Red wine from vineyards established before 1900, Pais/ Mission, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Carmenere
Spec sheets of our currently available wines (in English and Spanish)
Viticulture and Winemaking Philosophy
We believe great wines can only be made with great grapes, so we choose the best plots and together with our viticulturist Martín Figueroa, make sure the vines are pruned, fertilized, and generally well tended for.
Our style is somehow “old world” but without the long cellaring. Our 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon, for example, can be enjoyed right away (we recommend decanting it if opened before mid-2021). This wine achieved 94 points, “Vino Revelación” and “Best Value short-list” at the Guía Descorchados, which described it as “one of the Cabs with more character in Chile”, the 2021 Cabernet had the same score in the 2023 Guía Descorchados. Together with País is one red wine from vineyards established before 1900.
Grape Varieties
Santa Rosa de Lavaderos climate is suited especially for red varieties. We have made wines using País, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Carmenere.
País
An extremely grateful red variety that arrived in our country at the end of the 1500s, via the Bío Bío region with the Spanish missionaries and conquerors. We see tremendous potential. From being the most planted variety in Chile 50 years ago, today there are only about 7,000 hectares, mainly in the Maule and Bío Bío region. It is our responsibility to act because there are no more old País head-pruned vineyards in the world, capable of producing wines to liven up a pleasant conversation.
Originally from Castile, on its way to America, it settled in the Canary Islands where it acclimatized very well in volcanic soils. Cultivated in head or vase as is still done in Chile today. In the Canary Islands, it´s known as Listán Prieto or Listán Negra, while in California as Mission, Argentinians call it Criolla, Bolivians know it as La Negra Cargadora. Extremely generous in its yields, which gave the image of a strain that does not have the potential to create quality wines. Something recently denied because Parker gave 92 points to a Listán Negro. Our grandparents in Chile drank País red wine or a white Semillón. In “chuicos”, bottles of 15 liters of returnable glass covered with wicker mesh to reinforce the glass.
The País variety has a tremendous range of aromas according to its style: red fruit, black fruit, often with elegant notes of cassis, smoke, and spices such as black pepper, fennel, and some vanilla if it has been aged in second-use oak. It has a fresh acidity, firm and elegant tannins (which need to be extracted carefully by the winemaker), light-body, dry but with a slight sweetness, and a finish that invites another glass.
To appreciate it better, País, like Pinot Noir, requires temperatures of 14°C to 16°C.
País at Santa Rosa de Lavaderos
The seven hectares of País vineyards were established in Santa Rosa de Lavaderos at least the year 1900 according to official records. The vines are “head-pruned” (this means there are no wires or trellis system to help the plants to stand-up). We usually blend our País with small quantities of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, this helps the “structure”/ tannins of the wine.
Cabernet Sauvignon
One of the main varieties used for blends in Bordeaux, where the kind of grapes used do not appear on the label of the wines. Is also probably the most recognized red wine from the “New World”.
A full-bodied wine, with strong red color, firm tannins and aging potential. Probably the best description for its aroma is “cassis” (a dark red liqueur made from blackcurrants).
In our experience (and some of the wineries which previously purchased our grapes), the best lot of Cabernet Sauvignon in Santa Rosa de Lavaderos is “Las Casas” (named this way because is right next to the main farm-house). It was established at least in the year 1900 according to official records. We usually blend our Cabernet with small quantities of Syrah or Carmenere, this gives more complexity in aroma and flavors.
Syrah
Another French variety, from the Rhone Valley. There´s a small vineyard of 1,5 hectares of Syrah in the farm, and we love the wine it delivers, alone and to blend. These wines have an intense red color and high quality tannins. Its aromas can be described as similar to violets, some people also think of “meaty/ prochiutto” aromas. We plan to release at the end of 2023, or beggining of 2024 a very reduced amount of bottles of 2023 vintage Syrah.
Carmenere
A grape variety original from Bordeaux and long mistaken as Merlot in Chile. It was “rediscovered” during the 1990s on a farm in the Maule Valley.
The winemaking techniques for Carmenere-based wines have changed during the last two decades… when we started making this wine its main characteristic was a “green bell pepper” aroma and flavor. Today this is the very last variety to be harvested, in this way the “green flavors” go away, this also means it can have relatively low acidity and high alcohol. Carmenere is great for blends with Cabernet Sauvignon with its supple tannins.