" We don't sell the wine without touching the vine "
Principal Memorias Red Blend 2014
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6 bottles with free shipping for: $270.00
12 bottles with free shipping for: $499.00
6 bottles with free shipping for: $270.00
12 bottles with free shipping for: $499.00
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| Country: | Chile |
| Region: | Colchagua Valley |
| Winery: | El Principal |
| Grape Type: | Cabernet Sauvignon |
| Vintage: | 2014 |
| Bottle Size: | 750 ml |
Product Description
Principal Memorias Red Blend is made from 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Syrah, 15% Petit Verdot.
The image on the label represents the "spiral of life", a symbol that is found in all major ancient civilizations that represents the cycle of life and the everlasting evolution.
Memorias is a Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend that includes Petit Verdot and Syrah, which was carefully crafted to achieve a perfect balance. It stands out for its great structure with soft and round tannins that will allow a complex evolution in the bottle.
Denomination of Origin: Maipo Andes Valley
63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Syrah and 15% Petit Verdot.
Vineyard altitude: 780 meters above sea level.
Soil: Alluvial/colluvial origin, clay loam.
Climate: Sub humid Mediterranean with huge influence of the Andes Mountain.
pH: 3.57
Total Acidity: 5.94 g/L
RS: 2.0 g/L
Review:
Pirque is the highest area with vineyards in Alto Maipo. And El Principal has its vineyards in the highest area of Pirque. Memoria is a kind of second house wine and in which the winemaker Gonzalo Guzmán has been working intensely in search of greater freshness. This must be the best
- Descorchados (November 2017, 93 pts
"Gonzalo Guzman Cassanello collaborated on El Principal's wines with Patrick Léon, the longtime managing director of Bordeaux's Chateau Mouton-Rothschild, who first came to Chile in the 1990s to work on Almaviva. In the ripe 2014 vintage, they blended a relatively high proportion of syrah and petit verdot (22 and 15 percent, respectively) with cabernet sauvignon, creating an intriguing take on Pirque. Its flavors hint at ripe strawberries and darker notes of wild blackberries, the sweetness of that fruit held in a clean, light and delicate frame."
- Wine & Spirits Magazine (June 2019), 93 pts
Winery: El Principal
The winery was named after the Picunche Chief Andetelmo, known as 'El Principal', master of the lands where the wintery at the foot of the Andes Mountains in the Alto Maipo Valley is located today.
The winery is owned and operated by two families - Jochen Döhle and the Said-Handal family.
Viña El Principal was orifinally a partnership between Jorge Fontaine, owner of the estate, and the French winemaker Jean Paul Valette, former owner of the famous Premier Grand Cru Classé Chateau Pavie in Saint-Émilion. Their goal was to produce a top-quality range of red wines that fully reflected the Chilean soul and the Valette family's heritage and experience in making fine wines. The El Principal terroir, located at the foot of the Andes Mountains in the Alto Maipo Valley was perfect for their project; its singular combination of climate, soil type, and altitude made ir ideal for producing wines with character, unique identity, and extraordinary quality.
Date Founded: 1992
Owner: Jochen Döhle and the Said-Handal family
Founded in 1992, Viña El Principal was originally a partnership between Jorge Fontaine, owner of the Hacienda El Principal, and the French winemaker Jean Paul Valette, former owner of the famous Premier Grand Cru Classé Château Pavie in Saint-Émilion.
Their goal was to produce a top-quality range of red wines that fully reflected the Chilean soul and the Valette family’s heritage and experience in making fine wines. The El Principal terroir, located at the foot of the Andes Mountains in the Alto Maipo Valley (D.O Maipo Andes) was perfect for their project; its singular combination of climate, soil type, and altitude made it ideal for producing wines with character, unique identity, and extraordinary quality.
The partners selected 54 hectares of the property to plant Cabernet Sauvignon and Carmenere varieties. Ten years later, the first vintage of the winery’s icon, the 1999 El Principal, was successfully released earning the international recognition as one of the Ultra Premium Chilean wines and confirming the potential of Chile as a world-class denomination of origin.
