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fi ghting the good fi ght—we just need more people to preach the gospel," she muses. During a recent trip to Chile's wine regions, Zimorski was impressed with wines coming out of the Elqui Valley and Limari, especially those made with cabernet franc, old-vine carignan and carménère. She admits that the latter, which had been long though to be merlot until DNA tests proved otherwise, has its share of "haters" due to the presence of some inferior, indistinguishable bottles churned out by lower-end wineries. But she believes noted improvements in grape growing and winemaking techniques have led to higher quality carménère, a varietal that is referred to by some as Chile's signature grape. VOLT carries the 2008 De Martino Carménère "Alto de Piedras" from Chile's Maipo Valley, for $89 a bottle. At Soby's, the 2010 Puerto Viejo Carménère from Chile's Curico Valley at $9 a glass is a great introduction to what many view as an alternative grape. Another off -the-beaten-path grape for many wine drinkers is Beyond Chile and Argentina When it comes to wine production and exportation in South America, Argentina and Chile currently dominate the market. But what about the continent's other countries? Zimorski points out that Brazil produces high quality, sparkling wine (wineries including Moët & Chandon have operations there), but since little is exported to the American market, she doesn't see them as a player just yet. The climate in most of Brazil is too hot and lacks the defi ned growing seasons needed for winemaking. However, Rossmiller believes that as the amount of foreign investment continues to increase as people identify Brazil's most suitable grape growing conditions, production and quality will also increase. He also sees potential in Uruguay with tannat, a grape native to southwest France's Madiran region. In Uruguay, Tannat is considered the national grape, and is capable of producing Bordeaux-style red wines that are typically lighter in body and tannin than their French counterparts. As for Peru, Zimorski points out that many consumers' fi rst association is with another grape-based product, rather than wine: the clear brandy Pisco that is the basis for cocktails including the Pisco Sour. Argentinean Torrontés. Rossmiller describes it as "extremely fl oral, and has the crisp acidity, weight and mouth feel of a chardonnay." Specifi cally, Argentina's northern Cafayate and Salta regions are becoming widely known for Torrontès, producing a wine that appeals not only to fans of chardonnay, but that can also be a stand-in for riesling and sauvignon Blanc. Soby's sells the 2010 Trivento Torrontés at a well-priced $25 a bottle. South American wines have an affi nity for food, but are any varietals good candidates for an aperitif before a meal? Born fi nds Argentinean Malbec and Torrontès "too meaty" to enjoy without food, but does see how the lighter body and good acidity of a glass of Chilean Malbec or Sauvignon Blanc make them a nice way to kick off an evening. Rossmiller agrees their in general, their structure renders them geared toward sipping alongside cuisine, but submits that "when you have quality wine it does not matter if you have food or not—it is still going to be amazing." As South American winemakers continue to experiment with what works best in the various sub regions, Zimorksi predicts a shift in varietals planted. She points to cool climate varietals growing in the southern part of Argentina and thinks there will also be a rise in riesling and pinot noir production. But even with the current inventory available, she gets a kick out of helping diners make new discoveries. "Th e real pleasure lies in introducing someone to these wines when they might have completely overlooked that section." the Washington, D.C. area. She can be reached through her website, www.kellymagyarics.com, and on www.twitter.com/kmagyarics. The Cheers' handbooks are available at www.bevinfostore.com. 30 | APRIL 2012 www.cheersonline.com Kelly Magyarics is a wine and spirits writer, and wine educator, in