Chakana Estate Malbec 2017
Chakana Estate Red Mendoza is made from 75% Malbec, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc
Deep red color with violet hints. Dark fruits and exotic spices with tobacco and mocha hints. Elegant, well balanced, harmonious, long persistence with chocolate flavors.
Vineyard: Gualtallary in Valle de Uco.
2 days maceration on skins in temperature controlled steel vats; 12 days fermentation with selected yeasts allowed to rise to a maximum of 28°C.
The 60% Malbec part of the blend is placed in 3,000 & 5,000-liter foudres and concrete vats, then this same wine is aged in old French oak barrels for 9 months ; While the 40% Cabernet Sauvignon part of the blend is all aged in new wood.
Review:
A high-altitude blend from organic vineyards planted at 1,100m in the Altamira and Gualtallary regions of the Uco Valley. A wild-fermented Malbec-dominant blend with 25% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc, that's aged for 10 months: 70% in French oak and 30% in concrete. Savoury black fruit aromas with pretty violet top notes on the nose. Full-bodied, with firm tannins, but also good freshness. Savoury and spicy black fruit on the palate, but with some brighter cranberry notes too - a good food wine for hearty dishes. Suitable for vegetarians and vegans. - Julie Sheppard"
- Decanter Magazine (October 2019), 90 pts
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Chakana Estate Red Mendoza is made from 75% Malbec, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc
Deep red color with violet hints. Dark fruits and exotic spices with tobacco and mocha hints. Elegant, well balanced, harmonious, long persistence with chocolate flavors.
Vineyard: Gualtallary in Valle de Uco.
2 days maceration on skins in temperature controlled steel vats; 12 days fermentation with selected yeasts allowed to rise to a maximum of 28°C.
The 60% Malbec part of the blend is placed in 3,000 & 5,000-liter foudres and concrete vats, then this same wine is aged in old French oak barrels for 9 months ; While the 40% Cabernet Sauvignon part of the blend is all aged in new wood.
Reviews
"Chakana made some lovely wines in 2016, making the most of the cool conditions to produce reds with real finesse. This Malbec with Cabernets Sauvignon and Franc blend is light, elegant and focused, with floral aromas, red berry sweetness and nuanced tannins. 2019-24"
- Tim Atkin, Argentina Special Report 2018, 93 pts
Yellow with green hints Pineapple aromas with toasty notes and a fresh mineral character and finish.
- Tim Atkin, Argentina Special Report 2018, 91 pts
Calcareous gravels deposited by the Tunuyan river in the South of Valle de Uco and by the Las Tunas river in the North of Valle de Uco have created the two most promising growing areas of Mendoza, which are only now being developed and explored, bringing a new dimension to the wines of Argentina.
Aromas of black fruit and spices blended with mineral, graphite notes and freshness typical of calcareous soils. The palate demonstrates the power of Gualtallary combined with the structure of Cabernet Sauvignon. A fine finessed texture, which is tight and refreshing.
Vineyard: This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon from the two outstanding subregions of Valle de Uco - the power and structure of Gualtallary with the elegance and freshness of Paraje Altamira. 20-year old vines.
Soil: Sandy with calcium carbonate-coated fine gravel up to 45 cm deep
Vinification techniques are performed in the most gentle way, avoiding the use of enzymes and must amendments. Fermentation is performed with native yeast only.
Superb with grilled red meat and grilled vegetable (Argentinean Asado).
Yellow with green hints Pineapple aromas with toasty notes and a fresh mineral character and finish.
The wine shows the typical aromas of Torrontes (white flowers, lychee, peach) balanced be a refreshing acidity. Mineral texture due do the rocky soil of the vineyard. Elegant, dry and clean finish.
Torrontes grapes are sourced from Gualtallari, an outstanding terroir in the Uco Valley, located at more than 4000ft of altitude. The aim of this wine is combining the aromatic richness of the Torrontes with the mineral, chalky structure typical of this area of Mendoza.
It is grown on Sandy loam over calcium carbonate coated gravels.
