Sun, the largest one in that city, rated 35°South with 87 points and qualified it as a “Crazy Value”, this means, that its quality-price ratio is barely insane.

On his article entitled “Good wines at good prices will sell food”, Gismondi recommends six wines, from France, Italy, California, Chile and Argentina, which restaurants should offer on their wine lists in order to “change the way people think about the food and wine experience in their locals”, highlighting in his list a wine they have to have: “a crazy value red and that’s San Pedro 35°South Reserva Shiraz 2009, from Chile. Soft, fresh, round, dry palate with black cherry, licorice, peppery, blueberry, smoky, gamy, savoury flavours.  This will be gone before you can get the food on the table. Price it at  CAD$ 28.00 and sell two for dinner”.

At the same zone, but on the newspaper Courier-Islander,  wine-critic Doug Sloan, wrote an interesting list aimed at accompanying these days, when all years end celebrations have been and gone, and there are only bills to pay left. In his article “Excellent wines for CAD$ 8.99 and even less….” his list includes some examples stemming from California, Italy, local Canada, Argentina and Chile, country from which he highlights our GatoNegro, describing “a light bodied and tropically inflected Sauvignon Blanc –think mango and pineapple–, and a more medium bodied Cabernet Sauvignon, subtle and smooth and restrained blackcurrant aromas and flavours and very gentle ‘bite-free’ tannins”.

Two very important reviews to help promote San Pedro’s brands this year 2011 in North America!

January, 2011.-

“Time’s running out. Liquor stores will be zoos today. And you’ve still got lots of other stuff to do… so let’s make it simple and easy”, kick-starts Kislenko’s report.

On his note entitled, “12 bargain wines for Christmas Eve shoppers” published on the Guelph Mercury, the expert recommended six whites and six reds, all present at LCBO stores and which shouldn’t be missed by people with behind schedule shops, for over the holiday weekend. His list included four Italian wines, two Spanish ones, one from Hungary, another from Argentina and other two Chileans besides our 35°South, in its varieties Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon, which were the only two highlighted wines above CAD$10 a bottle.

In Kislenko’s words:

- 35°South Reserva Sauvignon Blanc, “from the same people who make the stalwart GatoNegro wines in Chile, with vineyards located at roughly 35 degrees south. This is a supple Sauvignon Blanc that offers balanced fruit and acidity, a crisp style, and flavors of grapefruit, limes, cooked gooseberries”.

- 35°South Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon, “the twin of the above. Nice concentration and flavor range here –black currants, black cherries, elderberries, and licorice, with ripe and well integrated tannin”.

The Guelph Mercury is one of the 103 newspapers published by the Metroland Media Group, which is in turn a subsidiary of Torstar Corporation, owner among other things of the Toronto Star, Canada’s largest daily newspaper.

December, 2010.-

Extracted from the tasting, carried out in May this year, with 683 Chilean wines in total, expert Jay Miller, who rates the wines stemming from Chile, Argentina, Australia, Spain, Oregon and Washington in the United States, for Parker, has just released his ranking last week.

According to Miller’s review, the 2007 Kankana del Elqui, “surrenders an enticing nose of smoke, game, pepper, lavender, blueberry, and blackberry. Medium-to full-bodied, on the palate, it has excellent depth, succulent fruit, and a lengthy, pure finish. It will benefit from 2-3 years of cellaring and deliver pleasure through 2020”.

Regarding the 2007 Tierras Moradas, the expert highlights that it, “exhibits a nose of exotic spices, mineral, herbs, lavender, blueberry, and black cherry. Dense, rich, and balanced on the palate, this tasty effort will evolve for 2-3 years and provide pleasure from 2012 through 2019”.

Excellent qualities highlighted, and a very long life forecasted for our wines, by some of the most influential critics in the global wine-industry!