Today, El Principal is a family-owned winery. German shipowner Jochen Döhle bought the winery in 2005 and later partnered with the renowned Chilean Said-Handal family, who acquired 50 percent of the ownership in 2013. From the beginning, Mr. Döhle has been determined to continue making high quality wines, and his strategy has included planting additional hectares, searching for new varieties, and investing in equipment and storage facilities. Together the two families have overseen the execution of this strategy while maintaining the tradition and distinct identity of its wines.
Winery Acreage: 210 acres
Winery Production: 15,000 / 9L cases
Varietals Produced: Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Verdejo, Malbec.
51 ha - Cabernet Sauvignon
17 ha - Carmenere
17 ha - Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec
2.1 ha - Verdejo
51 ha - Cabernet Sauvignon
17 ha - Carmenere
17 ha - Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec
2.1 ha - Verdejo
Winemaker: Gonzalo Guzmán
Gonzalo Guzmán has led the enological team as Technical Director of Viña El Principal since 2005. During this period, Guzmán's quest has always been the same: to achieve the purest expression of the terroir by promoting the personality and uniqueness of each of his wines.
Under his direction, El Principal has slowly envolver from a Cabernet Sauvignon-Carmenere blend to a more sophisticated and elegant blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. He has also made fine adjustments to the winery's Memorias and Calicanto wines to enhance their freshness and complexity.
In his passion to discover what this terroir is able to produce, Guzmán has planted new Spanish varieties such as Verdejo, Albariño, Graciano, and Mencia with great success. In 2014 Viña El Principal launched Kiñe, the first New World Verdejo wine.
Under his direction, El Principal has slowly envolver from a Cabernet Sauvignon-Carmenere blend to a more sophisticated and elegant blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. He has also made fine adjustments to the winery's Memorias and Calicanto wines to enhance their freshness and complexity.
In his passion to discover what this terroir is able to produce, Guzmán has planted new Spanish varieties such as Verdejo, Albariño, Graciano, and Mencia with great success. In 2014 Viña El Principal launched Kiñe, the first New World Verdejo wine.
The renowned Bordeaux consultant Patrick Léon, who joined the Viña El Principal team in 2006, has been crucial in the winery’s purist approach to winemaking. His talent and unparalleled experience in producing high quality wines has established him as a consulting winemaker for some of the most prestigious wineries in the world.
Patrick was the Technical Manager of Château Lascombes Crus Classé in Margaux and Château Castera in Lesparre-Médoc, and he also spent two decades as the Managing Director for Baron Philippe de Rothschild, where he oversaw the company’s vineyards and winemaking facilities for Château Mouton Rothschild, Clerc Milon, Le Petit Mouton, Aile d’Argent, Opus One in California, Almaviva in Chile, Domaine de Lambert and Domaine de Baron’arques in the Languedoc, and Mouton Cadet in Bordeaux.
THE ANDETELMO ESTATE: A UNIQUE TERROIR
There are many factors that contribute to the uniqueness of El Principal wines, and one of the most important is its exceptional terroir. The Andetelmo Estate now consists of 90 hectares of vineyards in the Alto Maipo Valley (D.O Maipo Andes), at the foot of the Andes Mountains, 750 to 950 meters above sea level.
Geographical influences have generated a diversity of soil types that allow each grape variety to reach its finest expression and lend a particular character to the wines. The varied soils present a true mosaic of colluvial, alluvial, and gravel-cone collections and deposits. The hills have light-colored clay marbled with lime sediments, stone, and gravel, which allows for good drainage.
Furthermore, the mineral-rich waters of the Maipo River that flows through the vineyard also lend subtle complexity to the wines. The cooling effects of the Andean winds and the Humboldt Current create particular climate conditions and a broad daily temperature oscillation of more than 20ºC. This slows the ripening process and allows the grapes to develop intense fruit flavors with high concentrations of polyphenols, deep color, and ripe, elegant tannins.
THE VINEYARD
El Principal wines are made exclusively with grapes grown at the Andetelmo Estate in the Alto Maipo Valley. The vineyard has been mapped into micro-zones that consider soil, altitude, solar exposure, and climate to identify the perfect blocks for producing the best quality grapes for each wine.