Fermentation with Indigenous yeast.
Wine went through Malolactic fermentation.
aged for 6 months in French Oak barrels.
Pairs with crab cakes and seafood pasta.
Chakana Estate Malbec is made from 100 percent Malbec.
The color is deep purple, very intense, quite what you expect from Malbec. Plum, brambly berries, spices and an iris/violet note are apparent on the nose. Intense fruity flavors with velvety tannins.
80% is coming from the Agrelo's vineyards, which is mainly clay and brings a lot of freshness in the wine.
The other 20% are from Altamira's Vineyards, which gives riper fruit and allows a little more oak.
Review:
"Full ruby-red. Aromas of blackcurrant, blackberry, licorice, minerals and fresh herbs, lifted by a violet topnote. At once seamless and bright, with its black fruit, violet and pungent herbal flavors conveying excellent chalky, saline lift and penetration. This Malbec is still quite young but is more pliant than a sample of this wine that I tried a year ago shortly after the bottling; sharply delineated like my earlier bottle but not dry on the finish. In fact, this wine reminds me of a '16 for its saline minerality and energy, and is has the tightly coiled spring to last very well.. - Stephen Tanzer" - Antonio Galloni's Vinous (June 2019), 90+ pts
The Chakana Estate
Looking for Chakana's other labels?
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Malbec, Bonarda Argentina, Cabernet Sauvignon
Elegant and mature wines with 12 months of oak aging, produced
only with grapes grown in our own estates.
Ayni is our icon wine. It is the result of our permanent quest
for the best Malbec terroirs that Mendoza can offer. This wine
comes from the gravely limestone soils of Altamira: powerful
but fresh and lively, this 100% Malbec has been aged in
French oak barrels for 18 months. It is presented in 6-bottle
wooden cases.
Chakana Estate Selection is a line of wines which represent the
best terroirs of each of our estates. Aged in French oak barrels
for 12 months these wines give pre-eminence to the expression
of terroir rather than oak. In every wine we try to craft a drinkable
and seductive style through the careful management of our
soils and grapes and in accordance with our consumers’ taste.
Chakana winery was founded by Juan Pelizzatti on May 2nd, 2002. Juan was driven to enter the wine industry first and foremost by his passion for wine, and also by the desire to invest his time and money on a product of agriculture. Although Juan did not know it at the time, the company was founded on the same day the Chakana was celebrated on the Andes highlands: on that same day, the Southern Cross (the Chakana for the Inca people) becomes vertical in the night Andean sky.
Juan's mission is to create an integral experience to introduce world consumers to the taste and culture of the Andes. His vision is to become one of the top 20 exporters of wine from Argentina, by consistently offering outstanding value for money.
"An incredible discovery for me, this winery was founded a decade ago and named after the Southern Cross ("Chakana" is the local Indian dialect for that constellation). It is located approximately 20 miles south of Mendoza in Agrelo. All three of these wines are highly recommended, and all are fabulous bargains in Malbec." - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (June 2012)
Wine is currently produced in four different levels at Chakana, by winemaker Gabriel Bloise:
Entry Level: Maipe
Reserve Level: Maipe Reserve, Cueva de las Manos, Nuna
Estate Selection
Ayni
The Chakana Estate Vineyards
Our grapes are grown in our own estates located in diverse premium micro-regions of Mendoza.
Each of them contributes its character to the final blend of our top quality wines.
Our wines are made in a state-of-the-art 2 million liter facility located in our Agrelo estate.
The Three Chakana Vineyard Areas:
FINCA AGRELO
LOCATION: AGRELO, Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza
Description: 120 ha. planted with different varieties between 2002 and 2010. Mainly Malbec,
Bonarda, Cabernet Franc, Viognier and Syrah.
Altitude: 960 meters above sea level.
TERROIR: Varied. Deep clay to loam. Gravel in some areas. Dry and cool climate with important
amplitude in temperature.
Wine Profile: Medium-bodied, elegant, fruity.
