Popular Chilean wine brand Walnut Crest, one of the country's top ten imports, recently expanded its line of varietal wines to include a 100% Shiraz.

"The addition of Shiraz to the Walnut Crest line provides the consumer with a full selection of well-known wines at appealing prices," said Alicia Angione, brand manager for Walnut Crest's US importer Banfi Vintners in Old Brookville, New York. The Shiraz, starting with vintage 2001, complements a line that already includes Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc from Chile and a White Zinfandel from California that is sold only in restaurants.

Walnut Crest Shiraz is produced in Chile's Rapel Valley which is renowned for its full-flavored reds. It is a robust wine with spicy blackberry, plum, and peppery flavors that match perfectly with beef dishes, grilled foods, and especially spicy dishes.

The new varietal will initially be offered in the Southeast, Mid-Atlantic and in Massachusetts, with plans for national distribution in 2003. Available in 750ml and 1.5 liter bottles, the Walnut Crest Shiraz will retail for approximately $6.00 and $10.00 respectively.

Today, Walnut Crest ranks as the second most popular imported wine brand from Chile and the 8th leading import in the United States. The producer, Bodegas y Viñedos Santa Emiliana of Santiago, Chile, uses grapes grown in its own vineyards, 3,500 acres in Chile's Maipo, Casablanca and Rapel valleys to make their Walnut Crest varietal wines.