West Sussex is a county which has little in common with South America.

Our rolling downland scenery bears no resemblance to soaring mountain ranges, and our well-manicured fields would be lost in a tiny corner of the pampas.

But a link has opened up with shows signs of flourishing, and it's all down to wine.

Arundel is now the UK and Ireland base for the Claro group of wineries, located in Chile and Argentina, whose brands are exported to more than 70 countries.

UK commercial director Richard Leaver said he was looking for a location which would be impressive to visitors from the South American countries, as well as from the UK.

The base was previously in Oxford. "I live locally, and given that my wife, Tess, and I have five lively children I wanted to help my own personal work/life balance," he said.

"My two colleagues have moved across from Chile, and are hugely impressed with the town."

The office, a stone's throw from the castle, now features a tasting room and a meeting room.

I had already tasted one or two wines from the group's most famous brand here in the UK, Santa Rita, when it originally caught my eye as a result of regular appearances in Tom Stevenson's independent annual Wine Review, in a list of Chile's 'greatest' wine producers.

One of the best-selling lines for Santa Rita, whose origins go back more than 120 years, is its 'Reserva' series, and I tasted three of these wines, and three from the 'Medalla Real' line-up, all from the top wine-growing valleys.

I was particularly impressed with the two Reserva reds I tried, both on grounds of quality and value for money.

Estate-grown Santa Rita Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 (13.5 per cent, £6.99, Majestic) is created in the Maipo Valley, claimed to be one of the world's finest wine-producing areas.

Its intriguing dry complexity struck me most - layers of flavour stacked up one on top of the other.

Black fruit, oaky vanilla and hints of dark chocolate are there, with light, unobtrusive, background spices. A subtle, well-balanced wine.

Santa Rita Reserva Merlot 2007 (14.5 per cent, £6.99, Majestic), from the same valley, is powerful in flavour and alcohol, with a particularly vibrant deep red colour.

Velvety, full-bodied tastes of plums and damsons in this wine, which was kept in American and French oak barrels for up to a year.

Both of these sound reds are recommended for red meat dishes and rustic cheeses.

From dark red to a lively white, and Santa Rita Reserva Sauvignon Blanc 2008 (13.5 per cent, £6.99, Majestic), which was produced in another leading wine-growing region, the Casablanca Valley.

It has lots of fresh citrus and gooseberry, with a mouthwatering, crisp character ideal for appetite-whetting.

I found a glass went perfectly with a pasta dish featuring salmon haricot beans and olives.

It was interesting to taste another cabernet sauvignon from a different range by the same producer.

Santa Rita Medalla Real Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 (14.5 per cent, £9.99, Majestic, Wine Society) is an even more powerful character, and will age up to a decade in the right conditions.

The generous flavours, blackcurrant and blackberry, weigh in with woody notes from the 12 to 14 months in oak.

Attractively complex, like its counterpart, leaving a pleasant memory in the mouth. If forced to make a choice, taking price into account, I would go for the Reserva, and was encouraged by the fact that my 26-year-old daughter, with her non-smoker's, perceptively female palate, agreed with me.

Striking flavours of grass, gooseberries and grapefruit in Medalla Real Sauvignon Blanc 2008 (13.5 per cent, £10, everywine.co.uk).

Produced only last year in the Casablanca Valley, this has the sort of youth and freshness you would expect from a brand-new good quality South American wine.

I see a remark in the wine-maker's notes about 'fresh harvesting, only in the mornings,' so maybe this has something to do with the character of the wine.



Dry and nutty


I like a good Sauvignon Blanc as an aperitif, but it is a classic acompaniment for sea-food.

Creamy apple, pear and tropical fruit flavours are dished up by Medalla Real Chardonnay 2007 (14 per cent, £11, everywine.co.uk).

Deep and luscious, it could be a completely different grape to the Chardonnay as represented by classy French white Burgundy, with its dry, nutty, mineral character.

I can recommend a glass of either.

My personal preference leans towards the French, but as well as swallowing the French wine I would have to swallow the fact that I had to pay several pounds more for a good bottle The Chilean wine, produced from a single estate, is an ideal option to go with poultry or fish.



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