Leisure

FOOD & WINE : BY THE GLASSToast To The WorldWRITTEN BY Peter SurowskiTwo hundred years ago, you’d have to travelthe world to taste the latest and greatestbeers and wines. Today, we can have themshipped in and enjoy them in our homes. Oh,the grandeur of the modern age!The market of great drinks is always changing,and new things become available on Americanshores every day.Lately, some of the best wines are coming tous from South America. With its cool climate,perfect altitude and rich soil, Chilean wineriesare catching the attention of critics. Becauseof the advantage of the U.S. dollar against theChilean peso, they also catch the attention ofthe wine lover on a budget. Many excellentChilean wines sell for less than $10.Alex Naticchioni, owner of The Wine Bar onOcean Boulevard, thinks Chilean wines canhold their ground against even the world’sbest — and most expensive — wines. In Aprilhe held a tasting session. He turned his back,poured two glasses, put them on the bar andhid the bottles.They were both wildly aromatic. One’s bouquetwas of cherry blossoms, raspberries and wetmahogany. The other was also fruity, withovertones of tart cranberries and dusty earth,but not quite as lively, nor as fragrant.The taste followed through. One was richwith citrus and berries with low tannin, andthe other, though still excellent, was harder,a little higher in tannin, and tasted of tangyberries and dry, loose soil.“Which one do you like better?” he asked.They were both excellent wines, but the firstone was more fragrant and the flavor wasmore vibrant. Naticchioni pulled the bottlesfrom the rack behind the bar. The better winewas a cabernet from Chile by PKNT. The other,a Bordeaux from France.“They’re cheap, different and good to thepalette,” he said about the Chilean wines. “Ido side-by-side comparisons and they test it,and they say, ‘Hey, wow, this is amazing andit’s an inexpensive one out of Chile’.”Wine isn’t the only surprise coming fromabroad. Mexico, famous for its pale, lightbodiedlagers, is shipping out some excellentmicrobrews that are everything Corona andDos Equis are not.Obscura, a brown ale made by Cucapá, amicrobrewery in Mexicali, Baja California, isa great-tasting example. It pours chestnutbrown with a tall, creamy head. The aromais of chocolate with hints of citrus. It tastesmalty with a hoppy backdrop and a hint oftart oranges.Unlike the new beers, the most exciting arrivalfrom overseas in the world of whiskey is morethan 100 years old. Paddy Old Irish Whiskey,20JUNE 2010 TRAVEL & LEISURE