On the Road with the Grape Guy
Report from - Santa Rita Memorable Every Time Tasting ... July 23, 2009
05 Aug 2009- Details
- Category: On the Road with the Grape Guy
It’s time to “re-launch” a brand, and that can only mean doing it over a lunch. We met with winemaker Carlos Gatica Dlopp at Sharkey’s Village Café on Bloor West on this very rainy (so what else is new this summer) afternoon. The sad part of the “re-launch” is that I hadn’t noticed the brand missing from LCBO shelves, I thought it was still there – actually I think this was all about the need for a makeover. Santa Rita ‘120’ brand is a mystery to many – why is it called “120”? The brand is named after the historic events of 1814 when 120 soldiers took refuge in Santa Rita’s cellars during Chile’s Independence war against the Spanish. Rumour has it these soldiers were able to evade the Spanish army, get reinforcements and gain Chile’s independence. A brief synopsis is now on the label: “Honouring 120 patriots who helped lead Chile to Independence.”
The wines of the ‘120’ brand are stainless steel versions of their varietals (of which there are about 9 – with only the Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc available in Ontario) bottled under screwcap and released early to “preserve each variety’s fruitiness and natural aromas.” Truth is, I’m not sure I’m ready for a Cabernet that hasn’t seen oak (in some form or another) and neither is Santa Rita … the Cabernet, while made in stainless steel tanks, has wooden staves added to add some complexity. Today we tried a variety of wines from Santa Rita – including the two ‘120’ re-launches … (Read the reviews of the wines )
