Protect Earth with Chile’s Biodynamic Matetic EQ Sauvignon Blanc Paired with Chimichurri Blackened Halibut #WorldWineTravel

2020 Matetic Vineyards EQ Coastal Sauvignon Blanc with local halibut and chimichurri

In 2023, we celebrate the 53rd anniversary of Earth Day– when the people of Earth first came together to officially recognize the gifts of the planet we call home, and marks the birth of the modern environmental movement. Over the past 50 years, we’ve made a lot of progress to protect out planet from pollution and resource extraction. Land is being protected, and rewilding efforts have returned animals to their homes, restoring ecosystems from soils to the skies. Organic produce and other products are easier to find– including in wine, thanks to a few pioneers in conservation, permaculture, biodynamics, agroecology, and regenerative organic viticulture.

Many have worked hard to accomplish these changes around the world. Wild Life, a brand new feature length documentary  from National Geographic and Oscar-winning filmmakers Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin traces the extraordinary career and life of Kris Tomkins, former CEO of Patagonia, and her husband, former CEO of The North Face and Esprit. They worked to transform farming in Chile and Argentina to make it more sustainable and profitable, but their real success has been protecting millions of acres in Chile and Argentina.

Twenty-five years ago the groundwork for Chile’s success with organic and biodynamic viticulture began with Alvaro Espinoza who turned a two-acre parcel at Viña Carmen organic and consulted for Emiliana Organic Vineyards, according Samantha Cole-Johnson in this article at Jancis Robinson (paywall).  Espinoza connected Rodrigo Soto, a graduate student working on biological controls in organic agriculture, with Paul Dolan in California to intern at Fetzer Vineyards.

During their time in California, Espinoza and Soto worked with and were influenced by biodynamic pioneers. Not surprisingly, when Soto and Espinoza returned to Chile, Espinoza incorporated biodynamic practices using Alan York’s procedures, and when Soto interviewed at Matetic Winery to be winemaker, he brought a slideshow of featuring California biodynamic vineyards resulting in Jorge Matetic bringing Alan York to Chile in 2002 to consult at Matetic and Emiliana. Vineyard quality improved, and they showed how biodynamics can be scaled resulting Emiliana’s success as the largest biodynamic and organic estate in the world, and “Christian Matetic’s wife convinced her family to convert their new project, Koyle Winery, to biodynamics,” reports Cole-Johnson.

Today, it is much easier to find affordable, delicious, and complex organic and biodynamic wines from Chile and elsewhere, thanks to these leaders, pioneers, and believers. And we can easily figure what what’s what thanks to certifications on labels and clear messaging on websites that proudly proclaim the ways a winery operates sustainably, including organic and biodynamic practices. We write often here about great wines with serious sustainability stories. Another great resource: Pam Strayer’s writing at various outlets and on her blog, Organic Wines Uncorked.

In honor of Earth Day, and in preparation for Sauvignon Blanc Day Friday May 5, we feature a biodynamic Sauvignon Blanc from Matetic Vineyards.  I was introduced to this wine thanks to Julio Alonso of Wines of Chile who provided us a quick overview on current trends for Chilean Sauvignon Blanc along with Joaquín Hidalgo who shared with us about Chile’s various terroirs and how they factor in the wine in the bottle. Last year, I participated in a tasting of this organic Sauvignon Blanc  as well as seven other Chilean Sauvignon Blancs wines, four under $20 which we wrote about here with a few favorite and affordable pairings.

2020 Matetic Vineyards EQ Coastal Sauvignon Blanc with oysters, chèvre, “Old Amsterdam” goat cheese gouda (sample)

Sauvignon Blanc is Chile’s second most widely planted variety with 37,614 acres in 2019, accounts for 40% of all white grapes grown in Chile, and is 13% of all wine produced in 2021. While widely grown, three regions in this long narrow country offer distinct differences: Coastal Sauvignon Blanc where morning fog, cool breezes and granitic soils bring out herbal characteristics; Inland Sauvignon Blanc with more river and alluvial influences means more citrus and tropical notes; and Southern Sauvignon Blanc which brings lime and herbs to the palate.

2020 Matetic Vineyards EQ Coastal Sauvignon Blanc

Wine

  • 2020 Matetic Vineyards EQ Coastal Sauvignon Blanc

Menu

  • oysters (from Ventura Fresh Fish)
  • ceasar salad
  • local fresh halibut rice bowl with homemade chimichurri sauce  

2020 Matetic Vineyards EQ Coastal Sauvignon Blanc

2020 Matetic Vineyards EQ Coastal Sauvignon Blanc

ABV: 13.5%
SRP: $20
Grapes: Sauvignon Blanc
Importer: Quintessential Wines LLC Napa

The Place: D.O. Valle de Casablanca Vinedo Valle Hermoso soils are a granite-based mosaic with the clay, guru, or granite predominating  depending on whether vines are planted on slopes, on valley floor or on hilltops. Matetic Vineyards were planted in 1999.

“Biological–dynamic agriculture promotes the biodiversity of the flora and fauna, protecting the health of the agriculturists and the consumers. The agricultural field is conceived as an individual, with the earth, plants, animals, cosmos, and men coming together to form one organism,” the Matetic website explains. Matetic Vineyards have been 100% biodynamic certified by Demeter since 2013. 

EQ stands for Equilibrio, which means “balance” in Spanish. Matetic Vineyards EQ Coastal Sauvignon Blanc uses grapes from their biodynamic vineyard in the granitic rich soils of Rosario Valley’s Valle Hermoso in Casablanca, just under four miles from the Pacific which sends strong winds that keep it cool, reducing vigor in the vines, yet sunny afternoons allow for ripeness. Part was fermented on French oak and concrete eggs, with the rest kept on lees for four months. Julio Bastias is the head winemaker in the Metetic Cellar.

