Caliterra

Winemaker Comment

This wine’s personality stands out from the start, with a very noticeable colour -pale yellow with a greenish tint- that sets it apart from its predecessors. The nose advises immediately that this wine has taken the road less traveled. Its predominant citric and mineral notes are accompanied by pineapple and honey from its deepest genetic recesses. The relationship it developed with French oak in the winery is evident in the marriage of fruitiness and woodiness, which resist separation. Instead, they combine to provoke purely pleasant sensations among those who consume it.

Once in the mouth, the wine is capable of stimulating the entire palate with its enveloping, vibrant acidity. The goodness of this valley’s fruit is complemented by the wine’s body, which emerges half way through tasting. A flavourful, well balanced and refreshing wine.

Vintage Note

In the spring of 2006, bud break occurred under somewhat cold conditions. The average September and October temperatures of 13° and 14ºC (55.4° and 57ºF), respectively, were 1-2ºC lower during these months, resulting in a season with delayed vegetative growth and slowed phenological maturity at all stages, leading in turn to a later harvest. Without a doubt, the colder than normal weather conditions (which ultimately produced a heat summation of 1390 degree days) helped to conserve the aromas, flavours and natural acidity of our 2006 Tributo Chardonnay. The most important event of the 2005-2006 growing season at Casablanca was the frost that fell on September 11th, which lowered yields and caused uneven bud growth. This was addressed by targeted vineyard management that allowed us to even out the canopy.

Fermentation and Aging

This was one of those years in which the Casablanca grapes achieved their maximum ripeness with unusually high acidity. This was displayed in the boldness of the musts, a trait that emerged early on before fermentation and has remained to this day. We also had to wait more than 10 days longer than usual to begin harvesting the grapes. The anxious wait was compensated for by a very smooth harvest without setbacks thanks to the high performance of our winegrowers and the cooperation of the weather.

Although the protocol for fermenting musts is well defined, it is enjoyable to vary this process as we get a feel for the harvest. Thus, we used our own judgment to produce some wild fermented musts using only wild yeasts and playing with fermentation temperatures, beginning at 13º Celsius and ending at 16º Celsius, depending on the display of aromas during fermentation. The wine was aged for 8 months in French and American oak barrels.