My friend Sean N. is one of those intrepid folks who always manages to find a bottle that is unusual and unique – and then has the class to share it.  Come to think of it, I have met many people like that along my wine studies journey.

For the roughly 10 months it took several of us to get through the WSET Diploma course ‘Light Wines of the World’, once a week a dozen or so of us would pool resources, pester a colleague to put together a tasting of specific types of wines, and torture ourselves with as many as 12 double blind timed tastings and notes at these study sessions.

We swore after we passed the course, we would continue to get together and simply enjoy drinking wine – minus the tasting notes.  What can I say?  Old habits die hard; I cheated and wrote some down.

Ever so generous, Sean N. brought this special bottle to share with The Drinking Group.  Before opening, we were concerned it may no longer have much life left – after all, we’re talking 1993 here and Chile to boot.  But this wine from Rancagua, Rapel Valley in Chile’s Central Valley region (Rapel is in the Colchagua Valley), was outstanding.

Medium gold with deep legs, the wine is developed with aromas and flavours of medium plus hay, honey, mushroom, apple and minerals.  It was almost Chenin-like with lots of wet wool and wax going on.  As it warmed, there was a distinctive nose and taste of cooked asparagus with peas and mint.  The finish was long and layered.

Complex, full of character, elegantly low alcohol and beautifully balanced, it is WSET Outstanding and not tired at all.  Drink now and wait no longer if you have any intrepid friends with some still have some lying around who are willing to share.