Caliterra

Winemaker Comment

The wine’s presentation is flawless: On sunny days its colour astonishes against a white background, while indoors it looks like ink. The prevailing aroma clearly comes from the Shiraz from our Colchagua vineyards—a blend of fruit with meat and spices against a backdrop of tobacco, black pepper, and a cassis note that ties it all together, along with surprising notes of apricot and white peach from the Viognier. It is satisfying on the palate, flavourful and lush, effortlessly stirring the senses and lingering long on the finish. Its balance is apparent, a complex but harmonious whole with a special factor that definitely comes from the white variety in its DNA.

Vintage Note

The Colchagua Valley had a warm 2007–2008 season, with a recorded heat summation of 1,700 degree days, 6.4% above the previous year (1,598 degree days) and 2.4% higher than the historic average (1,660 degree days). The different phenological stages (flowering, fruit set, veraison, and ripening) were affected by the cold, dry winter (with average monthly temperatures that were lower than the previous season, more accumulated cold hours, and the occurrence of winter frosts), causing budbreak to occur 10–15 days later, but more uniformly, than in the previous season. The high temperatures recorded in January, February, and March quickened the pace of ripening, leading to an early harvest with a significant decrease in yields among red varieties.

Fermentation and Aging

The grapes used to make this wine were hand-picked into plastic trays, destemmed, gently crushed, and deposited into stainless steel tanks. Fermentation took place at 28°C (82°F), and the wine then underwent a 25-day maceration to enhance complexity and obtain a pleasing and intense structure. The Cabernet Sauvignon plays an even greater role in this year’s Shiraz /Cabernet Sauvignon/ Viognier blend. It now comprises 42% compared to 34% in 2006. The warm year was no doubt responsible for the smooth tannins, which allowed the two red varieties to be balanced in nearly equal proportions. The Viognier, meanwhile, seems to have been designed to accompany these reds. Its proportionally small 5% makes a notable difference and imparts a distinctive note that makes this a truly different wine. After its malolactic fermentation, the final blend was aged for 14 months in 73% French and 27% American oak barrels, which lend the wine pleasing oaky aromas. The wine was treated and lightly filtered before bottling.