This Friday I have a bit of a treat for you! Rather than sticking to our usual format of wine news/trends article links today, I urge you to pop over to Ball Square Fine Wines’ blog to learn a bit more about Argentine viticulture, winemaking and the impact of the Chilean earthquakes not just domestically, but among their neighbors just over the Andes. There you’ll find a bit of video to stimulate your senses as Senor Benegas, the 4th generation grandson of the man known as the Father of Argentine winemaking, visited us in Somerville last week with his wares and his knowledge both at the ready. Enjoy!

Are you a fan of the Benegas collection? Have you tasted the latest releases yet?

Three big earthquakes now in so short a time. It’s a lot to digest. And with the biggest one having hit Chile, the 5^th largest exporter of wine to the United States, it seems only right to feature four of Chile’s most Wicked Wines this March.

For many wine drinkers, Chilean wines are an acquired taste. But if you have a little guidance, you can surely find some tremendously delicious and often fabulously priced wines. Pay respect to Chile (and to the many quake victims worldwide) by popping over to Wicked Local to see what deliciousness is in store for you this March!

What is your impression of Chilean wines?

It’s probably no surprise that all news on the Pour Favor blog this Friday – one week after the Chilean earthquake – is dedicated exclusively to Chilean wine. Ironically, I had the pleasure of meeting winemaker Jean-Pascal Lacaze just last Thursday in the early evening, just before he headed back to New York to catch his flight home – and resume business as usual (harvesting) after the weekend, the unofficial end to summer. I haven’t heard if he’s made it home yet or what impact the quake had on his lot. No doubt agriculture and wine are an important part of the Chilean economy and will play a role as the country gets it’s bearings again. Check out these few articles to learn more, then pop back this Monday for some great wines to seek out as we unleash March’s Wicked Wines, Chilean style….

Prior to the quake, the skinny on Chilean wine exports via the LA Times.

A more humanized view of how things looked last Friday, Feb. 28th via my old fav, Dr. Vino.

And an updated, trade-oriented snapshot of where we are a week later via Decanter.

Generally speaking, do you think the buzz around the  magnitude of this quake will generate new or even greater interest in Chilean wines?

A big fan of boutique wine shops, where lesser-known wines are given a fair shot and exceptional customer services are the name of the game, I’m not sure how I feel about chain stores getting press in major wine pubs. Don’t they do ok on their own? No less, Decanter shared this week that Majestic (a big UK chain store) has not only won “Chain Store of the Year”, but also that they are moving to a new purchasing requirement for customers: you don’t have to buy 12 bottles any more, just 6. Are you kidding? This headline definitely caught my attention. How can you mandate something like that?

Meanwhile, Chile was also tearing things up at the Decanter World Wine Awards. Check this out: “Chile has proven itself a producer of some of the finest Sauvignon, Riesling, Pinot Noir and Cabernet blends in the world.”  This comment only supports my personal finding that Chile does pretty well with blending; but single varietal offerings are a) hard to come by and then b) when they do show up, it’s a bit rough going (except, perhaps, Sauvignon Blanc). When will we start seeing some of these individual grapes winning awards? I think we’re 5 years out at least.

What are your thoughts on this week’s “news”?

I can hardly believe it’s already the second Monday in May – and time to unleash this month’s Wicked Wines! These are some real treats to uncork through the ups and downs of the season change.

Buying Tip: If you can’t find the specific wines I suggest in your home market, consider the varietals (or blends) I’ve chosen and enlist your local wine buyer to make comparable recommendations.  These are some fun wines you won’t want to miss!