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).
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 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.
Estate Torrontes is from Chakana's Gualtallary vineyard (5,300 ft elevation).
The wine shows the typical aromas of Torrontes (white flowers, lychee, peach) balanced by a refreshing acidity. Mineral texture due do the rocky soil of the vineyard. Elegant, dry and clean finish.
Fermentation with indigenous yeasts in French oak barrels. Aged 4 months. Pairs with crab cakes and seafood pasta.
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 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.
Estate Torrontes is from Chakana's Gualtallary vineyard (5,300 ft elevation).
The wine shows the typical aromas of Torrontes (white flowers, lychee, peach) balanced by a refreshing acidity. Mineral texture due do the rocky soil of the vineyard. Elegant, dry and clean finish.
Fermentation with indigenous yeasts in French oak barrels. Aged 4 months. Pairs with crab cakes and seafood pasta.
Chakana Singular Torrontes de Maceracion Prolongada is 100% Torrontes.
Deep, orange color.
Complex nose, notes of white flowers, peaches, evolution and skins aromas. Nice texture, good structure, final minerality, perfectly balanced by good freshness.
Chakana 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.
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
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 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.
Estate Torrontes is from Chakana's Gualtallary vineyard (5,300 ft elevation).
The wine shows the typical aromas of Torrontes (white flowers, lychee, peach) balanced by a refreshing acidity. Mineral texture due do the rocky soil of the vineyard. Elegant, dry and clean finish.
Fermentation with indigenous yeasts in French oak barrels. Aged 4 months. Pairs with crab cakes and seafood pasta.
Review:
Right up there with my favourite orange wines in Argentina, this is a Torrontés that spent eight months on its skins but is so well made that it didn’t extract excessive bitterness from a grape that has tannin to spare. Egg-fermented and aged in old wood, it’s a salty, assertive, grippy white with quince and orange zest flavours and a refreshing, low-alcohol finish. 2020-24 94 pts
- Tim Atkin MW (March 2020), 94 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.
Toso Fragolino Rosso Spago is an aromatized drink made of wine and strawberry with fine and fruity flavors. Serve cool at 8 C. Excellent as an aperitif, with desserts as well as for cocktails or simply on its own.
Dark crimson in color, with deep garnet hues. A concentrated array of aromas of mulberry, blackberry and dark plum indicate the richness to come, while savory and complex notes of charcuterie, cedar, sage and five spice tease the senses. Plush and velvety on the palate, the wine has intense fruit concentration with plum, red currant, blackberry and anise flavors, yet an enchantingly elegant and refined structure. Layers of silky tannins reveal the impressive depth of the wine before giving way to an incredibly long finish.
Review:
This has a very complex nose, offering so many facets of spices and fragrance with florals and orange peel, as well as crushed stones, ripe black cherries, blackberries and dark cherries, earth, chocolate and more. The intensity and power here is very tightly held and it has a build of such precise tannins, which carry very intense and assertively ripe blackberries, dark cherries, ripe plums and blueberries. So much on offer here. This has a very bold, intense feel. Exceptional vintage. One of their finest. Try from 2028.
-James Suckling 100 Points
Cabrieres Chateauneuf du Pape Rouge L'Esprit is made from 50% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 15% Mourvèdre, 10% Cinsault and 10% remaining: Muscardin, Counoise, Picpoul, Terret noir, Vaccarèse, Clairette, Bourboulenc, Roussanne, Picardan.
The vineyard is situated on the high tablelands, which are characteristic of the northern area of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The terrain consists mainly of alpine diluvium and chalky Miocenian soil, with large flint pebbles covering the surface. These pebbles conserve the heat of the day during the night, thus avoiding too much evaporation.
85-year-old vines. Aged 12 months in French oak. Intense ruby color, with a dominant nose of black fruits (blackcurrant and blackberry) evolving into smoke and grilled notes. Robust tannins on the palate with a long finish.
Pair with choice red meat, prime rib and game, or try with strong cheeses and chocolate dessert.