Travel

Chile experience: part 4
5 October 2009

Aconcagua

From the Limari Valley our journey lay to the Aconcagua Valley, 300 kilometres back south towards Santiago. A short stop for lunch (or rather a chicken and avocado sandwich), but in a beautiful place called Pichidangui, with views on the ocean and on a tiny island several hundred metres away where, apparently, an American military base used to be and where penguins live now. On this rather remarkable, but amazingly empty and wildly windy esplanade I best liked an abandoned art nouveau telephone booth which for accidental tourists like us dubs as an art installation.

It was Vina Errazuriz that made the Aconcagua Valley famous, and the company’s historic villa and main production facilities are still located there, but before visiting the “colossus” we stopped in the neighbouring estate Vina von Siebenthal. It is Lilliputian in comparison with the Errazuriz size, but only in the size, because, as we eventually discovered, von Siebenthal wines can be majestic like the highest Andes peaks.

For Mauro von Siebenthal, founding this project was making his dream come true. Von Siebenthal is Swiss, and until October this year he had a successful legal practice in Locarno. He started to drink wine from the age of 17, and mentions Bordeaux as his favourite wines. Von Siebenthal first thought about having own winery back in the seventies, but the project materialized only in 1998, with initial financial support from four friends. In the past 10 years the lawyer traveled between Switzerland and Chile, but winemaking finally won. Mauro von Siebenthal left the firm and permanently lives in Chile starting from 1 October 2009.

Why did he choose Chile? “In Europe it is impossible to achieve the same results so quickly. It takes at least two generations. Here I am free in my choices and can get fantastic quality of fruit”, says von Siebenthal.

Once in the vineyards, you can’t help noticing that the nature itself created this place as an outstanding Chilean terroir for several red varieties. All von Siebenthal vineyards are located in Panquehue. Have a look at the satellite view on the Google map, and you will see how well defined are plots suitable for winegrowing. The most interesting part is vineyards on a gentle slope protected from three sides by a high П-shaped hill. The soils in this part are warm sandy stone, and they are superb for Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere and Petit Verdot. The slope has northern exposition (that is southern for our hemisphere). Several streams run down the hill with melted mountain water. Avocado trees grow above the vineyards. Local farmers are not terribly keen on vines, as growing avocados is a more profitable business for them. That’s fine with von Siebenthal too, because he says that soils on steep hills contain more sand and are less attractive for quality winemaking. The view with a backdrop of the snow-capped Andes is magnificent, and the nature shows some mystical powers here. How else would you explain that vines planted in 1998 are similar in development to those of 25-30 years of age? We didn’t see this phenomenon in other Chilean valleys. Here’s the videoabout the vineyards.

Von Siebenthal vineyards grow next to Errazuriz, and the harvest from the Errazuriz plots is used for the “icon” wine Don Maximiano. Answering the question, how von Siebenthal managed to snatch great terrain under the nose of a mighty competitor, he answered that Errazuriz is so busy developing large scale projects that perhaps this piece of land was too small for them to pay attention.

It is also ironic that another “golden” plot was found by von Siebenthal right next to the winery. He cleared the plot that local farmers considered unsuitable for vines and used for growing corn, planted a Carmenere vineyard and eventually made Tatay de Cristobal which is today appreciated as the greatest Carmenere and the most expensive Chilean wine, whose price tag is higher than Almaviva’s.

This was made possible also because Vina von Siebenthal is a boutique operation by Chilean standards. There are 25 hectares of vineyards and a winery with a capacity for 150,000 bottles. There are 18 permanent staff.

The winery flies two flags — Chilean and Swiss, but otherwise it is not much different from others. It is built in a style of a traditional colonial country house and equipped to meet strict requirements of premium wine production. “There is nothing special about our equipment. The way we make wine is special”, says von Siebenthal. Grapes are vinified in small batches, only best musts are selected for further work. Macerations, fermentations and barrel aging are some of the longest among Chilean wines.

Von Siebenthal was also fortunate to have recruited the services of enologist Stefano Gandolini. Later we met Stefano on his main project Vina Carmen, and he impressed as one of the most talented and sensible winemakers, focused on making outstanding wines which speak of their place of origin.

Von Siebenthal wines are all blends, except Petit Verdot Toknar. This is one of the differences between this and other Chilean wineries. It was a principal decision made by Mauro von Siebenthal which also proves his allegiance to Bordeaux winemaking school. Another important point is that the winemaker strives to show through his wines the uniqueness of Panquehue. “Winemakers should respect the identity of individual valleys, not to undermine it. In Chile we do not have winemaking restrictions, but we must use our freedom wisely”, stresses von Siebenthal.