The grapes are harvested entirely by hand with controlled production and the sorting of clusters both in the field and again at the winery. The grapes are lifted to the top of the tanks to achieve gentle gravity-flow filling and thus avoid using pumps. The vinification process begins with a 5-day cold maceration at 8º–10ºC, followed by alcoholic fermentation, which lasts 8–14 days at temperatures that fluctuate between 28ºC and 30ºC using gentle manual pumpovers managed in accordance with the concentration and degree of ripeness of the grapes to ensure a gentle and controlled extraction.
This traditional Bordeaux vinification process and later ageing in French oak ensures the inimitable character of El Principal wines that reflect the elegance and identity of their terroir.
WINEMAKING CONCEPT
Viña El Principal's oenology develops starting with the vineyards. The wines are exclusively processed with grapes grown on the lands, where the vineyards are continually studied as to their physiology and their relation to the terroir, in order to identify and perfect the best plots and thus obtain top quality raw material. Harvesting is carried out entirely by hand, with controlled production and the sorting of clusters both in the field and later in the wine cellars. This is followed by a careful traditional Bordeaux vinification process and ageing in French oak, resulting in the inimitable character of these wines capable of reflecting the elegance and identity of the terroir.
VINIFICATION
The winemaking process starts with a harvesting entirely by hand and sectorized. Later, also by hand, in the wine cellar and on a vibrating table, the best clusters are selected before entering the de-stemmer. An optical selector is used to pick out the best fruit. The grapes are raised to the upper part of the tanks to achieve gravity flow filling and thus avoid the use of a pump. Later, cold maceration (between 8 and 10ºC) takes place for 5 days, followed by the start of the alcoholic fermentation which is prolonged for 8 to 14 days at a temperature fluctuating between 28ºC and 30ºC, with gentle manual remontage according to the concentration and maturation of the grapes. This ensures a gentle and controlled extraction.
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Jada Strayts is made from Paso Robles 51% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Petite Sirah, 13% Petit Verdot, 3% Malbec.
One of the most challenging yet rewarding grapes to grow on the Jada Estate Vineyard, Merlot still dominates this blend at 51% of the volume. Bright cherry and plum with balanced barrel spice, black pepper, clove and dried tea leaves. Creamy, milk chocolate mouthfeel and refreshing acidity on the finish.
Strayts refers to the Straits of Messina, a body of water that separates Italy from the Sicily and the city from which they get their family name. For those literary scholars amongst you, it may have been the inspiration for the legend of Scylla and Charybdis, described by Homer in the Odyssey. No sea monsters or whirlpools here.
The Strayts is a Merlot-focused blend, using Merlot from one block in the Jada Estate Vineyard. The block encompasses elevation changes over 75 feet, as well as soil types ranging from calcareous to deep, clay loam. The 2017 vintage demanded multiple picks on this block, starting 9/14/2017 and ending 10/6/2017, to see proper maturity throughout. Fermentations in this blend ranged from 14 to 19 days using a combination of pump-overs and hand punch-downs. The blend is aged in mostly medium toast barrels to preserve delicate aromatics, while supporting the richness and spice of the Merlot. Aging for 15 months (31% 500L barrels, 69% 225L barrels) in 53% New French Oak, 47% Neutral Oak.
Review:
"The Merlot-dominated cuvée, the 2017 Strayts is a blend of 51% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Petite Sirah, 13% Petit Verdot, and 3% Malbec. Notes of black cherries, toasted spice, dried earth, underbrush, and graphite notes all flow to a medium-bodied, rounded, supple wine that has good tannins, outstanding balance, and a charming, character-filled style."
- Jeb Dunnuck (October 2019), 91 pts
The light hay coloring is loaded with greenish reflections. The fragrance is soft and complex, especially inviting with aromas hinting broom, chamomile and fresh fruit. The flavor is pleasantly tangy, full and very persistent.
