Casir dos Santos Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

Ayni Vino de Parcella Gravas is 100% Malbec

Ayni Gravas was created show the diversity of wine profiles that can be derived from Paraje Altamira’s terroir. The goal with this particular wine is to show a markedly calcareous profile that derives in a more intense black fruit flavor profile and a chalky tannin structure with great age potential, as opposed to the more feminine and elegant style which is typical from Paraje Altamira wines.

Chakana plans to further develop this wine, increasing its accents through vineyard selection and oak aging. Over time, production can potentially increase to 10,000 bottles (maximum).

Ayni Gravas is produced from smaller plots of a 20 hectare vineyard in Paraje Altamira, Valle de Uco, Mendoza. Paraje Altamira is a Geographical Indication (IG) located on the alluvial cone of the Tunuyan River. The Ayni vineyard has been planted on virgin soils on the upper (south western) side of the cone. The vineyard is crossed by numerous smaller river beds that once formed the river delta, and these create a pattern of different soil depths and gravel formations, imparting very different characteristics on the wine. Ayni Gravas is produced only with the sections of the vineyard where the calcium carbonated gravels come to the surface and the vines grow amongst them with no soil. Only a smaller percentage of the vineyard (approximately 20%) features these conditions.

Pairs well with grilled meats and stews.

Review:

"This limited release from Paraje Altamira is much more mineral than the other Ayni Malbec bottling. It’s a tad austere at the moment, as well as showing more oak, but there’s plenty of structure here, with savoury tannins, dense fruit and a chalky finish. Just needs more time in bottle. 2019-28"
- Tim Atkin (Argentina Special Report 2017), 94 pts

"The grapes for this wine come from Chakana’s Altamira vineyards, a selection of the property’s most stony/gravel soils (shallow). It’s aged in untoasted wooden vats (foudres) for a full year and today is the new brother of Ayni, Chakana’s traditional red. As seen in recent releases from this producer, especially in the last two vintages that we’ve tasted at “Descorchados”, it’s the red fruit, bracing, and with zip that predominates. Rather than make a more ambitious ripe & woody monster, they opted to lengthen it, to make in more linear, more vertical. This is a little stunner from one of the wineries to keep track of today in Mendoza."
- Descorchads 2018, 95 pts

Red-plum, pomegranate and wild-berry aromas make for a potpourri of fruit on the nose of this Malbec from gravelly soils in the Altamira district of the Uco Valley. A tight sinewy palate is structured, while this deals a hardy mix of plum and berry flavors with no interference from oak. A racy tight finish is mildly astringent. This should benefit from more time in the cellar. Drink from 2019–2030. – Wine Enthusiast 92 Points & Top 100 Cellar Selection for 2010

Golden color. Very aromatic. White flowers, fresh fruit, lime, citrus aromas as well as a bergamot. Pleasant mouthfeel, supple, crisp, fruity flavors. There is a touch of acidity, revealing a deliciously integrated minerality.

Machine harvested at full maturity (around Sept. 25th - lasts 12-18 days); pneumatic press; fermentation in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks for 8-10 days; M.L (2 months after the harvest); aging on the lees until May (3 month extra compared to the Petit Chablis); racking; fining if necessary; cold stabilization; filtration right before bottling in July.

Ideal as an aperitif, the wine is an excellent companion to seafood, smoked salmon for example.

Ilaria Accordini Ripasso  is made from 60% Corvina, 20% Rondinella, 20% Corvinoni

Intense red color with garnet hints. Almond and fresh walnut aromas. Full-bodied with a good structure.
This is an excellent red wine with a supple body. The techniques used to produce this wine is typical from the area.

Late harvest style Corvina aged on Amarone lees. The must of Amarone remains in the vat and instead of being pressed, it is topped up with high quality Valpolicella before being left to referment for about 10-15 days.
Pairs well with roasted meats.

TASTING NOTES:

A black cherry color with intense violet hues. Aromas are dominated by ripe red fruits, minerals and blue flowers. Fine, concentrated and exquisite on the palate, it is fleshy, fragrant, and full bodied.

Grape varietal: 100% Mencia
Average age of the vines: 45-55 years
Vineyard's altitude: 450-480 meters above sea level
Pre-fermentation maceration: 3-5 days at 4-6 degres celcius
Alcoholic fermentation: 6-10 days
Maceration: 4-10 days
Malolactic fermentation: 5-9 days
Ageing: 2 months in stainless steel tank and then 2 months in the bottle.

Review:

"A silky texture carries harmonious, if somewhat muted, flavors of red plum, tobacco, sage and mineral in this focused red. Light, well-integrated tannins and lively acidity give this balance. Should bloom in a year or two. Drink now through 2024. 1,500 cases made. – T.M."
- Wine Spectator (April 30th, 2018), 91 points

Pago de Carraovejas Crianza Ribera Del Duero 2015 is made from 90% Tempranillo, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Merlot

The Pago de Carraovejas Ribera del Duero 2015 vintage marks a turning point in the history of the winery. From now on, the Crianza and Reserva are unified in this wine that focuses on the terroir and character rather than the time of aging. Its renewed label reflects the three key elements of this red: origin, soul and emotion. 

As Pedro Ruíz, the owner says - "We have been working intensively in the area for years and we feel that our vineyard has reached an extraordinary maturity stage. The 2015 vintage, tasting after tasting, showed a clear increase in concentration and expression, as well as the freshness and elegance that we were looking for. It was the moment".
Made from 90% Tempranillo, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Merlot, aged in oak barrels for 12 months, the wine offers floral notes, blackberry and blackcurrant aromas, hints of spice. Round, silky and flavorful on the palate, soft tannins, and a significant aging potential.

Pago de Carraovejas Crianza Ribera Del Duero is made with grapes grown in the Botijas River valley, and planted between 1988 and 2011. Our work over the last 30 years has been geared to handcrafted viniculture, that puts as much care as possible into the microclimate conditions and the details. We have placed particular attention on the maintenance of the soil by plant cover that already grows spontaneously. It allows us to develop the ecosystem of the valley, which we respect scrupulously, using organic fertilizer and sulfur as the sole basis of our viticulture.

Depending on which plot they come from and the time they enter the winery, the grapes may be deposited in cold chambers to prevent oxidation and preserve the aroma. We carry out a two-part selection: first on the vine, where we choose the bunches, and then on a belt in the winery, where we remove the grapes that do meet the necessary conditions. The grapes enter the winery and are transported with the assistance of gravity. The deposits are filled slowly and gently. Depending on the characteristics that we detected when tasting the grapes, we ferment them either in stainless steel deposits or French oak barrels. For years we have worked with our own yeast that has been isolated from the vines by our team. This work is also partly responsible for the Carraovejas character.
The wine was aged in barrels for around twelve months.

Review:

"The Crianza and Reserva have been merged into a single 2015 Pago de Carraovejas, a case study of success in Spain showcasing the ripe and powerful style of Ribera del Duero with generous oak and concentration. It's a heady Tempranillo (complemented by some 6% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Merlot) with 15% alcohol and moderate acidity. A whopping 700,000 bottles and 14,000 magnums produced. The quality is impressive for the volume. A crowd-pleaser (in its style).. - Luis Gutierrez"
- Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate (Issue #238, August 31st 2018), 92 pts

 Ossian Capital represents a particular expression of very old Verdejo vines, taking its potential far finesse, elegance and longevity. It is made in selected years with a selection of extraordinary grapes.

Color: Old golden yellow color with greenish reflections.
Aromas: Surprisingly nuanced and profound.
Flavors: Fresh, full and very light.