FINCA TERRADA
LOCATION: MAYOR DRUMMOND, Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza.
Description: 21 ha. 100 year old Malbec.
Altitude: 919 metres above sea level.
TERROIR: Loam and clay with 70 cm deep gravel. Some limestone. Urban
influenced climate, relatively warm.
WINE PROFILE: Complex, ripe fruit.
FINCAS ALTAMIRA
LOCATION: ALTAMIRA, Valle de Uco, Mendoza
Altamira I |16 ha. Malbec. Altitude: 1,068 meters above sea level.
Altamira II |26 ha. Malbec, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, planted in 2006. Altitude: 1,097 meters above sea
level.
TERROIR: Sandy-loam with gravel at 50 cm depth. Dominated by limestone. Temperate climate.
WINE PROFILE: Full-bodied and mineral.
They also source wines from contract suppliers in Ugarteche and Medrano, for entry level wines, and in Vista Flores, for Estate Selection & Ayni levels.
The Wine Making Team:
WINEMAKING CONSULTANT: ALBERTO ANTONINI. Alberto is an Italian winemaker with a pioneering role in
the discovery and development of high quality Malbec. Alberto has brought to us his profound knowledge of
the wine industry, his uncompromising commitment to authenticity and the belief that Argentina will become
one of the leading winegrowing regions of the world.
VITICULTURE CONSULTANT: ALAN YORK. Alan is one of the world’s leading consultants on biodynamic
viticulture. He is also a permanent source of inspiration and insight into the relationship between man, spirit
and nature.
WINEMAKER: GABRIEL BLOISE. Gabriel is one of the stars of the younger generation of Mendoza’s winemakers.
30 years old, he has already made 15 vintages in top estates in some of the most important winegrowing
areas in the world: Tuscany, Priorat, Australia, California, North Carolina, Salta and Mendoza. He is a tireless
explorer of the relationship between nature and its effect on the aromas in wine.
TERROIR CONSULTANT: PEDRO PARRA. Pedro's expertise helps us to understand how to identify and
manage the soil in each plot of our vineyards. His palate is fine-tuned to understanding the impact of soil
structure on the taste of wine. This has made him one of the 50 most influential people in wine according to
Decanter Magazine.
Deep ruby-red in color with violet hints. Complex and intense bouquet, features blackberries, cherries and plums, with delicate floral notes and spices. Balanced and fresh mouth, full-bodied with good length of spices.
The grapes come from the fantastic area of Paraje Altamira in the Uco Valley, Mendoza.
Irrigation: Drip
Harvest: Manual
Maceration: 4 days cold soaking below 10°C in stainless steel tanks
Alcoholic fermentation: 80% of the wine in stainless steel tanks for 15 days with wild yeasts, 20% of the wine in 225-liter closed French oak barrels
Malolactic fermentation: Yes
Pairs well with grilled meats and stews.
Review:
The single-vineyard 2017 Ayni Malbec comes from paraje Altamira, and the wine was bottled with 13% alcohol and moderate acidity that made it feel soft but not bland, with enough freshness going through its core. Many wines are now matured in large oak containers, and that certainly helps with the integration of the oak with the fruit, as is the case here. The tannins are fine-grained, and the finish is dry and long. 10,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in September 2018. - Luis Gutiérrez"
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Issue #245, October 2019), 91 pts
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Color: Ruby red with garnet reflections.
Bouquet: Intense, vinous bouquet with hints of iris and violets.
Taste: The flavor is full of ripe fruit with nuances of cherry and marmalade mixed with spice. The finish is persistent Sangiovese 5% Cilegiolo 5% Pugnatello
Vineyards: 25 hectares of Chianti vineyard at the highest point above Poggibonsi. The vineyards are protected by a thick woods of live oaks and the high altitude provides an enviable and well-ventilated exposition. The stony- calcareous soil is rich in fossils and minerals which give the wines an admirable structure. The warm days and cools nights enhance an already seductive bouquet. The vineyards lie at 350 meters. Vines are an average of 25 years old.