Area of production: Monteu Roero
Fenocchio Roero Arneis is made from 100% Arneis
Vineyards area: 1.2 hectares (2.98 acres)
Exposition: Southeast
Altimetry: Hilly zone at around 300/350 meters a.s.l
Soil: calcareous,clay, soil of medium texture
Age of the vineyards: 10/15 years
Grape yield per hectare: 70 quintals
Harvest: Mid September
Vinification: The grapes are gently pressed and then the wine-must obtained is refrigerated in stainless steel vats to allow the lees to settle. After 24-36 hours the juice is separated from the lees and fermented at a controlled temperature. Bottling is done in sterile conditions. Aged in stainless steel tanks and matured in the bottle.
Tasting notes: the light hay coloring is loaded with greenish reflections. The fragrance is soft and complex, especially inviting with aromas hinting broom, chamomile and fresh fruit. The flavor is pleasantly tangy, full and very persistent.
Food Pairing: Great as an aperitif. Pairs nicely with saucy dishes white meats and grilled fish .
Serving temperature: Recommended serving temperature is around 10 - 12 degrees Celcius (52-56 degrees Fahrenheit)
Alcohol: Approx. 13-13,5% Vol
Total acidity: Approx. 5.5 – 5.8 g/L
Force Majeure estate Syrah is made from 100 percent Syrah.
The Force Majeure estate Syrah is cultivated in a combination of the 8 soil types that exist in the vineyard, with most of it being planted in very steep, very rocky locations, but some also planted in deeper, loamier soils.
The estate Syrah typically exhibits a broad spectrum of black, blue and red fruits, dried herbs and jasmine, fennel, smoked meats and crushed rock along with very fine tannins, great length, balance and complexity.
AppellationRed Mountain Varietal(s) 100% Syrah
Soil type Very steep, rocky locations, but some also planted in deeper, loamier soils
Vinification 22% whole cluster, remainder destemmed. Fermented in concrete, open top and closed top stainless. ~25% new French oak for 18 months, mostly larger format (300L to 500L) Native yeast, cold soak up front Macerations up to 30 days; pumpovers and punch-downs 100% free run. The wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Production 500 (9-liter cases)
Review:
The 2018 Syrah Estate includes a splash of Viognier and was fermented with 15% stems and brought up in a mix of new and used barrels. A huge nose of blueberries, black raspberries, spring flowers, smoked game, and ground pepper notes give way to a full-bodied, multi-dimensional, gorgeous barrel sample that has no hard edges, incredible balance, and a finish that won’t quit. While the Viognier gives some cushion to the classic Red Mountain structure of this wine, it’s still going to benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age. My money is on this being one of the top wines of the vintage.
-Jeb Dunnuck 97-100 Points
Flanagan Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon.
The nose displays a pretty mix of violet, black fruits, orange blossom, and bergamot. On the palate the wine shows red and black current intermingled with mocha and earth notes. There is a ton of structure, and, at the same time, is very elegant. The texture feels “just right” with fine grained, supple, ripe tannins.
Lancel Creek Vineyard is perched above the tiny hamlet of Occidental on the remote Sonoma Coast. This secluded, two-acre site was prepared, planted, and is still tended by Ulises Valdez. The pale, off-white Goldridge soil provides just enough nutrients and moisture for these densely planted vines to ripen a small amount of intensely aromatic and flavorful Chardonnay. The vineyard faces the Pacific Ocean, a mere five miles to the west. The combined influence of the cold Pacific and the warming afternoon sun produces a wine of incredible richness and sublime balance.
Soil types: Goldridge, fine sandy loam.
Age of the vines: 15 years
Review:
Crushed lemon, poached pear, hazelnuts, and white flowers as well as incredible minerality emerge from the 2018 Chardonnay Lancel Creek Vineyard, one of the finest Sonoma Coast Chardonnay I've ever tasted. Intense, full-bodied, stunningly concentrated, and yet still ethereal and elegant, with incredible class and length on the palate, this is another sensational, magical Chardonnay from Ferren that should age nicely for 10-12 years, and I suspect even longer.
-Jeb Dunnuck 98 Points
Segries Secret Grange Lirac Rouge is made from 50% Grenache and 50% Syrah.
This is a new wine for Chateau de Segries. 2013 is the first vintage.
The wine is dark and inky.
