Everyone enjoys a big juicy steak. Well, perhaps not everyone, especially if you happen to be vegetarian or vegan. But I certainly do. We were treated to a fabulous lunch at legendary London steakhouse, Goodman in swanky Mayfair. It was actually the first time that I had visited the place, but had already heard good things, especially for the quality of their beef.
The objective was for the assembled group of sommeliers, led by Alvaro Marcos Garcia (Brand Ambassador and Sommelier for Concha y Toro), Emidy Ritchie of Maycas del Limari wines and the esteemed Michael Cox (Director of Wines of Chile) to pair an interesting line up of Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines with various cuts of beef.
We kicked off with the flavoursome, yet well-balanced 2008 Maycas del Limari “Reserva Especial” Chardonnay, whilst Alvaro was making the introductions to his Chilean masterclass, he explained how the cool sea breezes and coastal maritime influence makes a big impact on the wines. For instance, this well-structured Chardonnay displays balance, focus, elegance and mouth-watering acidity. Moreover, within this region a lot of calcium carbonate can be found, which imparts a certain minerality into the wines. 
We progressed onto the red wines and the food.
Alvaro introduced the important regions for red wine making in Chile. These are centred on the Central Valley – Curico, Maipo, Maule and Rapel, which all display perfect microclimates and terroirs for Cabernet-based wines. The oldest vines planted by Concha y Toro date back as far as 1969.
Starter – beef carpaccio, basil cress, shaved parmesan, aged balsamic and olive oil. This was a delicious dish and the wafer-thin slivers of exquisite beef were perfectly seasoned. With regards to the red wine pairings, we tasted two Cabernet Sauvignons: 2007 Cono Sur “20 Barrels” produced by the talented Adolfo Hurtado. It was quite big, powerful, well-structured, yet distinctly ‘New World’ in its fruitiness. We also tasted the 2008 Concha y Toro “Terrunyo” produced by the esteemed Ignacio Recabarren. To be honest I preferred this wine, as for me it displayed more harmonious flavours and ‘old school’ charm. It also went better with the carpaccio displaying lovely savoury nuances.
Main course – selection of USDA and grass-fed British steaks. Here we were in for a treat, as the quality of the steaks is top-notch!
Alvaro brought out the ‘big guns’ for the main course – 2008 Concha y Toro “Don Melchor” Cabernet Sauvignon. Produced within the Puente Alto region, very close to Santiago, the terroir is very similar to the Haut Medoc in Bordeaux. The first vintage of Don Melchor was in 1987. The Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are sourced from a selection of seven different parcels totalling 114 hectares. They make up the final blend, which also includes one small parcel of Cabernet Franc (approximately 3.5% of final blend). The wine went beautifully well with the juicy steaks. It will also cellar very well, as the wine has plenty of ageing potential.
We also went back to the 20 Barrels and Terrunyo. My favourite overall was the Terrunyo – a very versatile wine and great value for money. In addition, these Chilean Cabernets showed plenty of varietal definition, personality and character.
We finished off with an amazing cheese plate with the 2006 Maycas del Limari “Reserva Especial” Cabernet Sauvignon. Winemaker – Barcelo Papa and vines planted in 2000.
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