Chakana Estate Red Mendoza is made from 70% Malbec, 25% 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.
Review:
"Notes of fresh blackcurrants and dark cherries with subtle hints of nutshells, cocoa and spice box. Rich and flavorful on the palate with a medium to full body and ripe, glossy tannins. Succulent, lightly spicy finish. Malbec, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc. Vegan. Drink or hold."
- James Suckling (February 2024), 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).
Chakana Estate Malbec is made from 100 percent Malbec.
hakana is the name of the Southern Cross constellation. Its rotation in the sky throughout the year made it an effective agricultural calendar for the ancient Andean people.
The "yaguarete" (jaguar) on the label was known by the ancient Andean people as the "lord of the starred night"; the wildest known animal.
Chakana Estate Malbec is from Chakana's Altamira (3,200 ft elevation) and Gualtallary (5,500 ft elevation) vineyards.
The color is deep purple, very intense, typical of Malbec. Plum, brambly berries, spices and an iris/violet note are apparent on the nose. Intense, fruity flavors with velvety tannins.
Review:
- Tim Atkin (2023 Argentina Special Report), 93 pts
Crown Point Estate Selection is made from 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 10% Malbec, 5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot.
The 2017 Crown Point Estate Selection is an engaging wine with notes of red fruit, strawberries, and vibrant floral tones of violets in harmony with toasted coffee notes. On the palate, the wine displays a gentle sweetness married with fine grain tannins, a velvety texture providing a long finish.
Review:
There's a purity to the nose of this bottling that reveals deep, lush waves of boysenberry paste alongside a savory tone of charred beef. Polished tannins frame the sip, where ample amounts of rich black plum and blackberry are enhanced by caramel, coffee bean and mocha flavors, with acidity holding tight into the finish.
Wine Enthusiast 96 Point
The estate Cabernet Sauvignon is grown primarily along the southwest ridge of the vineyard. The vines produce small berries with bountiful flavor, concentration and intensity, but also a good degree of finesse, excellent structure and layers of complexity that will continue to develop during extended bottle aging for those who want to cellar and age their wines. The wine is powerful, elegant, full-bodied.
Bottled unfined and unfiltered.100% free run
Pumpovers and punch-downs, up to 45 day macerations
Native yeast, 5 day cold soaks
22 months in 75% new French oak barrels
Fermented in concrete and stainless closed top tanks.
Review:
"The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Red Mountain Estate is another powerful wine from this team. Opulent notes of blackcurrants, graphite, chocolate, crushed rocks, wild herbs, and espresso all give way to a full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon that has loads of fruit, a superstar of a mid-palate, ripe tannins, and a great finish. It’s another 2017 that’s going to benefit from at least 2-4 years of bottle age and have 20 years or more of longevity."
- Jeb Dunnuck (April 2020), 95+ pts
The nose here is brilliantly red fruited, with layer upon layer of subtle spice, bright floral notes, herbs, and stone. Its not all poetry and pageantry, though, and the first impression of the wine was simply, “oh that’s goooood.” A fair assessment, and sometimes that it all one requires. Further tastes show fine tannin throughout, a juicy, vibrant mouthfeel that is very likeable, and deft, long-developing layers of fruit that reveal themselves severally.
Patton Valley's flagship wine, The Estate is the most comprehensive expression of their vineyard site, and the wine that truly defines their place in a given vintage.
Review:
"Glistening red. Vibrant red fruit, floral and spice scents show very good clarity that picks up subtle hints of succulent herbs and smoky minerals with air. Juicy and energetic in the mouth, the 2017 offers gently sweet cherry raspberry and rose pastille flavors and a touch of spicecake. Smooth, well-integrated tannins make a late appearance on a long, floral-tinged finish that shows no rough edges.
- Josh Raynolds" - Antonio Galloni's Vinous (August 2020), 92 pts
Chakana Estate Red Mendoza is made from 70% Malbec, 25% 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.
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
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.
The climate in the Champagne region in 2006 was characterised by a hot, dry season, which had a significant impact on the vines. September’s summery conditions were decisive, effectively drying out the outbreaks of botrytis and encouraging exceptional ripening of the grapes. Beginning on 11 September, the harvest stretched out for almost three weeks, the ideal time for a superior-quality crop. This vintage is a perfect example of how a favourable climate can influence the champagne quality.
Dom Pérignon Vintage 2006 Plénitude 2 marks a new encounter between Dom Pérignon and the year 2006, underlining the crucial importance of time in the making of this vintage. Its persistent, suspended light offers us an invitation to contemplation, celebrating the joy of a moment of perfection. This balance between earth and sky is underpinned by a strong tactile dimension, the authentic signature of Dom Pérignon: without touch, flavour does not unfold in either the space or time of the tasting, a perfect mirror of the space and time of its production. Today, Dom Pérignon 2006 Plénitude 2 enfolds us in its warm and luminous light. It then reveals its full-bodied, substantial and curvaceous qualities, leaving in its wake the emotion of a champagne that is both enveloping and delicate.
Dom Pérignon Vintage 2006 Plénitude 2 reveals a soft, warm and reassuring sweet bouquet, rich in subtle nuances. Its aromatic profile boasts a remarkable finesse with floral and mineral tones. This composition rapidly unfolds to reveal delicate notes of wild peach, citron, calisson and mocha, creating a unique and memorable experience on the nose. The palate of Dom Pérignon 2006 is full-bodied, both restrained and tender, developing into a thick texture that gradually becomes firmer. The complexity of the wine increases, revealing a subtly saline nuance. On the finish, an exquisite bitterness and wonderful maturity prevail, enriched by deep aromas of dried fruit, cocoa and toasted hazelnut, which blend harmoniously to offer an exceptional wine tasting experience.
Dom Pérignon Vintage 2006 Plénitude 2 is distinguished by its soft, warm character, ideally expressed when paired with seafood such as langoustine and scallops. This wine pairing harmony continues with veal and Jerusalem artichoke dishes, which highlight its delicate, enveloping nature. The flavours are further enhanced by herbs such as rosemary and basil, while hints of acidity from lemon and bergamot fully reveal its breadth and refined structure. This vintage illustrates Dom Pérignon’s ability to create fine wines that capture and enhance the essence of the ingredients with which they are served.
Review:
A blonde bombshell of a Champagne, hedonistic with its alluring brioche, creamed cherry and glazed tangerine flavors that show embellishments of fragrant saffron, candied ginger, fennel seed and vanilla, yet there's lovely definition and focus via the racy, lemon-infused acidity and plush texture. Long and minerally on the finish, with the rich profile joined by a subtle undertow of smoke, oyster shell and brine. Drink now through 2040.
-Wine Spectator 98 Points
Corne Loup Lirac Blanc is made from 40% Grenache Blanc, 35% Viognier and 25% Marsanne
No Oak
The wine boasts a light yellow and brilliant color, fine floral and fruity notes. It is fat, ample and powerful in the mouth with a lot of freshness.