Cono Sur Chardonnay and Pinot Noir

My wine tasting on Friday was for wines I've previously tasted out and reviewed.  So, today I will review two wines that I tasted from another distributor.  There was one red and one white from the Bicycle line of Cono Sur in Chile. 

Cono Sur Chardonnay ($9) is stainless steel fermented.  In the plastic tasting cup I was not able to discern any aroma.  Unfortunately, the fruit on the palate was short lived as the  tartness of the wine overpowered any flavor.  Customers were not enjoying this Chardonnay until it was extremely cold (the wine rep never took it out of the ice bucket), thus killing any tartness and flavor. 

Winemaker's Notess:  "This Chardonnay has a beautiful, young yellow colour with golden hints. Exuberant and complex, this wine conveys refreshing citrus aromas, fruity notes of white peaches, along with mineral hints. In mouth complex fruity flavours mingle in with lovely mineral notes. Our Bicycle Chardonnay is a young and fresh wine, very balanced, with a great acidity.

Food Pairing: A sure bet for almost all naturally oily and/or white meats: duck, pork, lamb, salmon; the simpler their cooking, the better. When it comes to pasta, Chardonnay likes creamy sauces, and/or with seafood. This is a well-liked aperitif wine, either on its own or with a cheese plate. A few suggestions to enjoy are pâté mousse with bacon and nuts, pork fillet with toasted almonds, and marinated shrimps."


Cono Sur Pinot Noir ($9) has a bright cherry aroma, with both cherry and strawberry on the palate.  Unfortunately I found the finish tart and acidic.  It seems most customers were not enjoying this wine. 

Winemaker's Notes:  "Dressed in fresh purple red colour, this is a voluptuous Pinot Noir with rich fruit notes of cherry, raspberry, plum and strawberry – a red fruit party! – enhanced by subtle smoked hints. In mouth sweet fruit notes stand out, and its fine tannins give it a great texture and a mouth filling structure. Balanced and New World styled, this is a wine of personality and elegance. Sexy, pure and simple, it’s a young and refreshing Pinot.

Food Pairing: Our Bicycle Pinot Noir is a great choice for all sorts of pasta, grilled poultry, seafood and mild fish. It’s also excellent when accompanying dishes served with pesto sauces. If ordering in, mushroom pizza and sushi go great with this wine."