Descorchados Guide chooses the best wines in South America – 04/09/2024 – Red or White

One of the most anticipated wine events of the year, the launch of Guia Descorchados takes place on Tuesday (9), in São Paulo, and Thursday (11), in Rio de Janeiro. The guide, which is now in its 26th edition, is the most popular and most complete in South America. This year it includes an evaluation of wines from 535 wineries in Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Peru and Uruguay .

The author of the guide is Chilean journalist Patricio Tapia, who gives scores and chooses the best in several categories. The guide consists of a box with three volumes, one for Argentina (567 pages), one for Chile (523 pages) and one for Brazil, Uruguay, Peru and Bolivia (321 pages). During the event the guide. is on sale for R$295.00. There is also a digital version for R$265.00, on the publisher’s website.

A long time ago, however, Descorchados stopped being just a guide. It is also synonymous with the most renowned South American wine fair. Here since 2012, this fair brings together producers from all the countries involved, mainly from award-winning wineries. So, it is correct to say that, for a ticket price of R$300.00 in São Paulo and R$250.00 in Rio, visitors can taste the best wines from South America.

It’s not easy to say which wines are the best. Each wine has a different personality. A wine goes well with food. Others are good even pure. One suits winter, the other suits summer. Even more important than that, each person has their preferences. However, there are technical parameters that define whether a wine is harmonious, whether it has flaws or whether it is balanced. And there is the experience of critics who have already tasted tens (if not hundreds) of thousands of wines in their lives. For Descorchados 2024, Tapia and the team from its partner Inner Editora tasted more than 4,000 wines from 230 Argentine, 210 Chilean, 35 Uruguayan, 40 Brazilian, 20 Peruvian and 5 Bolivian wineries.

For the first time in history, Descorchados awarded a score of 100 to a wine (two, in fact). This is how the winners of the red category in Argentina were named, the Zuccardi Finca Piedra Infinita Paraje Altamira Supercal 2021 and the Catena Zapata Adrianna Vineyard Mundus Bacillus Terrae 2021. Does this mean that these wines have improved a lot compared to previous vintages? It can be, but not necessarily.

It’s no secret that Tapia believes that Brazilian wines (with the exception of sparkling wines), Bolivian and Peruvian wines are not up to par with Chilean and Argentine wines (this is his opinion, there are those who disagree). So much so that it took years to include these countries in its guide and it still evaluates a much smaller number of wineries in them than in Argentina and Chile. So, when Brazilians started receiving 93 points, for example, I imagine he must have upgraded Argentina and Chile’s scores. Anyone who goes to the fair will be able to judge for themselves. Tickets are on sale on the publisher’s website. São Paulo has already sold out, but there are still tickets for the Rio de Janeiro event. Below is a list of the winners in some categories, with comments on those wines that I remember tasting recently.

Best reds from Argentina

Zuccardi Finca Piedra Infinita Paraje Altamira Supercal 2021
This is one of the 100% malbecs, which received 100 points. Imported by Grand Cru, it costs R$2,124.92 (2018 harvest).

Catena Zapata Adriana Vineyard Mundus Bacillus Terrae 2021
Another pure Malbec, it is a masterpiece by the great Alejandro Vigil, who this year, by the way, was chosen as the best Argentine winemaker. It costs R$3,120.19 (2017 harvest) at Mistral.

Best Whites in Argentina

Bemberg La Linterna 2019
This chardonnay comes from Gualtallary, in the Tupungato subregion, Mendoza. It costs R$715.92.

Onotria Chardonnay 2021
This chardonnay comes from Argentine Patagonia. This wine is apparently not imported to Brazil. I say apparently because, even though I haven’t found anything on the internet, there’s always the possibility that someone could bring it without making a fuss.

Best reds from Brazil

Adolfo Lona Baron Assemblage 2020
I had this wine two weeks ago when I went to visit the Lona urban winery in Porto Alegre. It’s really fantastic. It is very reminiscent of Bordeaux, both in aromas and in the mouth. It is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Tannat. The name is a reference to Baron de Lantier, a wine launched by Lona in the 1970s. It received 93 points. It costs R$380.00 at the Adolfo Lona store. Veteran Lona, a reference for years, was also named winemaker of the year in Brazil.

