($18, Vintus): Errazuriz, one of Chile’s leading producers, is based in the northerly Aconcagua Valley, instead of near Santiago, home to most of the other leaders in the industry.  Their “Wild Ferment” Chardonnay has always been one of my favorites, especially at the price.  The 2011 is no different.  There are two major differences between their Wild Ferment and their other Chardonnays, one in the vineyard and one in the winery.  In the vineyard, Eduardo Chadwick, owner of Errazuriz, told me that they are looking for batches of grapes that are less ripe and will therefore, translate into lower alcohol wine.  In the winery, as the name suggests, they use only wild yeasts, which he believes add complexity.  Subtly toasty and creamy, the Errazuriz’s 2011 Wild Ferment Chardonnay impresses with its purity and grace, not overwhelming power.  Open and left in the refrigerator overnight revealed even more complexity and plenty of pizzazz the following day, a sure sign that this wine is not a flash in the pan.
90 Michael Apstein Oct 14, 2014