Concha y Toro Marques de Casa Concha Chardonnay 2004 and 2007
Written By: Randy Torban on Wed, Aug 12th 2009
After finding a bottle of Marques de Casa Concha 2004 Chardonnay in my cellar, I decided to compare the older vintage to a new vintage – the 2007. These bottles come from the Maipo Valley in Chile, and are usually meant to be enjoyed young. I went into this tasting knowing that the 2004 was meant to be enjoyed immediately upon release, meaning I should have opened it 3 years ago. But my better half received the bottle as a gift, and not wanting to be rude and discard it, she put it in our cellar. I will also admit that when it comes to Chardonnay, I usually prefer a buttery California style or a vanilla infused Burgundy style. I try to steer clear of the regular acidity that is synonymous with Chilean wine.
Concha y Toro Marques de Casa Concha Chardonnay 2004
Tropical notes on the nose, such as sweet pineapple and honey. There is a surprising amount of vanilla on the nose as well. On the palate, the fruit becomes more clear with more pineapple, mango, and apricot. There is also a solid sense of minerality, providing a smooth oiliness and complexity not usually found in bottles such as this. Any bright citrus has long since faded, but the nice buttery finish was still intact
Bright and juicy tropical fruit aromas, especially mango, come through on the nose, along with a honeysuckle sweetness. I was expecting quite a bit of acidity in this young bottle, but it was surprisingly elegant, similar to the 2004. On the palate, there is white peach, orange blossom, and tangerine. The fruit is certainly brighter than the 2004, obviously because it is a much younger wine. Medium to full-bodied, it is creamy in its finish, but the oak is not as clear as in the 2004.
As I said above, I do prefer a big buttery Chardonnay or a nice Burgundian style with a lot of vanilla. These particular bottles were fermented in new and used French oak, and having been made in the French style, they were still pleasing to my palate. The older vintage was more my speed simply because the oak came through more, but this was a trade off because the fruit wasn’t quite as pronounced. The current vintage of the Concha y Toro Marques de Casa Concha Chardonnay is typically priced around $20. In that price range, there are quite a few options of Chardonnay from several regions. If you like good, hearty Chilean Chardonnay, I would certainly suggest this bottle. Even if you’re like me, and tend to steer away from acidic white wine, I would still suggest trying this bottle for a nice change of pace.
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