Two weeks in Chile.

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.