The 2009 EQ Chardonnay was partially native fermented and aged sur lie with batonnage in 26% new French oak for 10 months. Rounder, toastier, and a bit richer than the Coralillo cuvee, on the palate it displays ample tropical fruits, peach, and butterscotch leading to a long, fresh finish. Drink this top-flight effort over the next 4-5 years. Matetic is a biodynamically farmed winery, a rarity in Chile at the moment, whose grapes are certified organic.Importer: Quintessential Wines, Napa, CA; www.quintessentialwines.com

Oak and resin aromas are overpowering and dominant. The wine is big and woody in the mouth, so much so that it almost collapses upon itself, leaving resiny flavors of melon and underdeveloped citrus. Flat on the finish. ——M.S.(12/1/2011)—— 84