Finders keepers

FOR a wine writer, nothing beats the thrill of a discovery - the feeling that you have stumbled across a wine that is so unique, complex and perfectly formed that you can't quite believe nobody else has picked up on it. It is an occurrence, one hopes, that arrives frequently. Yet, no matter how many samples you get through or vineyard visits you plan, you never know where or when it is going to happen.

This column is really a year late, as I made one such discovery in the winter of 2005 - frustratingly, though, I just couldn't find the wines anywhere in Scotland. At the time I was in a particularly exhausted state, having worked my way through more than 100 Chilean wines in less than four days. Wine-tasting is so much easier in France, where most domains limit their portfolio to a handful of wines. If you go to Chablis, you taste chablis. In Sancerre, you taste sancerre. But in Chile, it's anyone's guess.

Arriving at a winery in Chile, you can be faced with up to 30 different wines as the producer guides you through his chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, merlot and shiraz. Then there is the concept of entry-level, reserve and premium wines. When you are visiting three wineries a day, it can get a bit much.

So it was with great relief that I arrived at the door of a Chilean producer to discover that he made only two red wines. However, not to be outdone in his generosity, he had invited five other estates to show their wares. "How very kind," I remember smiling through gritted teeth.

It was during this tasting marathon that I was introduced to the wines of Tabali. Their flavour was so pure, their acidity so thrilling and fruit so delicate and subtle, yet still so powerful and concentrated. Boy, did these wines stand out.

The Tabali wines are made in the Limari valley, Chile's most northerly wine-making region. It is an area also known for its spectacularly starry night skies, and so it is also home to some expensive telescopes. The grapes grown here benefit from their proximity to the sea. The cool coastal breezes and the Camanchaca fog, which blankets the area every morning, help mediate the ripening process and give the wines their distinctive clean, mineral character.

A few weeks ago I bumped into Bridge of Allan wine merchant Douglas Wood, who informed me that he had just taken samples from a little-known Chilean producer called Tabali. I nearly kissed him.

Wood runs WoodWinters Wines and Whiskies, which he set up with his wife Cara in 2005. They have created a wonderful list and a spectacular shop. But you don't need to take my word for it. Last year the International Wine Challenge crowned WoodWinters Scottish wine merchant of the year. The discovery is complete.

Tasting notes

2005 Tabali Chardonnay, Reserva Especial, 13.5%, £8.99
Superb, with all the hallmarks of a New World chardonnay and an almost Old World palate.

2005 Tabali Carmenère, Reserva, 14%, £7.99
An inviting nose of cafeteria coffee and tired leather, with a smooth, rich palate.

2005 Tabali Shiraz, Reserva, 14%, £8.99
A big, brooding wine, with good fruit and a turbo-charged, leathery finish.

2005 Tabali Pinot Noir, Reserva Especial, 13%, £8.99
A powerful fruit-driven pinot, with a smooth and unctuous palate.

Stockist: WoodWinters Wines and Whiskies, 16 Henderson Street, Bridge of Allan (01786 834 894, www.woodwinters.com)