November, 2010.-

On the first hand, 2010 Castillo de Molina Sauvignon Blanc Elqui reached the best possible score in an article published by Svenska Dagbladet, Sweden’s largest morning newspaper. In its note entitled “Wine Duell”, renowned Swedish experts, Jens Dolk and Mikael Mölnstad, presented their favorites for these Christmas and

New Year’s Eve celebrations, bestowing it  6 points and qualifying it as a wine of “complete perfection”.

We are also glad to add some great news for other varieties as well, within two of the most prestigious specialized publications in the US:

-          2008 Castillo de Molina Pinot Noir will be featured with 87 points and as Best Buy in Wine Enthusiast’s Buying Guide issued on December 31^st.

-          2008 Castillo de Molina Shiraz will appear ranked with 87 points in this November 30^th edition of Wine Spectator.

These acknowledgements demonstrate that the search for new and superior origins for our Castillo de Molina wines is always for the best, and that its broad array of varieties offers a whole quality world where to choose from!

September 2010.-

In his review about our wine, James Molesworth, the specialized magazine’s expert, highlighted its “broad, muscular style, with cocoa and black currant paste notes, followed by fleshy fig, loam and tar. Yet stays fresh, with a lingering tobacco note and nice latent grip”.

A new acknowledgement to the terroirs of our line 1865, that adds to the 90 points awarded by Wine Spectator on its May edition to 1865 Limited Edition Syrah 2007 –which also attained 5 stars in English magazine Decanter, in June–, and also is added to the 90 points scored by 1865 Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2009 on Wine Enthusiast Magazine, in July.

June, 2010.-

Susan Sterling, renowned hostess of the innovative web-show The Naked Wine Show, reviewed GatoNegro Sauvignon Blanc 2009, as follows:

“It’s Wednesday night, friends just showed up and you wanna have a party. What do you need? Fun, fresh, fabulous wines! …In a screw-cup so you don’t have to do  a whole lot of work.

This is GatoNegro Sauvignon Blanc, out of Chile. They make lots of Sauvignon Blanc in Chile, ‘cause they do it really, really well.

So, into the glass we go….very pale wine. Really intense nose, lemon, lime, slate, grass, herbs. A little tarragon.  Fun and fresh. Just what you’re looking for in a party-wine.

Again, I get that crispy, grassy note, a bit of lemon-lime. So this is terrific, maybe a little shrimp-platter, sitting around, shooting the breeze with your girls…..Happy sipping!”

Every week, Susan gives tasting notes, price points, food pairings, scores and more on The Naked Wine Show, which can be watched weekly on the Internet, or subscribed in iTunes. Her goal is to help people making an informed purchase. Sterling completed her WSET Diploma in January of 2007 and besides her media-linked job, she works in sales for Andrew Peller Limited, company that produces and markets wine products and other beverages in Canada.

Get the whole video-review at: http://www.blip.tv/file/3481703 and also,

watch it on YouTube at:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CI1dA0l3×6k

May, 2010.-

This time, the renowned wine-publication highlights on the Buying Guide of its July issue San Pedro’s wine 1865 Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2009, made of grapes grown at the refreshing Leyda Valley, scoring it with 90 points, what is equivalent to qualify this wine as excellent and highly recommendable.

According to the magazine’s review, “nettle, citrus, green herb and mineral aromas announce its coastal SB roots, while the juicy citrus and stony mineral quality are just what they should be. There’s even some tarragon and juniper in the mix. Really good Chilean Sauvignon Blanc that is improving year after year since debuting in 2007.”

This wine is the third vintage since San Pedro’s Premium brand 1865 Single Vineyard began to include a white vine into its range. It is elaborated from the finest Sauvignon Blanc grapes planted in the Leyda Valley, only 4km away from the Pacific Ocean, being one of the vineyards located closest to the sea in Chile, what allows its grapes to ripen very slowly and acquire a notable and unique mineral-salty character and elegance.

Without any doubt, an origin to keep in mind: Las Gaviotas Vineyard!