Medium straw color; peach, pineapple, yellow apple, grapefruit on the nose; lime, peach, vanilla, green apple, melon, citrus on the palate.
Dry; medium body; average acidity; no tannins; good balance. Finished in stainless steel—fruit purity, 100% chardonnay. Grapes come from three estate vineyards in Chile’s Casablanca Valley (Valle Central) with its strong Pacific maritime influence.
Grapes harvested by hand in the early morning. Whole cluster pressed. Fermented in tank for 20 days, then held in stainless steel tanks for three months before bottling and release. Very fruit-forward. 13.5% ABV
The Viña Apaltagua story begins in 1995 when successful American businessman Edward Tutunjian vacationed in Chile. Tutunjian fell in love with Chile and Chilean wines and began acquiring vineyards. Apaltagua now has a presence in all of the five major wine producing valleys in Chile.
Apaltagua Reserva Chardonnay Unoaked, Casablanca Valley, Chile 2021 is solid journeyman chard for the money. Somewhat faint nose. Tropical fruits. Apaltagua shines as a consistent value wine. This is clean and emphasizes chardonnay fruit rather than oak or butter. Pair with crab; rich fish—salmon, tuna, wild caught salmon, rainbow trout, Pacific halibut, mackerel; vegetarian fare; chicken; pork. Cheese—mild and semi-soft cheeses; camembert, brie, bleu cheese. $11-14
Apaltagua Winery website, excellent interview with owner Edward Tutunjian