Sacraments Sabina 2023
Produced by Sacramentos Vinifier, in Serra da Canastra, Minas Gerais, this wine attracted a lot of attention when its first vintage was ranked best in Brazil, as first vintages don’t usually come close to what the wine will be like after a few years. A 100% syrah, it is the creation of the brilliant Alejandro Cardoso, a Uruguayan based in Caxias do Sul, but who provides consultancy throughout Latin America. It costs R$197.00 at World Wine.

Best sparkling wine in Brazil

Cave Geisse Terroir Nature 2020
Almost hors concurs, Mario Geisse’s sparkling wines are a constant of quality. I love this nature. Nature means that the sparkling wine is completely dry, that no sugar has been added at the end (yes, oddly enough, sugar is even added to champagne). It costs R$350.00 on the Geisse Family website.

Best white in Brazil

Luiz Argenta LA Cave 2021
This sauvignon blanc comes from Flores da Cunha, in Serra Gaúcha. It costs R$198.00 on the winery’s website.

Best Red in Chile

De Martino Cuvée 2021
Not long ago, I had lunch with the producer of this wine and tasted several labels. All great. The winery took the title of best of the year in Chile. This is a Cabernet Sauvignon from the Maipo Valley. It costs R$1,699.00 (2020 harvest) at Winebrands.

Best Whites in Chile

Tabali Talinay Caliza 2023
This chardonnay from the Limari Valley looks like it’s not in Brazil. I only found simpler wines from this winery for sale on the internet. Apparently he is not in Brazil.

Valdivieso Caballo Loco Blanco N°1 N/V
This Central Valley wine is a blend of chardonnay, pinot noir, pinot gris, white muscatel, semillon and viognier. The brand is imported by Ravin, but at the moment this specific label is not on the website.

Best reds from Uruguay

Bouza Viñedo Pan de Azúcar Tannat 2021
It’s been a good few years since I’ve calmly tasted Bouza’s wines. However, I remember well that they were great. I also know that this Pan de Azúcar region is very promising. Closer to the sea than Maldonado, it tends to produce wines with excellent freshness. This wine costs R$483.90 at Decanter. Winemaker Eduardo Boido was chosen winemaker of the year.

Compañia Uruguaya de Vinos de Mar Ter Admirables 2022
This young winery is located in Gaszón, the same town as the famous Bodega Garzón. It must be closer to the sea than the latter. This year it was chosen as the best winery in Uruguay. Their wines are apparently not in Brazil.

Best white wines in Uruguay

Familia Deicas Preludio Barrel Select Blanco 2023
This chardonnay, which mixes Canelones grapes with Maldonado grapes, costs R$163.15 at Woods Wine.

Garzón Petit Clos Block 27 2023 Albariño
Uruguayan alvarinhos have been attracting attention for a long time. Those at Bodega Garzón even more so. This is an even more special small batch. It costs R$538.00 (2020 harvest) at World Wine.

Best red in Bolivia

Hidden Garden Los Membrillos 2021
I’ve only tasted three wines from Bolivia to date. Two of them were from Jardín Oculto. Both very interesting. I tasted them for an article I wrote about wines from Bolivia and it should appear soon in the print edition. This is a black criolla red. This grape is the same as the country grape in Chile. It yields light wines, with plenty of fruit and good acidity. It comes from the Tarija region. La Gruta carries other labels from this winery, but not this one.

Best white in Bolivia

Campos de Solana Trivarietal 2021
And the third Bolivian wine I tasted was from this winery. Also from Tarija, this is a blend of viognier, riesling and sauvignon blanc. Apparently, it’s not in Brazil.

Best reds in Peru

Tacama Hanan 2022
A blend of tannat and carménère, this red is produced in the Ica Valley. Apparently it’s not in Brazil.

Viñas Queirolo Intipalka N०1 Gran Reserva 2021
It is a blend of malbec, syrah, tannat, merlot and cabernet sauvignon, also from the Ica Valley. It costs R$545.00 at Catta Wines.

Best white

Bodega Murga Duermevela 2023
From the Pisco region, this wine is a very non-traditional cut of the Albilla and Italy grapes. I’ve never heard of an Italian grape wine before. I’m curious. Apparently, it’s not in Brazil.