Payen Syrah Cabernet Franc 2018

This emblematic cuvée of the estate is made from grapes from the Rio Hurtado site, in the estate's highlands at 1,922 m above sea level.

The blend for this vintage comprises 93% Syrah and 7% Cabernet Franc, harvested by hand and meticulously sorted. 70% of the grapes were gravity-fed into small stainless-steel tanks, while the remaining 30% fermented as whole bunches in French oak barrels. Gentle daily pump-overs allowed a precise extraction of aromas and structure.

The wine was then aged for 18 months in French oak barrels, 90% new and 10% third-fill. This long ageing brings remarkable depth without ever dominating the fruit, ensuring complexity, balance and elegance.

This wine reveals notes of ripe red and black fruit (cherry, blackberry), enhanced by violet, black pepper and subtle smoky and spicy notes. On the palate, the texture is ample and elegant, with velvety tannins and perfectly integrated oak, bringing complexity and depth. The finish is long, smooth and well balanced.

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.