The aromas are intense and complex. It has fruit flavors of course, Strawberry and Blackberry, but it also have some interesting spice components, garrigue, pepper and licorice.
The finish is long and very pleasant as the tannins are round and well integrated.
La Grange is the name of the parcel where the grapes are grown. The soil is Clay and Limestone.
The average age of the vines is 80 years old.
Classic vinification in temperature controlled tanks. The skin contact maceration lasted 30 days and was completed in cement tanks.
The wine went through MaloLactic fermentation and was bottled without filtration.La Grange is the name of the parcel where the grapes are grown. The soil is Clay and Limestone.
The average age of the vines is 80 years old.
Classic vinification in temperature controlled tanks. The skin contact maceration lasted 30 days and was completed in cement tanks.
The wine went through MaloLactic fermentation and was bottled without filtration.
Review:
"The estate’s top wine is the 2016 Lirac Secret de la Grange, a 90-10 blend of Grenache and Syrah that never sees oak. This full-bodied blend is fabulously concentrated and lush, with ripe fruit flavors of raspberries and stone fruits, an intriguing hint of almond paste and a rich, long finish tinged with licorice. It should drink well for up to a decade. - Joe Czerwinski"
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Issue #233, October 2017), 93 pts
Crisp, spice-inflected blackberry and black cherry flavors are anchored by a cooling mineral undertone in this stand-out Grenache-Syrah blend. It's ripe and glossy on the palate but pertly balanced with bristling aciditywine enthusiast 93 pts and a lingering stony finish. At peak now but should improve through 2028 and hold further. - ANNA LEE C. IIJIMA" - --
-Wine Enthusiast (December 2020), 93 pts
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Siegel Ketran Red Blend is made from 35% Syrah, 30% Petit Verdot, 25% Carmenere, 10% Cabernet Franc
Ketran is coming from the Mapuche Language and it means "plowed earth". In fact, Earth was plowed by fire from the volcanic acitivity. Ketran is a tribute to the volcanic soils that gave birth to the fantastic terroir of Los Lingues, located at the foothills of the “Cordillera de los Andes".
The wine is clean and bright in color.
The wine displays a very aromatic and elegant nose of ripe black fruit, prune and dried fig.
The mouthfeel is smooth and the length to the finish is quite exceptionnal, with sweet and fleshy tannins, balanced by a perfectly integrated acidity which gives the wine some freshness and emphasizes the presence of fruit and its ability to age.
Coming from the volcanic soils of Los Lingues, at the foothills of the Andes mountain.
The wine went through ML fermentation, it was then aged 24 months in French Oak barrels.
The wine has been slightly filtered before bottling.
Review:
"2014 is the second release of Siegel's top red wine, made from a four-way cuvée of Syrah, Petit Verdot, Carmenère and Cabernet Franc. Plush, spicy and smoothly oaked, with some tannic backbone and a glossy finish. Needs time. 2021-30"
- Tim Atkin MW (Chile 2019 Special Report), 94 pts
is made from 74% Malbec, 13% Cabernet Franc, 12% Petit Verdot, 1% Merlot
Tasting Notes
“This Bordeaux-style blend highlights the incredible selection of estate vineyards at my fingertips and vineyards from a wide range of Napa Valley. A vibrant, elegant red wine, it delivers intricate aromas of floral notes, crushed flowers, blueberry compote, ripe cranberry and violets on the nose. Rustic and course layered flavors of dark fruit and creamy black fruit are revealed across a multi-layered palate, framed by fuzzy tannins, a voluptuous mouthfeel and a long, spicy, chewy finish.”
Vineyard Notes
This wine is sustainably sourced from several of our prime estate vineyards throughout the Napa Valley. In crafting this blend, we hand select barrels of Malbec from both our Haystack Vineyard in the Atlas Peak AVA and Cloud’s Nest Vineyard in the Mount Veeder AVA, two high-elevation regions in Napa Valley. The Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot come from our Central Park West Vineyard in St. Helena and the Merlot comes from Vera’s Vineyard in South Napa.
