Cheers

Cheers-Nov-Dec 2016

Cheers is dedicated to delivering hospitality professionals the information, insights and data necessary to drive their beverage business by covering trends and innovations in operations, merchandising, service and training.

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www.cheersonline.com 10 • November/December 2016 Chile is fi rmly within the top fi ve countries in terms of the total volume of wine shipped into the U.S. The country boasts an ideal winemaking climate, with condi- tions sometimes referred to as the midpoint between California and France. But Chile has struggled shedding the perception that it's a source for bargain wine. Cheers' Kyle Swartz recently spoke with Cristobal Undurraga Marimon, a sixth-generation Chilean winemaker and co-owner of Koyle Winery in the Los Lingues zone of Alto Colchagua, to learn more about the country's wine industry and its promotional strategies. CHEERS: How do Americans view Chilean wine? CRISTOBAL UNDURRAGA MARIMON: U.S. wine drinkers are always searching for a niche category, a new experience. So there are more of them now searching for Chile. But Chile today is still mostly perceived as a value place for wine. That's why we try to add some complexity for the value. Every wine is an offering. We try to make it a fair trade with complexity and value. I see wines from other countries— countries without Chile's history or viticultural focus—selling for $200 a bottle. How is that a fair trade? CH: How can Chile raise its profi le be- yond being a "value'" country? CM: We really started working to- wards that in the 2000s. Before that, Chile wine was really commercial. WHAT I'M WHAT I'M WHA James Lombardino HEAD BARTENDER OF WALLFLOWER IN NEW YORK I'm currently/constantly drinking Sbagliatos. This drink was created when a bartender in Italy was making a Negroni and grabbed a bottle of sparkling wine instead of gin ("sbagli- ato" means "mistake" in Italian). The Sbagliato is refreshing, easy to make and relatively low-alcohol compared to the Negroni. So I can have a couple more of these without ending up on the fl oor. SBAGLIATO Build this cocktail in the glass. (I like mine in a Collins glass.) 1 ½ oz. Campari 1 ½ oz. Sweet vermouth (Carpano Antica is always great) Top with Champagne or other quality sparkling wine. Add an orange wedge for garnish. CHANGING WHAT AMERICANS THINK ABOUT CHILEAN WINE Cristobal Undurraga Marimon, sixth-generation Chilean winemaker, co-owner of Koyle Winery.

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