The estate produces six red wines, all of which were offered at the tasting. My favourite are marked in bold.

Parcela #7 2006
13,5% alcohol, blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Fran, the former two having the biggest shares, aging 10 months in French and American barrels, 60,000 bottles. Pure, expressive, immediate cassis aromas. Intense, structured palate with smoky and mineral nuances. 87

Carmenere 2007
13,9% alcohol, 10-15% Cabernet Sauvignon, grapes harvested from the slope, aging 10 months in French and American barrels, 35,000 bottles. Tight, ripe aromas of fruit, intense, supple palate, ripe black fruit and plums, nuances of smoke and cedar, well structured, well balanced and very appealing. 90

Carabantes Syrah 2007
14,5% alcohol, 85% Syrah, the rest is Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot, aging 14 months in French barrels, 20,000 bottles. The first wine made at the estate and named after the pioneer of Chilean winemaking Francisco de Carabantes. I find the wine rather heavy and alcoholic. Perhaps not the best place for getting elegant Syrah. 86

Montelig 2005
14,5% alcohol, roughly equal parts of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Carmenere, aging 24 months in new French barrels, 8,000 bottles. The name pays homage to two Chilean symbols — mountains and sunlight. “Wines should be linked with the place of origin. A wine should have a serious name, but not too dramatic”, as von Siebenthal explains the choice of wine names. Refined, deep, nuanced nose that needs time to open up. Palate with elegant power, tight grainy tannins, complex fruit and deep minerality of crushed stones. Full, staying finish. A superb wine, evoking ideas of Bordeaux, with excellent potential. 92-93

Toknar 2006
14,5% alcohol, 100% Petit Verdot, aging 24 months in barriques, 5,000 bottles. Toknar means stone. Panquehue is one of the exceptional places in the world where Petit Verdot fully ripens and has great structure. “This is the most intriguing wine for me”, says Mauro von Siebenthal. A monolith — powerful like a mountain peak but elegant. Complex aromas of flowers, red and black fruit. Palate is concentrated, with velvety texture, full and lingering. 94

Tatay de Cristobal 2007
14,5% alcohol, 90% Carmenere, 10% Petit Verdot, aging 21 months in new barriques, 5 barrels or 1,492 bottles made, bottled 6 months ago. Mauro von Siebenthal is a serious man but with a good sense of humour. The wine’s name hides a joke about the origin of Christopher Columbus. This is a maiden vintage and the most expensive Chilean wine today (250 dollars in the US). Two thirds of production were sent abroad, and 500 bottles are left for Chile where Tatay will be launched in November. Von Siebenthal recalls that the vineyard (1,3 ha) didn’t yield fruit for the first three years, and on the fourth year (2003) produced a crop of extraordinary quality, but it was used in blends. Aromas in their depth are evocative of Vintage Port or Amarone, but this wine is not fortified. Amazing concentration on the palate, with the backbone of black fruit, coffee beans, balsamic, licorice and monumental tannic structure. As von Siebenthal points out, this Carmenere is for meditation, not for food. I agree. 95

***

The visit to Mauro von Siebenthal was one of the most memorable (in top 3 in my personal ranking of winery visits in Chile). Vina von Siebenthal and Errazuriz are located within walking distance, but, despite being so close, the difference between them is like between the Andes mountains and the Pacific ocean. It’s not just about the size. These are very diverse realities in which two recognised and respected wineries find themselves. One recently celebrated its first decade, the other has almost a century and a half of history. One is boutique, the other is part of a holding with several wine companies. One focuses on vineyards in one location, the other operates in different Chilean regions with diverse natural conditions. One is making handcrafted wines, the other puts efforts into creating strong premium brands. What they have in common, though, is that both have wines which are appreciated by the market. And both prove that outstanding wines can be made in Chile.

We were in the historic Don Maximiano estate where we had a tasting and dinner, but we didn’t see either vineyards or winery. From a distance we were shown a new winery building that will be inaugurated in December, but at that moment internal roads were impassable due to excavation of the trenches.

We learnt the latest Errazuriz news from the winemaker Edgard Carter, and I relay them following the order of the tasting. As usual, wines that I enjoyed most are marked in bold.

