The last time I saw Alvaro Espinoza, Chile’s leading organic winemaker landed me in a mountain of steaming dung on the estate where he makes Emiliana’s wines in Chile’s Colchagua Valley. I can’t imagine it was on purpose because his four-wheel drive had to be pulled out by a tractor. I wondered if Charles and Camilla might suffer a similar fate when they stepped on Viñedos Emiliana Organicos’ sod (the vineyard, that is) in Casablanca recently. No such luck. Pictures showed a buttoned-up Prince and well-coiffed Duchess shaking hands with the charismatic winemaker for whom a tie had apparently been purchased to wear for probably the first and last time. ‘I’m now monarchist and Anglican’ (sic), he told me afterwards, presumably having refrained from sharing the earthier bits of his sense of humour with the Duchess.

Alvaro meets and greets

Espinoza has been one of the leading proponents of sustainable vineyard methods in Chile, having latterly applied his skills to the production of a powerfully rich and spicy syrah like the 2007 Novas Syrah Winemaker’s Selection Syrah, £9.99, virginwines.com, in the cool Casablanca Valley. Syrah is Chile’s latest Big Thing. From a standing start of just 19 hectares in 1996, the ‘English of South America’ have finally discovered that syrah, aka shiraz, is potentially as well if not better suited to the granitic soils and oceanic climatic conditions of this long thin chilli pepper strip of a country as its more established reds of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and carmenère. Today, there are more than 3000 hectares of a grape which Chileans still can’t decide whether to call syrah or shiraz. So they compromise by doing both, as much for marketing as stylistic reasons.

History tells us that the map of France’s Rhône Valley is well mapped out, syrah becoming more elegant and spicy the further north it’s planted. Australia too is well down the road of stylistic discovery, with the more elegantly peppery shiraz from cooler Victoria and the more powerful, chocolate and blackberry-rich styles from further south. Chile is just embarking on this voyage, but what’s already emerging is a similar division based on climate between elegance and spiciness in the cooler, Pacific-influenced valleys of San Antonio, Casablanca, Limarí and Elqui and bigger, richer styles from warmer Colchagua, Cachapoal and Aconcagua. You’ll find a typical contrast in the spicy Crozes-Hermitage-like Maycas del Limarí Reserva Especial Syrah, £12.49, Majestic, on the one hand and the sweetly black-fruited 2007 Errazuriz Max Reserva Syrah, Aconcagua, £9.99, Wine Rack, Majestic, on the other.

syrah in Errazuriz' Aconcagua vineyards

My current preference is for the more elegant northern Rhône styles emerging of which the pepper-infused aromatic 2006 Matetic Syrah, San Antonio Valley, around £18, Genesis Wines (020 7963 9062), Majestic, Stone, Vine & Sun (01962 712351) The Wine Society, boasts a seamless Hermitage-like majesty. Its baby brother, the 2006 Matetic Coralillo Syrah, £12.49, buy two = £9.99, Majestic, 3 for £30, Oddbins, offers a glimpse of the violety aromas and spicy blackberry fruit textures of its elder sibling. Elqui Valley syrah is another promising region for syrah. Examples include the smoky rich, juicily blackberryish 2006 Mayu Syrah Reserva, £8.79 - £9.99, Asda, Majestic, the elegant St.Joseph-like, but more opulent, 2006 Falernia Reserve Syrah, £10.40, Great Western Wines (01225 322810) and the vivid, tarry-rich, sweetly peppery 2007 Alta Tierra Founders Series Limited Edition Syrah, £10.95, Laithwaites (0870 444 8383). Syrah may be still a work-in-progress here, but the progress is encouraging. www.anthonyrosewine.com.

For our view on Chile 20 years ago, check out what we said on 29 October 1989: http://www.anthonyrosewine.com/article/independent/chilean-reds-prepare-...

Something for the Weekend

Under a Fiver

2008 Marlborough Hills Sauvignon Blanc

As policemen get younger, so Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc gets more reasonable, judging by the affordable zip and zing of this fragrantly tropically fruity, gooseberryish fruit salad of a zestily dry Kiwi white. Buy 2 = £4.99, Majestic (£6.24 single bottle).

Under a Tenner

2007 Porcupine Ridge Limited Collection Syrah / Grenache, Western Cape

Behind the aromatic smoky oak veneer of leading Cape winemaker Marc Kent’s seductive blend of mainly syrah with a dollop of grenache lurks an irresistibly spicy red full of loganberry and blackberry richness. £9.99, Oddbins.

Splash Out

2007 Henry, Brouilly, Cuvée Georges Fessy

Essence of beaujolais at its purest, the fragrant aromas and nubile cherryish fruit flavours hint at burgundy’s pinot noir while retaining the refreshing, mouthwateringly quaffing nature of the gamay grape. £11.99. Handford, 105 Old Brompton Road, SW7 (020 75896113).