Francois Lurton is a frequent-flier winemaker. The fifth generation of the respected Lurton family that has made Bordeaux since 1897, he owns and runs vineyards today in France, Spain, Portugal, Argentina and Chile.
One remarkable vineyard in Chile, founded by Lurton and his brother, is Hacienda Araucano in the country's Lolol Valley, an offshoot of the better known Colchagua Valley, about 100 miles south of Santiago. Araucano is the name Spanish colonizers used for the locals.
The east-west valley is a funnel for cold ocean breezes that create chilly, foggy mornings but also is warmed by the southern sun, creating the dramatic temperature shifts that make great grapes. Like California's Sonoma Valley, a morning might start at 50 degrees and hit 100 degrees by midafternoon.
Most of Hacienda Araucano's wines are in the $11-to-$13 range. An exception is Lurton's remarkable $50 carmenere, a smooth, creamy, plum-and-mint-scented wine from a grape that has been grown in Chile for many years, but until a decade or so ago was mistaken for merlot in vineyards where the two grew side-by-side.
Highly recommended: 2007 Hacienda Araucano Alka Carmenere, Valle de Colchagua, Chile: intense, concentrated black plum, herb and mint aromas and flavors, big, ripe tannins, smooth, long finish; $50.
2010 Hacienda Araucano Syrah Reserva, Valle de Lolol, Chile: rich and fruity, with aromas and flavor of black cherries and black pepper; $13.
Recommended: 2011 Hacienda Araucano Sauvignon Blanc, Valle de Lolol, Chile: crisp and lean and fruity, with aromas and flavors of white grapefruit, limes; $11.
2010 Hacienda Araucano Pinot Noir Reserva, Valle de Lolol, Chile: pale ruby color, red raspberry aroma and flavors, delicate and subtle; $13.
2011 Hacienda Araucano Carmenere Valle de Colchuaga, Chile: lush and rich, with flavors of mulberries and eucalyptus; $11.
2010 Hacienda Araucano Cabernet Sauvignon, Valle Central, Chile: soft and round, with aromas and flavors of cassis and spice; $11.
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