Ventas Blancas Malbec Cabernet Franc 2018

The Tabalí Vetas Blancas Malbec – Cabernet Franc cuvée is produced in the Limarí Valley in Chile, in the Espinal vineyard. The vines are located on the coastal part of the valley, benefiting from a coastal climate, dry and windy in the afternoon. It is an alluvial terrace, with limestone soil, brought from the high peaks of the Andes, by glacial melting. This unique terroir, called "Vetas Blancas" (white veins), gives an elegant minerality and remarkable freshness to the blend of Malbec and Cabernet Franc .

The grapes are harvested by hand and then carefully vinified. The wine is aged for 14 months in French oak barrels , giving it depth, roundness and complexity, while respecting the pure expression of the fruit and the terroir .

On tasting, it offers a deep red color with purple highlights , a complex nose marked by black fruits (blackberry, blueberry, cherry) , elegant floral notes like violet and a hint of fresh spices brought by the Cabernet Franc. The palate is balanced and structured , with fine tannins and vibrant tension; the Malbec brings a velvety texture, while the Cabernet Franc infuses a spicy freshness that enhances the persistent finish, while clearly revealing its limestone terroir .

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.