Amayna Chardonnay 2022

This Chardonnay originates in the Leyda Valley of Chile, a coastal appellation within the San Antonio region, very close to the Pacific Ocean (approximately 13 km). The vines are planted in poor, well-drained soils, a mixture of gravel, sand, and granite. The maritime influence and cool nights contrast with mild days, allowing the Chardonnay grape to ripen slowly, developing aromatic finesse and freshness while maintaining a beautiful structure.

The harvest is done by hand. The grapes are pressed as whole bunches, then the must ferments partly in stainless steel and partly in French oak barrels and casks. The wine is aged for 12 months in contact with its fine lees, with 60% of it maturing in oak (barrels, casks) and the remainder in stainless steel tanks, in order to balance complexity and purity.

This wine reveals notes of guava , pear , yuzu, lemon, chalk , roasted cashew nuts, flint , and oyster shells. On the palate, the wine is textured, supported by a lively acidity that provides tension and balance. The finish is long, with notes of sea spray, reflecting the essence of the Leyda terroir.

It was Hernán Cortés who ordered, upon the conquest of Mexico, the cultivation of vines in 1524. It gradually extended from Mexico southwards to reach Chile in 1555. During the first 3 centuries of colonization, there was no Cultivated in Chile as país, a black grape variety without character and very productive. It was not until the middle of the 19th century that noble varieties were introduced: mainly cabernet sauvignon, merlot, syrah, sauvignon blanc and chardonnay. Twenty years later, winemaking was modernized under the leadership of wealthy owners and French experts who were forced into unemployment by phylloxera in Europe. Chile stretches 4,300 kilometers from north to south. It is wedged between the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Andes Mountains to the east, the Atacama Desert to the north, 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 has ideal conditions for growing warm, intermediate and cool grape varieties, so much so that it is often described as a paradise for growing grapes. With nearly 300 properties producing bottled wines, Chile fluctuates between 6th and 8th place in the world.