Winemaker Notes
The 2014 growing season in Napa Valley was preceded by an exceptionally dry winter which also included some of the coldest days on record. It began with an early bud-break, followed by a mild spring and rain early on in the season. It was an early season from bud-break to veraison to harvest, with an unexpected earthquake in late August, and some hail in late September, to keep the winemakers on their toes. All in all, 2014 delivered a vintage of exceptional quality.
Review:
Made from a majority of Malbec, with smaller additions of Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and Petite Sirah, this wine is black as night, tart and taut in texture. A dizzying array of violet, garrigue and lavender give it an exotic element that's inviting against a full-bodied backdrop, finished in gunpowder and cigar box. - Wine Enthusiast 91 Points
Laird Jillians Red Blend is made from 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Syrah, 10% Merlot, 5% Malbec and 2% Petit Verdot
21 months in 75% French Oak and 25% American Oak (40% new and 60% neutral)
Vineyard: Cabernet Sauvignon (60% Mast Ranch + 40% Linda Vista Ranch), Syrah (100% Eagle Vines Ranch), Merlot (100% Big Ranch), Malbec (100% Flat Rock Ranch) and Petit Verdot (100% Flat Rock Ranch).
Appellation: Napa Valley
Our family has been proudly growing grapes in Napa Valley for two generations; this unique fusion of four varietals honors the youngest member of the third generation in our farming family, our daughter Jillian. This Left Bank Bordeaux-style blend with a twist of Rhone is structured, but easy to drink. Jillian’s is the only blend we make and it’s our most popular red wine.
Tasting Notes: Complex and precocious just like the real Jillian. Its deep, ruby red appearance accompanied by viscous legs leads the way to a seductive bouquet of toasted oak, lavender and ripe strawberries. A medium bodied palate, with delicate tannins and acidity, leads the way to tart dusty cherries and boysenberries that dance across your palate, while flavors of clove, vanilla and blueberry custard unfold on the finish.
Review:
"A ripe and lush style, with waves of cassis, plum sauce and açaí berry rolling through, coated with mocha and sweet spice notes and leading to a very polished finish. For the hedonist crowd. Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2024. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. - James Molesworth"
- Wine Spectator Insider (December 24th 2019), 92 Points
Tasting Notes: Deep, dark ruby color, aromas of blue fruits, confectionery and subtle licorice characters, thick luscious palate with good structure and soft finish.
The Blend is 44% Rubired, 31% Durif and 25% Shiraz.
Rubired is a cross between Tinto Cao and Alicante Ganzin (which is itself a cross between Alicante Bouschet and Aramon Rupestris Ganzin). It is known for being particularly adapted to the hot climate and producing dark wines, as the color is not only coming from the grape's skin, but also from the grape juice itself. It was developed in 1958 by H.P. Olmo of the University of California Davis.
Durif, also known as Petite Sirah, is also a cross of two different grape varietals: Syrah and Peloursin. It was created by French botanist François Durif in 1860 while keeping Syrah and Peloursin plants under the same roof; it happened from a natural process called "cross-pollination." The grape itself is known for its very aromatic, plummy character.
Shiraz, which we all know for being the most recognized grape varietal of Australia, brings some minty, spicy and fruity characteristics to the wines.
Grapes are crushed and destemmed then placed in rotary fermenters where three rotations per day break up the cap and extract color and tannin. Commercial yeast is added for fermentation. The juice is pressed to stainless steel for malolactic fermentation, undergoes oak maturation for 9 months, then is stored in stainless steel.
Pairs well with BBQ lamb with roast vegetables.
Principal El Principal Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot and 3% Syrah originating from old, ungrafted vines. Deep, intense ruby red, black fruit and cassis aromas, well-integrated woody notes, great structure and balance. Ripe and present tannins, elegant and sophisticated in the mouth, a pure expression of the terroir.
Denomination of Origin: Maipo Andes Valley
Vineyard altitude: 800 meters above sea level
Soil: Alluvial origin, Clay loam.
Climate: Sub humid Mediterranean with big influence of the Andes Mountains.
Thermal oscillation: Between 18º and 22ºC.
Viticulture system: Espalier
Pruning: Double Guyot
Yield 4.500 kg/ha
Cool maceration (8°C): 6 days.
