Lifestyles

There will be familiar highlights at the ninth annual "Passion for Wine" event benefiting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Western Pennsylvania on Nov. 3 at the PPG Wintergarden, Downtown.

Sonoma Grille chef Yves Carreau's contemporary culinary magic will be fully displayed at five tempting food stations matched with five featured wines. The live auction features dazzling wine trips to regions such as Portugal and incomparable case lots of first-growth Bordeaux reds (featuring Latour, Lafite Rothschild, Margaux and Mouton Rothschild), Grand Cru Burgundy (featuring Domaine de la Romanée-Conti), Super Tuscans and "Killer California Cabernets."

But the generosity and presence of a special guest with international winemaking stature crowns this year's event. Aurelio Montes, founding winemaker at Montes Winery in Chile, donated the wines for a "Passion for Wine" and will lead a special VIP sponsors' wine-tasting and then attend the main event.

Montes Winery's meteoric rise to a world leader in Chilean wine exports to 75 countries is a fantastic success story.

"In 1988, Chileans were making lots of table wines but nothing really exciting," says Alex Guarachi, a U.S. importer and Chilean native who is president of TGIC Inc. "Montes' founding partners -- Aurelio Montes, Douglas Murray, Alfredo Vidaurre and Pedro Grand -- saw an opportunity to focus on quality by using the best terroirs. They saw Chile as an underachieving grape-growing paradise."

"Chile never experienced the phylloxera infestation that practically destroyed Europe's vines," Guarachi points out, while also noting the importance of Chile's topography.

The country runs 3,000 miles north to south, but averages only 120 miles in width, squeezed between the Pacific Ocean's cool breezes from the West and the Andes Mountains' sheltering grandeur to the East. The resulting low humidity makes mildew, a major challenge in other grape-growing regions, practically nonexistent in Chile.

Hot days and cool nighttime temperatures bless Chile's vineyards with extended growing seasons, Guarachi says. Grapes hanging longer on the vines develop complex fruitiness while retaining essential acidity.

"Chile also has a marvelous diversity of microclimates and terroirs," he says. Montes and his colleagues set out to realize the full potential of each region, beginning with red wine varieties -- such as cabaret, merlot, syrah and Carmenère in the Colchagua Valley -- an important subregion with plentiful irrigation, well-drained soils and steep, sunny, south-facing slopes. Low yields and hand harvesting, Montes' hallmarks, contribute to enhanced quality.

Montes' quality revolution continued with growing white grapes such as sauvignon blanc and chardonnay in Casablanca, an even cooler region closer to the Pacific Ocean. Like France's chilly chablis region, potentially devastating frosts constantly lurk during bud break, and irrigation water is scarce. Despite the challenges, Montes invested heavily, recognizing the potential for producing high-quality grapes with complex aromas, intense flavors and rich acidity.

Try the following:

2006 Montes Winery Sauvignon Blanc, Leyda Vineyard, Chile (Specialty 28822, $9.99): Bright and refreshing notes of grapefruit and guava with light herbal hints open to vibrant flavors of citrus with exotic passion fruit notes. Mineral notes and fine acidity provide a firm backbone through the dry, yet lush and fruity finish. Try it as an aperitif with fresh goat cheese. Highly recommended.

2006 Montes Winery Alpha Chardonnay, Casablanca Valley, Chile (Specialty 28810, $11.99): Classic apple and citrus aromas with a hint of oak open to crisp citrus and melon flavors with deft oak nuances through a well-balanced, lovely dry finish. Try it with chicken in a beurre blanc sauce. Recommended.

2004 Montes Winery Alpha "M" Red Wine, Apalta Vineyard, Colchagua Valley, Chile (Specialty 28864, $49.99): The steep Apalta vineyard is the key to Aurelio Montes' original vision of producing quality grapes through low yields, hand pruning and hand picking. The terroir features porous granite subterrain and just enough sunshine and water. This Bordeaux-style blend opens with complex plum, cassis and chocolate notes leading to ripe, fruity flavors with elegant tannins balancing a big, fruity and long finish. Try it with grilled rib-eye steaks. Highly recommended.

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