Sauvignon Blanc La Escultura Estate Casablanca Valley 2008
Reductive vinification. Wide expressive green pea aromas, palate is fresh, soft, with grapefruit and sweet tropical fruit, finish though is rather harsh. 86

Sauvignon Blanc Aconcagua Coast 2008
Errazuriz was the first to develop vineyards in cool coastal part of the Aconcagua Valley where climatic conditions are similar to Leyda. “We are based in Aconcagua, so we wanted to continue developing the valley. Having done the register of temperatures over the year, we realized that it is cooler on Aconcagua Coast than in Casablanca”, informed the winemaker. The project is called Manzanar, vineyards are 12 kilometres away from the ocean, first vines were planted in 2005. Various soils — from deep clay to decomposed rock and granite, different expositions and several clones give more alternatives for blending. Sauvignon Blanc and Syrah currently take 200 hectares. Pinot Noir is to be planted soon to become one of the largest vineyards dedicated to the variety in Chile. Sauvignon Blanc from Aconcagua Coast is close to European style. Pleasant green and citrusy spectrum of aromas, intense yet restrained. Clean, elegant palate with excellent minerality. 87

Wild Ferment Chardonnay Casablanca Valley 2007
The influence of oak is being reduced, according to the winemaker. Wine is partially fermented in oak, fermentation takes two times longer than usual. 70% of the wine undergoes malolactic fermentation to improve texture, batonage is frequently carried out for creamy taste. Elegant wine, with interesting aromas of tropical fruit and lactic notes, medium-full, fatty palate with good depth, spicy and mineral nuances, good oak integration and lengthy finish. 88

Wild ferment Pinot Noir Casablanca Valley 2007
«The soils are clay/loam, plants are balanced, with low production”. Winemakers try to finetune oak, not to extract too much. Brilliant cherry colour. Clean, polished aromas of cherries and cherry stone, warm but recognisably Pinot Noir. Pleasantly rich palate, red fruit, good mineraliy and oak integration, supple, lasting. 87

Single vineyard Carmenere Aconcagua Valley 2007
Grapes from Don Maximiano estate. “Many people associate Carmenere with greenness, but it depends where you plant it. It needs “antisoils” of Cabernet Sauvignon. It likes clay”. Grapes are harvested in the end of May. Intense black and red fruit aromas, nuance of ground pepper. Fresh, full palate with expressive black fruit, chocolate, spice, mineral notes and ripe tannins. An attractive wine. 88

Max Reserva Shiraz 2007
Like with Vina von Siebenthal, I find that Syrah/Shiraz is rather heavy and alcoholic in the Aconcagua Valley. 86

Max Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
Intense aromas combine ripe black fruit, bellpepper and eucalyptus. Palate is fresh, intense, fruit and chocolate, but rather linear, lacking charm. 86

Kai Aconcagua Valley 2006
Top Carmenere wine, with 9% Petit Verdot and 4% Shiraz. First vintage was made in 2005. Petit Verdot helps with structure and acidity. Open, intense, but refined and lifted aromas of red and black berries with finely mixed spice. Mouthcoating fruit and minerals on the palate with superb concentration, serious tannic structure and presence of minerals. One of the best Chilean Carmenere. 93

La Cumbre Aconcagua Valley 2006
La Cumbre means peak. Top Shiraz wine, with 3% Petit Verdot. Elegant wine. Restrained, lifted and deep aromas of black fruit and spices, fresh, rich palate with intense, powerful structure and “muscles”, black fruit are generously spiced, especially with cloves, full, persistent warm finish. Unlike Max Reserva Shiraz 2007, I find La Cumbre attractive, if alcoholic. 90

Don Maximiano Founder’s Reserve Aconcagua Valley 2006
Historically the wine was a blend of different Cabernet Sauvignon parcels, but starting from 2004 a modicum of other varieties is added. This vintage contains 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, the rest being Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Syrah. Intense, rich aromas, cassis, warmth, the palate is structured, with open sweet black fruit and balsamic notes, good acidity and minerality. Lingering balsamic finish. 90

Sena Aconcagua Valley 2006
First vintage was in 1996, and in the past few years the wine is made to a certain style rather than adhering to strict percentages of different varieties in the blend. Vintage 2006 is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 13% Petit Verdot, 10% Carmenere, 6% Cabernet Franc. This year Petit Verdot performed extraordinarily, so its share in the blend was raised. The 42-hectare vineyard is tended biodynamically. Malbec and Shiraz are also grown but will be used only if they will be suitable for the wine. Sena will always have a large proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in the blend. Lifted, ripe black and red fruit with mineral nuances and spice. The palate is fresh, intense and supple, combining ripe fruit, chocolate, minerals and spices, velvety tannins, but rather dry. A chocolaty finish of medium length. 89