Alcoholic fermentation: 6 days.
Post fermentative maceration: 16 days.
Barrel aging: 20 months, new French oak
Bottling: February 2016
Bottle aging: Minimum 2 year in the bottle before release to the market.
pH: 3.46
Total Acidity: 5.9 g/L
RS: 2 g/L
Reviews:
- Descorchados (November 2017), 95 pts
"This complex cuvée of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with 7% Petit Verdot and 3% Syrah from some of the highest vineyards in Pirque is built to age in bottle. Aged in 75) new wood, it’s serious, concentrated yet beautifully balanced, with very fine tannins, some aromatic mocha oak, layers of dark fruit and a backbone of acidity. 2022-30"
- Tim Atkin (Chile 2018 Special Report), 94 pts
Red Phoenix Red Blend is made from 57% Zinfandel; 14% Petit Verdot; 12% Petite Sirah; 7% Syrah; 5% Merlot; 5% Cabernet Sauvignon.
With European origins dating back centuries ago, blended red wine is once again having its day in the sun. Red Phoenix Red Wine Blend represents the essence of this well-deserved resurgence. Unbound by a single varietal or appellation, and given more flexibility with vintages, winemaker Joseph Smith skillfully showcases six distinct varietals in this luscious and layered wine. Unlike traditional red blends, Red Phoenix is both barrel aged and barrel fermented, adding structure, balance, and a new dimension to a wine that is rooted in tradition and soars on the palate.
APPELLATION
75% of the fruit is coming from Lodi AVA, while the remaining 25% are Napa Valley AVA's fruits.
Coastal aromas of fresh fruit and lush florals coupled with a deep ruby color intrigue the senses. Bright, bold flavors of cherry and blackberry ascend on the palate while showcasing subtle, smooth tannins. The wine crescendos with anise, chocolate and toasted oak, offering depth and complexity, as velvety flavors continue to linger and evolve throughout the long, rich finish.
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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 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Red Mountain Estate is a thrilling effort from winemaker Todd Alexander that rates with some of the most monumental wines to come out of Washington State. Based on 100% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from their estate vineyard on Red Mountain, brought up in mostly new barrels, it reveals a saturated purple color that's followed by a rich, primordial bouquet of crème de cassis, espresso roast, crushed rock, and graphite. It needs considerable air to start to show its potential yet is a full-bodied, powerful wine that has subtle oak, plenty of sweet tannins, and a huge, layered finish that won't quit. It's the tannin management that's truly spectacular. This brilliant wine needs to be forgotten for 4-5 years and will keep for 2-3 decades."
- Jeb Dunnuck (April 2019), 99 pts
MCV 1105 Red is made from Petite Sirah, Syrah, Grenache, Tannat, Petit Verdot, Mourvedre & Zinfandel.
This is a fantastic everyday wine. It pairs with a wide variety of foods and is great all by itself.
Aromas of blackberry, vanilla, white pepper, granite, rainier cherry and mocha. Flavors of cherry cola, dark chocolate, graphite, black coffee and pink peppercorn.
Grapes were processed on the same day they arrived at the winery. Sorting table juice was discarded. Post de-stemmer juice was used for the Rosé. Lots were fermented in 2 ton macrobins. A variety of yeasts were used, including some wild fermentations. Lots were cold soaked between 3 -7 days. Fermentation took an average of 12 days. Some lots received extended maceration. Some lots were pressed directly into barrel and some into tank to settle. High press was separated out. The wine was aged in oak barrels for 15 months.
Pairing: Grilled New York with sautéed mushrooms. Stuffed portabella mushrooms. Pasta Carbonara. Pork chops coated with coffee and rosemary. Herb crusted lamb chops.
Review:
"Almost opaque in the glass, this blend of 61% Petite Sirah, 15% Tannat, 9% Syrah, 8% Grenache, 6% Petite Verdot and 1% Viognier offers deep violet and cassis aromas, but remains reserved. Elderberry and lavender flavors are spiced by cracked pepper on the palate. - MATT KETTMANN"
- Wine Enthusiast (May 2021), 91 pts
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