"Great white wine from all over the world!!!" Personal Page by Jerelis

For us Eastern is a turning point in our wine drinking tradition. Usually the weather is getting much better and the need for a nice cold glass of white wine is rising! Therefore we have this white wine selected for our Wine Of The Month competition.

The Maule Valley lies in the most southerly part of Chile’s Central Valley and boasts the country’s largest area of vineyards. With a long wine-making tradition, which dates back to the times of the Spanish colonization, today this region has over 20.000 hectares of vine plantations. As wine exports increased in the mid 1980s, the activity of wine-growing enjoyed considerable expansion and the process of wine-making underwent some changes.

Founded in 1992 by a French family firm, the Santa Mirador business was later acquired by Victor Henriquez Solar and is run at the present by his sons. Santa Mirador winery has modern facilities and equipment. The company has 3 vineyards with a total of 162 hectares, divided by grape strain. It produces 8.500.000 litres wine annually.

This particular Sauvignon is light, fresh and has lots of flavours. It’s a little bit oaked and we liked it a lot. Especially the finish was clean and not too complex. Serve it light chilled and it goes very well with fish, white meat dishes and some pastas and salads.

Chateau de Crain 1999

For the first time a white wine is selecred as Wine of the Month. Chateau de Crain is situated right at the heart of the Bordeaux wine-growing region, in the Entre-Deux-Mers picturesque area, bordered, as its name implies, by two waterways, the Dordogne on the north and the Garonne on the south.

Four generations of the Fougere family have worked this family vineyard of 89 acres (36 hectares) that produces fine dry white Entre-Deux-Mers, red Bordeaux and Bordeaux Superieur wines. The vineyard yearly production is 1900 hectolitres, of which one third is white wine and two thirds red wine.

The white Entre-Deux-Mers specifies itselfs by its golden colour with green tints, fresh nose with lemon and grapefruit tones and supple texture . There is a good balance between acidity and alcohol giving rise to fullness and roundness, long finish. Ideal with well chilled fish, shell-fish, goat's cheese, or as an aperitif.

A fine clay-chalk soil, coupled with a highly favourable climate and eagle scrutiny of the family proprietors ensure that every bottle of wine leaving Chateau de Crain fully lives up to its Appellation Controlee label, and guarantee the authenticity and the quality of the products, which you can buy with confidence.

Moet & Chandon Brut Imperial 1999

For the first time in the history of Wine Of The Month we have given 5 medals! Brut Imperial is a balanced assemblage of the three vine varieties disclosing a succession of elegant and harmonious sensations, a fresh maturity, supple and refined lines, inspiring well-being and an emotion which is appreciated and shared.

Moet & Chandon have over 250 years experience as champagne makers. With more than 200 crus to choose from, Brut Imperial is widely regarded as the ultimate expression of the art of champagne blending. From Royal tables to Michelin Star restaurants and trendy Bars, Moet & Chandon has always been joyed in the most exclusive and most famous places around the world.

It is the combination of this wealth of choice and the skills and experience of the Chef de Cave which enables Moet & Chandon to maintain the distinctive and consistent house style year after year. Cornerstone of the Moet & Chandon heritage since 1801, this historic Moet family residence is beautifully situated on the Cote des Blancs at the intersection of the Marne Valley and the Montagne de Reims in the heart of the Moet & Chandon vineyards.

Since bottling this champagne has matured in Moet & Chandon's cellars in Epernay until considered by the Chef de Cave to be ready for drinking.

Quality : Brut.
Harmonious assemblage of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.
Colour : pale yellow with shades of green.
Aroma : subtely vinous, with a vine and lime blossom attack.
Palate : delicate well-balanced; leaves behind a sense of harmony, mellowness.
Time: the Brut Imperial can readily be drunk from the aperitif to dessert.

Casteltorre 2001

In 1931, 70 keen wine-growers joined together "to make wine together", laying thus the basis for what is today Casteltorre, that is the group of wine-growers. The groups links together 1000 skilful agriculturist who cultivate 1700 hectares of vineyards, and are the members of the family of the biggest winery in Italy.

The wine-production area is "Friuli Grave" and "Friuli Aquileia", a wide plain in the middle of Friuli Venezia Giulia, region in norht-eastern side of Italy. In these soils made of clay and gravel and in the favourable climate which characterises this Italian region, new and old vines found their ideal conditions of growth, skilfully exploited by man's keen and accomplished hand.

Vine-growing and wine-making activities are two aspects of the same art, learnt by our people through cenuries of experience. In fact, this art has ancient origins. "Casarsa Method", well know everywhere, has been elaborated by the local wine growers, this particular system, allows a better exposition of the bunches to the sun. After an early selection made in the vineyards, the grapes begin their process of transformation and, in the winery placed in the same area of their cultivation, the wines get ripe and refined under the watchful eyes of the oenologists. The marketing staff of our group can avail itself of the experience and qualification of its members, and the final product is granted also particular care in its image and distribuition. Special effort are made in facing and trying to match the needs of national and international markets, with the primary task of satisfying even the most exacting consumer.

This white Castletorre is a classical Friuli vine, which is respected forits delicate aroma and fine-textured flavor.

* Color: very pale yellow.
* Fragrance: fine, liaht bouquet of flowers and herbs.
* Flavor: dry, savory and fruity.
* Serving Suggestions: as an apertif or for hors d'oeuvres, seafood, soups, poultry and light cheeses. Serve cool.

Vaals Baai 2001

Unknown to many people, South Africa has been making wines for many years. The first wines were produced in the Cape in South Africa in 1659. As a staging post for a major trade route, the Cape was settled by many different nationalities including French, Spanish, Dutch and other Europeans.
This all brought a unique combination of wine making experience together which became the foundation of a wine industry in South Africa that is more than 300 years old. South Africa is currently the 7th biggest wine producing country in the world.

One of the main areas in South Africa is the Western Cape. This particular Vaals Baai wine is from that region. We were unable to locate the winemaker of this white wine. It’s 100% of the Chardonnay grape and is a littlke bit oaked. Some concentrated fruit aromas make this a nice wine, with a clean finish. It must be drunk within 3 years.