El Grano Chardonnay 2012, Poda Corta, Curico Valley (Organic)

€15.90

Available from Le Caveau, Kilkenny; Baggot Street Wines; Blackrock Cellar; 64 wine, Glasthule; Green Man Wines, Terenure.

Very nicely textured wine with subtle toast, grilled nuts and tasty ripe tropical fruits.

With lightly spicy chicken or prawns.

Chile produces some pretty good Chardonnay, but its not every day that a proprietor pulls you over to urge you to try one. But this happened to me recently, and I now know why; this is a very well-made wine with some real interest. As an aside, it is getting hard to find a Chardonnay with oaky flavours – all of the Aussies and Chileans seem to have gone down the lean and crisp route. It is nice to have a Dolly Parton every now and again, although this does not qualify. This wine is made by Frenchman Denis Duveau who sold his property in the Loire Valley and instead began advising producers in France and elsewhere. In 2002, he set up a winery in the Curico valley in Chile, determined to make terroir-driven organic wine. The Chardonnay stands out as something special.