85% Carmenère – 15% Cabernet Franc

Chile is the only country in the world that grows vines ungrafted and also one of the few that grows Carmenère. This vine stock originated from Bordeaux, Carmenere being one of the six varietals that made up Claret for centuries. It had almost completely disappeared, and was rediscovered in Chile in the 1980′s a full century after phylloxera eradicated it from Europe. Our Carmenère vineyards are located in San Luis de Pirque.

Winemaking process

Our Carmenère wine is elaborated in tanks of 12,000 kilograms of grapes. The maceration pre-fermentation lasts four to twelve days in order to obtain optimum extraction of color and increase the fruit character. The fermentation process involves a pumping over two to four times daily depending upon periodic tasting. Temperatures are strictly controlled and remain under 28°C. Post fermentation maceration lasts three weeks, to achieve good levels of tannins. It is followed by a malolactic fermentation, and then is aged twelve months in French oak barrels from various forests and makers, allowing a greater complexity.

Tasting note:

Gran Cuvée Carmenère 2008 possesses an intense purple color. In the nose it packs a blend of wild black berries with aromas of earth, smokey wood voilets and tea leaves. On the palate, the attack is round and generous, the tannins are velvety and uncannily persistent. The qualities of this well-structured Carmenère are enhanced with several years of aging in the bottle.

Technical information:

• Harvest date: Mayo, 2008
• Harvest Method: manually in small cases of 12 kilos
• Production: aprox 24.400 bottles
• Alcohol degree: 14.3% Vol.
• Residual sugars: 2.9 g/l
• pH: 3.63
• Total acidity: 3.58 g/l