Scott Clime, wine and beverage director for Passion Food Hospitality LLC which operates four upscale locations in downtown Washington, D.C. and a fifth in Virginia, speaks up for the improved quality and bright flavors from Chile’s Casablanca Valley.

At 168-seat Ceiba which serves contemporary Latin American cuisine, Clime developed a list that emphasizes the wines of Chile, Argentina and Spain. 

“Cool-climate Chilean wines like the Sauvignon Blancs from Casablanca deliver good, high acidity and fruit-forward flavors that work well with the ceviches and Latin cuisine at Ceiba; it’s a natural pairing. The Cabernet Sauvignons and Merlots have the same fruit-forward style and they don’t fight with the complex Latin flavors.”

The clientele at Ceiba includes tourists, local families and business groups so Clime’s list is intentionally user friendly--he includes at least one wine at each price point and moves up in $10 dollar increments--and is well supported on the floor by his staff.  His bottle list includes a Montes Alpha 2005 Chardonnay and a Concha y Toro 2006 or 2007 Terrunyo Sauvignon Blanc, both at $54. 

“The Chilean whites and Argentine Malbecs are our best-selling wines,” he offers.  “In the 1990s, I didn’t look to Chile or Argentina for quality but that perception has changed rapidly.  When I started tasting in 2002 in preparation for opening Ceiba, I was really surprised and was quick to add the Montes and Errazuriz wines from Chile and Susana Balbo’s wines from Argentina’s Mendoza region to the list.”

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