K&L Newsletter: South America's Collectible Icons, Value Gems, & Rising Stars

Remarkable depth of rewarding selections: discover your next favorite bottle... Monday Mar 7th, 2022 [View in Browser]( [KL-emailheader.gif]( [South America News]( [Today's Newsletter]( aims to challenge many an established narrative surrounding world-class wines. We're all at least familiar with places like Burgundy, Bordeaux, Napa, and Tuscany, as well as what makes their wines some of the most beloved in the world. But it's high time we include South America in that conversation, as well. We begin this edition of the newsletter by cutting right to the chase—South America is unquestionably home to several of the world's most impeccable cellar gems, and the quality has been on a steep upward trajectory for several years now. From the otherworldly flagship bottlings of the inimitable Catena Zapata to emerging superstars like Chacra and El Enemigo, these wines are ready to redefine the concept of the blue-chip collectible. Our first producer spotlight draws attention the amazing, artisanal Carignane wines of Chile's Garage Wine Company. Moving from strength to strength with each new vintage, this underground cult phenom is set to explode in notoriety in the coming years. And what would South America be without its value stunners? We've curated a stellar selection of overperformers to wow the palates of wine lovers of all stripes. Finally, Kingston Family is another Chilean rising star that's proving what intriguing diversity the country offers, turning out some of the most beguiling cool-climate wines that we've seen in some time from the New World. [Catena's Adrianna Vineyard] --------------------------------------------------------------- A South American Primer: The Continent's Greatest Collectible Names The selections below represent the absolute cream of the crop, the names you simply must know if you can really claim to know anything about South American wine. All of these wines carry critical acclaim that would justify prices two to three times higher than they are, if they were from Bordeaux, Burgundy, or Napa. But savvy collectors can fill out their cellars with any or all of these monumental achievements for a relative steal. If you're in the know on South America, this is your ultimate wishlist all in one place. If you're just getting started exploring these wines, you couldn't ask for a better first impression. Vintage Item Name Score Retail Link 2016 Familia Zuccardi "Jose Zuccardi" Malbec Uco Valley 94 $42.99 [View]( 2017 Viña Quebrada de Macul "Domus Aurea" Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo Valley 95 $54.99 [View]( 2017 Catena Zapata "Nicolás Catena Zapata" Bordeaux Blend Mendoza 97 $89.99 [View]( 2018 Cheval des Andes Bordeaux Blend Mendoza (Pre-Arrival) 98 $89.99 [View]( 2017 El Enemigo "Gran Enemigo - Gualtallary" Cabernet Franc Mendoza 98 $89.99 [View]( 2019 Bodega Chacra "Treinta y Dos" Pinot Noir Patagonia 98 $104.99 [View]( 2018 Clos Apalta Bordeaux Blend Colchagua Valley 98 $119.99 [View]( 2019 Catena Zapata "White Bones - Adrianna Vineyard" Chardonnay Mendoza 99 $124.99 [View]( 2019 Seña Red Blend Valle de Aconcagua 98 $129.99 [View]( 2018 Catena Zapata "River Stones - Adrianna Vineyard" Malbec Mendoza 100 $189.99 [View]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Garage Wine Company: Chile's Underground Cult Hero The wines from Garage Wine Company are about as hand-crafted as they get. They are also about as accomplished as you’ll find at their given price points. Simply put, these are wines that should be experienced by anybody who adores terroir-driven examples of world-class reds. Carignane is Garage's wheelhouse, as they've nailed down some of the most impeccable sources in the country for this unique varietal. The WA98 Lot 97 - Truquilemu Vineyard hails from a 1.3-hectare parcel in the most prized site in the Garage portfolio. The crown jewel, however, and one of Chile’s perennial benchmark wines, the Vigno is an old-vine bottling from a miniscule block of 75-year-old, dry-farmed, hand-tended vines in the same vineyard that produced the Lot 97. These wines stand as paragons of collectible value, and anyone building a cellar of the world's finest expression would do well to stash away several bottles, especially at these prices. Vintage Item Name Score Retail Link 2018 Garage Wine Company "Lot 97 - Truquilemu Vineyard" Carignane Maule Valley 98 $44.99 [View]( 2018 Garage Wine Company "Vigno" Carignane Maule Valley 99 $59.99 [View]( --------------------------------------------------------------- South America's Unparalleled Value Stars When many people think of South American wine, the first word that comes to mind is value, and they're quite correct. Apart from the usual overachievers from the peerless Catena family, up-and-coming estates like Kaiken, Aleanna, and Zuccardi are bringing new levels of bang for the buck, and U.S. consumers have definitely taken notice. Each of the selections below offers a quality-to-price ratio that puts it among not only the best value stars on the continent, but also among the very best in our entire inventory. Vintage Item Name Score Retail Link 2020 Koyle "Costa La Flor" Sauvignon Blanc San Antonio Valley $14.99 [View]( 2019 Kaiken "Indómito" Malbec Altamira 96 $17.99 [View]( 2017 Caliterra "Edicion Limitada A" Colchagua Valley 92 $19.99 [View]( 2018 Catena Cabernet Franc San Carlos 93 $19.99 [View]( 2020 Catena "White Clay" White Blend Lujan de Cuyo 92 $21.99 [View]( 2019 Chakana "Estate Selection" Malbec Mendoza 94 $21.99 [View]( 2017 Bodegas Aleanna "El Enemigo" Malbec Mendoza 94 $23.99 [View]( 2019 Familia Zuccardi "Poligonos" Malbec Pareje Altamira 94 $25.99 [View]( --------------------------------------------------------------- The Kingston Family Rewrites the Book on Chilean Reds When iconic vignerons like David Hirsch and Gary Pisoni are your main inspirations, you're already off on the right foot. The Kingston family have been landowners in Chile's Casablanca Valley for five generations, but it wasn't until 1998 that they planted their first vines. Since then, they've almost single-handedly proven the potential of the valley to make exceptional cool-climate red wines. The 2019 Lucero Syrah is decidedly Northern Rhône in character with "great purity" according to Wine Advocate's Luis Gutiérrez, but Pinot Noir is where they really make their mark. The estate blend Tobiano is a remarkable entry-level offering, with Wine Enthusiast noting, "Restraint and balance are the keystones to this feminine-style Pinot Noir," while the flagship Alazan captures the true heart and soul of the estate. Advocate's Gutiérrez declares, "This is a lovely style of Pinot Noir, medium-bodied with great purity and precision, fine tannins and very good freshness. Delicious!" Delivering exceptional varietal character at more-than-reasonable prices, Kingston will be a go-to name to know in the coming years. Vintage Item Name Score Retail Link 2018 Kingston Family Vineyards "Tobiano" Pinot Noir Casablanca Valley 90 $19.99 [View]( 2020 Kingston Family Vineyards "Cariblanco" Sauvignon Blanc Casablanca Valley 91 $21.99 [View]( 2019 Kingston Family Vineyards "Lucero" Syrah Casablanca Valley 92 $23.99 [View]( 2019 Kingston Family Vineyards "Alazan" Pinot Noir Casablanca Valley 93 $37.99 [View]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [New Feed]( [Auction]( [Local]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [On the Trail (K&L Blog)]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Instagram]( [YouTube]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [BORDEAUX]( | [NAPA]( | [BURGUNDY]( | [CHAMPAGNE]( | [ITALY]( | [RHÔNE]( | [SPIRITS]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [My Account]( | [Wine Clubs]( | [Events]( |[Gift Cards]( | [Accessories]( | [Delivery]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Missed an offer? 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