Harvest: October– by hand.
Yield per hectare: 85 Quintals per hectare
Vinification: Fermentation in stainless steel at controlled temperatures with maceration on the skins for 15 to 20 days. The wine is then racked and goes through malolactic.
Aging: Cement tanks of pietra serena
Acidity: 5.6
Salamis, pastas, grilled or roasted meats, dishes flavored with mushrooms, or rosemary. Excellent with polenta dishes.
Chakana Estate Red Mendoza is made from 75% Malbec, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc
Deep red color with violet hints. Dark fruits and exotic spices with tobacco and mocha hints. Elegant, well balanced, harmonious, long persistence with chocolate flavors.
Vineyard: Gualtallary in Valle de Uco.
2 days maceration on skins in temperature controlled steel vats; 12 days fermentation with selected yeasts allowed to rise to a maximum of 28°C.
The 60% Malbec part of the blend is placed in 3,000 & 5,000-liter foudres and concrete vats, then this same wine is aged in old French oak barrels for 9 months ; While the 40% Cabernet Sauvignon part of the blend is all aged in new wood.
Review:
A high-altitude blend from organic vineyards planted at 1,100m in the Altamira and Gualtallary regions of the Uco Valley. A wild-fermented Malbec-dominant blend with 25% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc, that's aged for 10 months: 70% in French oak and 30% in concrete. Savoury black fruit aromas with pretty violet top notes on the nose. Full-bodied, with firm tannins, but also good freshness. Savoury and spicy black fruit on the palate, but with some brighter cranberry notes too - a good food wine for hearty dishes. Suitable for vegetarians and vegans. - Julie Sheppard"
- Decanter Magazine (October 2019), 90 pts
Poggio Nardone Rosso di Montalcino 2014 is 100 percent Sangiovese Grosso.
Intense ruby red color with garnet tints.
Intense and delicate aromas of fresh fruits with notes of cherry.
Dry red wine with a good strength and freshness, along with a nice aromatic persistence.
The 5 hectares of specialized vineyards in Montalcino are at an altitude of 350 meters above sea level and are surrounded by woodlands of ilex, oak and arbutus which are characteristic of Montalcino’s hillside habitat. The soil is predominantly composed of marl and limestone which renders this terrain particularly rich in mineral salts.
Pairs well with pasta prepared with meat sauces, mushrooms or truffles; complex rice, main courses of pork or veal with sauces.
- back
Sometimes, the best things come from tough experiences. Our Black Label Reserve Portteus Syrah embodies this ideal. In one of the tougher growing seasons in recent memory, I was not sure what would come of the vintage. Within 6 months after harvest, I knew I had something special with this wine. Month after month, it evolved highlighting what these almost 20 year old Syrah vines could produce. The color is an incredibly deep and glass coating purple, the nose erupts with aromas of bacon fat and a subtle bouquet of wisteria \. lilac. Viscous and dense, you will get mouth-filling notes of swiss chocolate and white pepper. Sit back and savor each velvety sip with a coffee-cocoa spiced rack of lamb and chocolate cheesecake. Decant for at least an hour to release its aromatics and enjoy this Syrah easily through the next decade.
Review:
Another stunning effort is the 2012 Portteus Vineyard, which is located in the Rattlesnake Hills AVA. Exhibiting layers of smoked plums, liquid smoke and serious minerality, this full-bodied, layered and rich Syrah has notable underlying structure and tannin, with a firm, compact and focused feel. Fermented with 33% whole cluster and aged 16 months in 50% new French oak barrels, it comes from the second oldest Syrah vines planted in the state. Give it 2-3 years in the cellar and enjoy bottles through 2025. This Walla Walla estate is owned and run by Justin Wylie. He excelled with his 2011 and 2012s. -Wine Advocate Jeb Dunnuck 93 Points
Sunset Hills Viognier is made from 100 percent Viognier.
Tropical notes of pineapple and apricot on the nose. Crisp lemon lime, pear, and white flower wash over the palate.
