Tococo 2020

Name: From Alcohuaz - Tococo - 2020
Brand: Vin du Monde
Price: 36.0 EUR
Availability: OutOfStock

From Alcohuaz

108,00 €

A high-altitude red with a pure and vibrant profile, where Andean freshness meets the depth of País.

Chile

Vin Red

13.5%

5 to 10 years

100% País

750ml
Set of 3 bottles (75cl)

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Let's talk little, let's talk wine

Nestled in the high Elqui Valley in northern Chile, the De Alcohuaz vineyard spans granitic hillsides at over 1700 meters above sea level, in the heart of the small Andean village of Alcohuaz. Surrounded by arid mountains and bathed in intense sunlight, the vines benefit from cool nights that preserve the grapes' natural acidity. The poor soils, composed of decomposed granite and coarse sands, promote limited yields and high concentration, giving rise to wines of character marked by their mountain origin.

The grapes for the Tococo cuvée are harvested by hand on the estate's high-altitude granitic slopes, then sorted before fermentation in open vats, with a variable proportion of whole clusters depending on the vintage. Extractions are gentle, using manual punch-downs. Maturation then takes place in large-volume neutral containers, primarily foudres and concrete tanks, to preserve the purity of the fruit, the freshness, and the mineral expression of the terroir without excessive oak influence.

This wine reveals notes of ripe black fruits, fresh red fruits, and floral touches, enhanced by spicy nuances and a slight mineral character from the granitic soils. On the palate, the texture is full and structured, with firm yet well-integrated tannins, refreshing acidity carried by the altitude, and a long, savory finish, marked by the purity of the fruit and a subtle saline sensation.

Where are we traveling?

Elqui Valley

It is located in northern Chile, approximately 470 kilometers north of Santiago, in the Coquimbo region, where the Atacama Desert begins to give way to the Andean foothills. The vineyard unfolds in a narrow, steep valley, carved by the Elqui River, between 500 and 2,000 meters above sea level, in a lunar landscape of arid mountains, cacti, and absolutely clear skies — the region is home to some of the world's most important astronomical observatories. Viticultural history is intimately linked to Pisco, the Chilean national brandy, of which Elqui has been the historic birthplace since the 16th century, with its massive Muscat plantations. For centuries, no one imagined producing anything else here, until audacious winemakers like Marcelo Retamal of De Martino and the Carabantes family of Viña Falernia dared, in the late 1990s, to plant noble grape varieties at high altitudes, convinced that this extreme terroir offered unique conditions in Chile. The climate is desertic and arid, with more than 300 days of sunshine per year and almost no rainfall, but the diurnal temperature swings are spectacular — sometimes more than 20 degrees difference — and the dry air descending from the Andes offers the grapes slow ripening and intense aromatic concentration, without the slightest pressure from fungal diseases. Elqui Valley has proven to be one of the most exciting frontiers of Chilean viticulture thanks to its vibrant and peppery Syrahs with unexpected freshness, its sharp and mineral Sauvignon Blancs grown at high altitudes, its delicate Pinot Noirs from the highest plots, and its Muscat grapes, heirs to the Pisco tradition, bearing witness to a pioneering valley that pushes the boundaries of what Chilean wine can offer.

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.

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