Francis Bacon, the English philosopher (and former Attorney General) observed “there is no exquisite beauty without some strangeness in the proportion.” The French, who know a few things about beauty, even have a word for this idea: jolie-laide or “ugly charm”. Fitting into the classical mold of symmetry and proportion may make you pretty – but true beauty requires a certain exceptionality that borders on the freakish.
If you doubt the power of jolie-laide, you have only to look at Barbara Streisand or Sarah Jessica Parker. But ugly charm isn’t just important when it comes to actresses – it is also a vital part of wine appreciation. Sometimes the most prestigious bottles have a boring sameness to them, whereas more eccentric wines are totally absorbing.
Case in point: the wines of Chile. I often find that Chilean reds have a striking herby or grassy character to them. Normally, a vegetal edge would be a fault – it certainly is in Ontario – but somehow in Chile’s hands it becomes seductive. I think it flows from Chile’s wonderful climate. The herby character in the grapes reflects the irrepressible vivaciousness of vines growing in nearly perfect weather conditions.
The strange beauty of Chile is vividly displayed in the wines of Vina Perez Cruz. This winery makes great wine, and the latest vintages (rolling out over the next few weeks) are no exception. Here are some highlights:
- The flagship of Perez Cruz is the Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva (
$14.95[Ed. Note: 2007 no longer available], Vintages Essential # 694208). The 2007 vintage has a generous and herbaceous nose that leads you into a juicy mouthful evoking berry pie, cinnamon, and oranges. It’s well-structured, delicious, and a dead bargain. - The Perez Cruz Reserva Cot 2006 (
$24.95[Ed. Note: No longer available], Vintages #670547) was just released. Cot is a version of Malbec. This wine has a darker profile than the Cab, with brooding flavours of smoke, cocoa and perhaps a little road work (Cot has some tar-like notes). It has less grassiness than other Cruzes, but makes up for it with an equally unusual streak of brick-like minerality that lends substance to the whole package. - The Perez Cruz Reserva Syrah ($24.95, Vintages #589812) is the most age-worthy of these wines. It will require 1-3 more years to open up, although it nods at us now with a dignified air of cedar, leather and cigar smoke.
- The Perez Cruz Reserva Carmenere 2006 (
$24.95[Ed. Note: 2006 no longer available], Vintages #670547) is the best of the wines in their $25 range. It’s mellow and so tender that it almost falls apart on your tongue like a gooey cookie. The herb flavours get excellent definition in this wine, coming across in waves of mint and sage. The bottle exemplifies why Carmenere is becoming Chile’s signature grape. It’s like Barbara Streisand in a bottle.
Matthew Sullivan is a lawyer with the Department of Justice in Toronto. He writes a weekly blog entry here on lawandstyle.ca. The Short Cellar column appears in the print edition of Precedent. Matthew can be reached at matthew@lawandstyle.beta-site.ca