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Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2024Tarapacá
This wine comes from the Maipo Valley, the historic cradle of Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon, south of Santiago. Viña Tarapacá was founded here in 1874, in an exceptional setting near the Andes: the estate forms a kind of crater surrounded by mountains and bordered by the Maipo River. The dry, sunny Mediterranean climate, cooled by air flowing down from the Andes, offers ideal conditions for the even ripening of the grapes.
Part of the harvest, around 30%, undergoes a four-day cold pre-fermentation maceration. Fermentation then takes place in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks. Ageing lasts ten months: 60% of the wine rests in tanks in contact with French, American and Hungarian oak staves, which adds spicy notes while preserving the fruit.
This wine reveals notes of strawberry, fig, blackcurrant, black cherry, vanilla, cinnamon, pepper and smoke. Red and black fruit predominate, underlined by the spicy, lightly smoky nuances of ageing. It is an elegant, juicy and well-balanced wine, carried by ripe tannins and an indulgent finish.
Where are we traveling?
Maipo ValleyChile
It is located at the gates of Santiago, the Chilean capital, stretching from the southern suburbs of the city to the foothills of the Andes to the east and the coastal range to the west. The vineyard is divided into three distinct zones — Alto Maipo at altitude at the foot of the Andes, Maipo Central on the alluvial plains, and Maipo Costa open to Pacific influences — forming a gradient of remarkably diverse terroirs over barely 100 kilometers. Its viticultural history dates back to the 16th century, when Spanish conquistadors planted the first vines, but it was in the mid-19th century that Maipo took off, when great Chilean families — the Concha y Toro, the Cousiño, the Errázuriz — brought Bordeaux vines and French oenologists to establish the estates that would forge the country's viticultural reputation. Chile's geographical isolation, protected by the Andes, the Pacific, and the Atacama Desert, spared the vineyards from phylloxera, and Maipo today preserves some of the New World's oldest ungrafted vines. The climate is semi-arid Mediterranean, hot and sunny in summer, cooled by cold winds descending from the Andes each evening and by morning mists from the ocean, offering ideal thermal amplitudes for slow and steady maturation. The soils range from stony alluvial deposits carried from the Andes to the calcareous clays of the lower sectors, as well as the granitic and volcanic rocks of Alto Maipo. Maipo Valley has established itself as the cradle and absolute benchmark of Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon, producing powerful, structured wines with an elegance that rivals the best Bordeaux, complemented by silky and spicy Carménère — a Bordeaux grape variety that disappeared in France and was rediscovered here — deep Syrahs, and ambitious blends that have placed Chile on the map of the world's greatest wines.
The little history of the country
Chile
It was Hernán Cortés who ordered the cultivation of vines upon the conquest of Mexico in 1524. It gradually spread from Mexico southward, reaching Chile in 1555. During the first three centuries of colonization, only país, a characterless and very productive black grape variety, was cultivated in Chile. It was not until the mid-19th century that noble varieties were introduced: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay, mainly. Twenty years later, winemaking was modernized under the impetus of wealthy landowners and French experts who had been forced out of work by phylloxera in Europe. Chile stretches 4,300 kilometers from north to south. It is sandwiched between the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Andes Mountains to the east, the Atacama Desert to the north, and the Patagonian plains and glaciers to the south. These natural barriers prevented phylloxera from entering the country. Although the country is only 160 kilometers wide, it enjoys ideal conditions for growing grape varieties from warm, intermediate, and cool regions, so much so that it is often described as a vineyard paradise. With nearly 300 estates producing bottled wines, Chile ranks between 6th and 8th in the world.
All about Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2024
At what temperature should Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2024 be served?
Between 15 and 17 °C.
How long can Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2024 be kept?
Ageing potential: 1 to 5 years, until around 2029. Store the bottle lying down, away from light, at around 12 °C.
Which grapes make up Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2024?
Grapes: 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Syrah. Origin: Central Valley, Chile. Alcohol: 13.5%.