Caliterra

Harvest Report

The 2010–2011 season registered a lower heat summation in every zone with respect to the historic average. Viñedo Caliterra was a special case in that by February 2011 it presented a 27% fewer degree days than in the average of the three previous years. March and April presented temperatures close to the historic averages, which helped the vines reach good phenolic maturation in the later-ripening red varieties such as Cabernet, Syrah, and especially, Carmenere.

Tasting Notes

Dark violet-red in color and bluish at the rim, with an elegant aromatic intensity. Aromas of blackberries and forest fruits come to fore, accompanied by mild notes of spice such as cinnamon and black pepper.

Silky and fruity on the palate, with good volume and persistence. Its straightforward elegance makes this an excellent example of the great variety that is Carmenere.

Fermentation and Aging

As is usually the case, once again the polygonal work in the vineyard was crucial this season. This consists of rationally separating the vineyard by heterogeneity, in accordance with differences generated by the diversity of the soils. With the help of the latest technology and using multispectral images, we are able to identify the plants’ state of maturity and harvest the fruit polygonally, separating it by uniform blocks to begin its process toward the bottle rather than in a mass of grapes with different levels of ripeness.

This season it was particularly important to manage the harvest very carefully because the fruit ripened late, and the selection of just the right level of maturity per lot allowed us to obtain wines with tremendous fruit expression, the proper roundness on the palate, and an excellent balance of freshness.

Fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks, beginning at 30ºC (86ºF) and then dropping to 26ºC (79ºF) to prevent over-extraction from the skins. The wine was aged in oak barrels for 10 months, during which time malolactic fermentation took place.

Winemaker´s Notes

The pride of the estate, our Caliterra Carmenere has won awards for years for its tremendous quality and typicity. Always mindful that we are dealing with Chile’s emblematic variety, we have worked to maximize the qualities of our Carmenere. The vineyards were planted more than 15 years ago, at the beginning of the project, and always managed under a sustainable philosophy. The special aspects of the 2010–2011 season are firmly entrenched in this engaging, surprising, and easy-drinking wine that offers plenty of fruit and spice.