Imagine if you will, a vast plain, planted with countless rows of vines and in
the background, the spectacularly jagged peaks of the Andes; the most majestic
of them topped with snow. The picture in your mind’s eye is Chile’s Central
Valley, which stretches for almost 250 miles. It is one of the most important
wine-producing areas in South America.
The company of Vi๑a San Pedro has been in the wine business
for 145 years and today produces a huge range of wines, including the twelve
varietals of the famous “Gato Negro” (Black Cat) range. These began to appear in
the 1960’s and today they sell more than four million cases annually in seventy
different countries. According to the company’s website, that’s two bottles
uncorked every second of every day. It’s an awful lot of wine.
Needless to say, these are commercial wines intended for mass
consumption. But don’t let that put you off. Imported by Ambrose Wines of
Bangkok, these are really pretty good and would be ideal for a party or other
festive occasion. Let me tell you about two of them.
Gato Negro Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (white), Chile. (Villa and others, Bt. 539)
I know that I tend to drone on about smell, but the aroma of
wine is often its most fascinating quality. Apart from the sheer pleasure of
appreciating aromas, they often tell us a good deal about what’s to come. In any
case, you’re paying for them. In the case of this particular Black Cat, the
smell is probably one of its most outstanding features: fresh tropical fruit and
grass, with hints of gooseberry. There are faint, herby overtones and I thought
I could pick up the smell of dill in there somewhere too.
It’s a light wine with a fruity taste of lychee, guava and
grapefruit and a clean refreshing cut of acidity that gives it a lively, zesty
quality. At only 12% alcohol, it’s a mild and unassuming easy-drinker, and
there’s a pleasing grassy citrus finish too. Sauvignon Blanc (SOH-vihn-yohn
BLAHN) is a grape originally from France but is now grown all over the world. I
read somewhere that it is one of the few wines that go well with sushi, but I’d
be quite happy to enjoy this wine on its own.
Gato Negro Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 (red), Chile. (Villa and others, Bt. 539)
This wine is a lovely vibrant ruby red and you’ll notice that
little “legs” form when you swirl the wine around the glass. These are caused by
the Marangoni Effect, named after the Italian physicist Carlo Marangoni, who
studied the phenomenon for his doctoral dissertation during the nineteenth
century. History does not record how many glasses of wine he got through during
the course of his studies.
The wine has an attractive silky appearance and actually
looks inviting. But before the first swig, the first sniff. And it’s worth it,
because there’s a rich fruity aroma of ripe blackcurrants and cherries. If you
really concentrate, you might detect a hint of red peppers and mint.
The wine has a very soft, smooth mouth-feel with loads of fruit, sweet
berries and gentle tannin. Actually, the tannin comes through on the aftertaste
and makes a pleasingly dry finish to each mouthful. At just over 13% alcohol,
this is an easy-drinker if ever there was one. It doesn’t really need food and
I’d be quite happy to drink this solo. If you find some reds a bit assertive for
your taste, you may well enjoy this particular Black Cat. Incidentally, King
Henry I of Saxony once decreed that the fine for killing a black cat (should
anyone feel the need to do so) would be sixty bushels of corn. I thought you
might like to know that.
