Chile's Fresh Faces

An articel from WineEnthusiast Magazine written by Michael Schachner.
These wines are all excellent wine choices for many bacalao dishes.

Dan Odfjell, born in Bergen, Norway, knows the international shipping business. He also knows that it rains a lot in his native country. So in 1982, the transport magnate, eager to soak up some austral sun, purchased land in Padre Hurtado in Chile’s Maipo Valley. Not content to let that land just sit, he planted what seemed natural: an orchard.

“Trouble is, fruit is a commodities business and the family wanted a brand it could control from ground to market,” explains Dan’s son, Laurence, an architect by training and now the person ultimately responsible for Odfjell Vineyards as well as Odfjell ASA’s South American shipping operations. “So, in 1991, we turned most of the property over to winegrapes.” A decade later, Odfjell released its first wines to widespread praise.

But not before Laurence, who got his architecture degree at Yale, oversaw the building of the family’s winery, Chile’s first true gravity-flow bodega, much of which is subterranean. “Now I don’t even design. I run our businesses here in South America, from São Paulo of all places. Matetic was my last project, and it was a Faustian deal. I promised my father that if I could do Matetic I would then concentrate on the core businesses.”

Given that Laurence Odfjell, 40, is comfortable spending more time in Brazil than Chile, the winery must be in good hands. And we say it is, based on a tasting of the extensive roster of 2003s. Day-to-day management is the responsibility of Pedro Torres, while winemaking is handled by Frenchman Arnaud Hereu, who is aided by California-based überconsultant Paul Hobbs. “A lot of what we’re doing today is because of Paul,” says Odfjell. “He came to us in 1999 and the first thing he said is: ‘beautiful winery; neglected vineyards.’ He said we needed to learn about Chilean viticulture and he basically instructed us to go up and down the valleys to learn what is good from where, and to buy it.”

As a result, Odfjell now purchases grapes like Carignan and Carmenère from Maule, and Malbec from Curicó to supplement its homegrown fruit. Hobbs also offered tips on winemaking; now everything is whole-cluster fermented, which means no crushing. “All our wines are cold soaked and all maceration occurs prior to fermentation,” Odfjell says. “This is what creates gentleness in red wines. We’re all about mouthfeel and tannin management.”

Indeed, the unfiltered wines, which are exclusively red and come into the United States in three ascending lines—Armador, Orzada and Aliara—feature softly extracted but flavorful fruit, mild tannins and highly palatable price tags. “We think of ourselves as a big garage winery,” says Odfjell, noting that production is now at about 60,000 cases. A smartly designed garage, that is.

91 Odfjell 2003 Orzada Malbec ( Curicó Valley); $18. Exceedingly fruity, with graham cracker and jelly bean aromas. It’s a berry lover’s paradise, with bold, jammy flavors pushed by pulsating acidity. Very racy and nice, with purity and lots of depth. Editors’ Choice.

90 Odfjell 2003 Orzada Carmenère ( Central Valley); $18. Black as night, with cola, mint and very little herbaceousness. In fact, the whole package offers only the slightest note of Carmenère’s notorious herbal character. Without that identity, it’s pure and delivers unabridged ripeness. Finishes with bitter chocolate and vanilla.

89 Odfjell 2003 Orzada Cabernet Sauvignon (Colchagua Valley); $18. Deep in color with mint, tobacco, licorice and coconut shadings to the deeply fruited nose. Very well tuned, with lush blackberry and cassis flavors in front of a moderately tannic, no-bull finish.

88 Odfjell 2003 Orzada Cabernet Franc (Maule Valley); $18. Not a whole bunch of that typical leafy, French character; this is a South American rendition for sure. Ripe, with hard rubber and black cherry to the heady nose. Quite dense and saturated, with firm tannins and a lot of extract.

87 Odfjell 2003 Orzada Carignan (Maule Valley); $18. Colorful, with hints of mushroom to the cherry and raspberry nose. A very nice wine that is ripe but monotone. It’s juicy and fruity, but ultimately simple. Chocolate and vanilla notes soften the finish.

87 Odfjell 2003 Armador Merlot ( Maipo Valley); $12. Ripe as fresh-picked fruit, but with a creamy mouthfeel and a lot of natural warmth. Unlike so many murky, insipid Chilean Merlots, this wine has spine and spunk. Best Buy.

86 Odfjell 2003 Armador Syrah ( Maipo Valley); $12. Rather gamy and savory, with aromas of black olive and cured meat followed by a creamy, baked-fruit palate that is simultaneously candied yet earthy. Don’t judge it too quickly; it unleashes hidden pizzazz with time in the glass.

85 Odfjell 2003 Armador Cabernet Sauvignon (Maipo Valley); $12. Earth, leather and bell-pepper aromas tangle with some fresher cherry and berry notes. Juicy and full in the mouth, with a red-fruit core followed by chocolate and mint on the finish. Good texture, but overall it’s a touch green and medicinal.