Appearance:  Very pale yellow, pale straw, tinge of green, green gold

Aroma: Very green on the nose, fresh sliced jalapeno, Sue loved the nose  on this wine, alfalfa, sea grass, heavy in minerals, 

Palate: Very clean and refreshing, fresh jalapeños, lemon, lime, gooseberry, well made, hits all the marks, structured, salinity, fantastic complexity. 

Pairing:  Loves the fresh oysters, so good, the tart greenness of the wine is enhanced by the oysters bringing out a lovely apricot fruit on the finish. This wine stands up to the oyster and the flavors clash and marry together so nicely, brings out the salinity in the wine. This wine loves the bold flavors of the chimichuri and the blackened halibut. Such an amazing pairing, if you were to order this in a restaurant you would not be disappointed. This pairing is all about the spices and the peppers and it is enhanced by this wine. there are som many different flavors brought out in both the meal and the wine making it all very punchy. 

HAPPY EARTH DAY! 2023 marks the 53rd anniversary for the first Earth Day, which is the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970, and  the #WorldWineTravel writers are celebrating with organic wines from Chile. How will YOU celebrate? Check these ideas out:

  • A Chilean Pinot Noir with Seafood Stuffed Atlantic Salmon by Our Good Life
  • Oysters in Herb Butter with a Veramonte Chardonnay and a Book Review by A Day in the Life on the Farm
  • Prepare for Sauvignon Blanc Day: Chile’s Biodynamic Matetic Paired with Chimichurri Blackened Halibut by Wine Predator…Gwendolyn Alley
  • Sheep in the Vineyard, Wine from Organic Grapes in My Glass by My Full Wine Glass
  • Wishing You Happy Earth Day with An Organic Pinot Noir from Chile + A Quintessential Pasta from Rome by Culinary Cam

The World Wine Travel bloggers’ Twitter chat on Earth Day and organic Chilean wines is Sat. 4/22/23 at  11 a.m. ET / 8 a.m. PT. Join the conversation via #WorldWineTravel #EarthDayPairings #ChileanWines with host @Culinary_Cam. Here’s what we’ll be talking about and when:

11:00 a.m. EST  

Welcome to the #WorldWineTravel #EarthDayPairings #ChileanWines chat on the organic wines of Chile hosted by @Culinary_Cam.  Introduce yourself and share from where you are tweeting. Share a link to your blog and a selfie if you like. Happy Earth Day!

11:05 a.m. EST

Some of the #WorldWineTravel #EarthDayPairings #ChileanWines bloggers received #samples from @winesellersltd. Did you receive some bottles? Or did you find your wine on your own? If you sourced separately, where did you find it? Online? Or at a local store? 

11:10 a.m. EST

Q1  So, we’re looking at organic wines from Chile with the #WorldWineTravel #EarthDayPairings #ChileanWines group. Have you been to Chile in real life?  Please share your experience. Would love to see some photos!

11:15 a.m. EST 

Q2  Did you write a post for today’s event? If so, please share a link to your blogpost if you wrote on the topic today. #WorldWineTravel #EarthDayPairings #ChileanWines

11:20 a.m. EST 

Q3  Tell us a little bit about your wine? How is the winery doing good things for the vines? For the planet?  Do tell! #WorldWineTravel #EarthDayPairings #ChileanWines

 11:30 a.m. EST 

Q4  Did you pair your wine with food or a meal? How did the wine pair with your chosen dish? If it didn’t pair well? If not, what would you do differently next time? #WorldWineTravel #EarthDayPairings #ChileanWines

11:35 a.m. EST 

Q5 If you paired your wine with food, did you follow the ‘what grows together, goes together’ adage? #WorldWineTravel #EarthDayPairings #ChileanWines

 11:40 a.m. EST 

Back to the wine! If you are interested in the wines we received from Veramonte via @winesellersltd, they are available from @wine_com @drizlyinc @marianosmarket @ abcfinewinespirits @binnysbev @HEB #WorldWineTravel #EarthDayPairings #ChileanWines

 11:45 am EST

Just a shoutout to the #WorldWineTravel #EarthDayPairings #ChileanWines bloggers who posted about Chilean wines today. Salud! @ArtPredator @WendyKlik @tsteffes @linda_lbwcsw @ChildrenofGrape @culinary_cam 

 11:50 am EST

 And a hearty muchas gracias to @winesellersltd for sending wines to several of the #WorldWineTravel #EarthDayPairings #ChileanWines bloggers.

11:55 a.m. EST 

Q7  Any final thoughts about the organic wines of while? I hope you had fun exploring this topic. #WorldWineTravel #EarthDayPairings #ChileanWines

 noon  EST 

Thanks for joining the April 2023 #WorldWineTravel #EarthDayPairings #ChileanWines chat as we talked about the organic wines of Chile. Next month we explore one of the first grapes to be planted in the Americas: País with host @Culinary_Cam.

 

 

8 thoughts on “Protect Earth with Chile’s Biodynamic Matetic EQ Sauvignon Blanc Paired with Chimichurri Blackened Halibut #WorldWineTravel”

  1. Dear Gwendolyn,

    Glad you enjoyed the Matetic EQ SB. I like the idea of pairing it with halibut and chimichurri sauce (which I made last week, albeit to go with pork chops).

    All best — Jane

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

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