As he tells it himself, Torontonian Derek Mossman found himself in Chile one year that there was no snow for skiing in New Zealand. Whilst he was there he met a young lady, a Winemaker, who he went on to marry a few years later. In 2001 they started a small winemaking hobby project that they named the Garage Wine Co., ostensibly a route to making a little wine to enjoy with family and friends. With each harvest the Garage Wine Co. grew, until today when their operation now supplies wines to markets all over the world.
For the most part eschewing the standard Cabernet/Sauvignon Blanc route to market, Derek and his wife’s excellent wines have much more in common with the red blends of the Languedoc and Spain than those of Bordeaux, utilising Carignan,Garnacha, Mataro, and occasionally the wonderfully funky País.
We caught up with him in the leafy environs of Toronto’s High Park to find out a bit more about what he’s up to down in the Maule Valley. He’s certainly a man to watch, as I feel that his wines are some of the most exciting and individual Chilean reds I have ever tasted.
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Edinburgh-born/Toronto-based Sommelier, consultant, writer, judge, and educator Jamie Drummond is the Director of Programs/Editor of Good Food Revolution… And he thinks that you’ll be seeing a lot more of Derek’s wines. Great stuff.