Chile’s Icon Wines from Viña Errázuriz, Once Again in the Top Positions at Blind Tasting Held in Zurich
Many of Germany and Switzerland top wine tasters including sommeliers, journalists and wine buyers converged at the Moevenpick Hotel Zurich-Regensdorf, on Monday 9th May of 2011, to participate in the Zurich’s recreation of the landmark Berlin Tasting. Its purpose – to allow the opportunity for local palates to evaluate the world-class status of top Chilean wines tasted blind alongside wines acknowledged as being among the very best in the world. Read More >
40 panelists blind-tasted ten wines, without any clue as to the origin, variety or vintage of the wines. The results, calculated by an independent body, placed two Chilean wines in the top three positions. Only one French wine ranked among the New World wines, while the iconic wines from Chile dominated the top positions.
The Zurich Berlin Tasting was hosted by the President of Viña Errázuriz, Eduardo Chadwick. Joining him was René Gabriel, who also participated in the original Berlin Tasting in 2004, he quoted: “We can conclude firmly that Viña Errázuriz and Eduardo Chadwick’s wines showcase now in Zurich, as in others major cities around the world, that they are in the same quality level as the most expensive wines from the classic regions.”
Eduardo Chadwick was thrilled with the results and commented: “I believe Chile is recognized as a viticultural paradise and this tasting result is a testament to our capability of creating world-class wines. Our wines have shown consistently high quality over the past seven years of holding thirteen Berlin Tastings around the world. I am delighted that the Zurich audience today has recognized the inherent quality of our top wines from Chile.”
Alain Baumlé, Hugo Berchthold, David Berthet, Birthe Bielenberg, Dominik Brändli, Hans-Henning Brügesch, Esther Bucher, Urs Bucher, Domenico Calabrò, Claudia Cordero, Carlos De Carlos, Engelbert Ernst, Melanie Fabri, Bernd Frech, Markus Fuhrer, Karin Gabriel, Diego Garay, Dirk Grell, Johnny Haury, André Hofmänner, Alexandria Karnberger, Peter Keller, Peter Klein, Beat Kugler, Mathias Kunisch, André Kunz, Werner Kuster, Ben Lohrer, Annett Lüpke, Barbara Niklas, Rodrigo Plass, Mario Scheele, Christof Schikora, Francois Schoepfer, Christoph Schwegler, Urs Schwerzmann, Paul Smyth, Martin Thiemann, Silke Tischendorf-Lewin, Robert Van Strien, Ralf Wider.
Imagine sitting next to a well-known French taster who whispers something like “Pauillac for sure,” while tasting a wine that a little later turns to be a Chadwick wine. Amazing…The stylistic discussion about Cabernet blends has focused far too long on the unilateral relationship between Bordeaux and California. The Chadwick tastings have made clear that Chilean wines play an important role in this matter
I don’t think he was expecting at all to do as well as he did, but I think having done it, it was an educational experience further than he had planned, because instead of just educating the 40 or 50 people in the room, he educated the entire world.
When Eduardo and I first discussed the concept of this blind tasting format, I told him to brace himself for disappointment, especially given the popularity of Bordeaux reds in this part of the world. I was completely wrong in my warning and I am truly surprised by the results…
Until that point only Eduardo knew what he had in his hands. Today the whole world knows… By reaching indisputable recognition in the world wine scene, Eduardo Chadwick’s wines have clearly demonstrated Chile’s tremendous vitivinicultural potential and have helped Chilean wines earn greater space and credibility in the international market.
These tastings definitely have had an impact on how many influential members of the American wine trade view Chile today. So I see them as invaluable to promoting Chile’s well- deserved image as a source for world-class wine that can sit alongside the best that the rest of the world has to offer.
One enterprising Chilean wine producer, Eduardo Chadwick of Viña Errázuriz, has managed to organise a similar evolutionary milestone for the Chilean wine industry—or at least of his own wines… at what will doubtless come to be known in the history of Chilean wine as the “Berlin Tasting”