We took a spectacular lunch in the Casablanca valley at a restaurant that features numerous local vineyards (as opposed to a vineyard restaurant). We drank several wines by the glass, and each had its merits, but nothing worked or tasted quite as well as the Morande chard with a lobster prawn risotto. We bought a bottle and drank it later as a sipper, poolside in the Elqui Valley.
Above: Casa de Vins, Casablanca Valley. Below: Lobster risotto, drenched in butter.
So, mixed review. With the risotto, which was rich and laden with butter, it had an exquisite citrus which cut through the oil and was a huge food complement. It finished with a nice classic chard butterscotch but not blatant or heavy. A big California chard would have been a disaster; this was lovely.
Then, later, as a hot afternoon sipper, it was simply too acidic. Yes, it opened up, and with a bit of air and warmth had an easy drinking quality, but it simply didn’t drink at the level as with food.
Price: $12 at a vineyard rep.
Market Liquidity: Just right when just right.