Producer
Morandé was founded in 1996 by Pablo Morandé, and found immediate recognition both domestically and abroad. Morandé are true pioneers –they were the first family to develop the Casablanca D.O., recognising the fantastic potential of this cool-climate wine region. They also led the way in reviving old viticultural regions such as Maule and Itata, working with old dry-farmed bush vines and unconventional varieties such as Carignan, País and Cinsault. All of the wines are produced with grapes from Morandé’s own vineyards. Their winemaking philosophy is guided by seeking the right terroir for each grape variety, and with significant vineyard holdings they are well placed to achieve this.
Vineyard
The grapes come from the Romeral estate in the Maipo Valley, which is renowned for the high quality of its red wines. The silty-clay soils of alluvial origin and the cool, dry climate give the ideal conditions for well-structured red wines. The vineyard is planted at a high density (10,100 plants/hectare). Yields are limited to one kilo per vine to ensure that the grapes have a concentrated aroma and flavour. Harvest took place in late April.
Winery
The grapes were crushed and given 5 days’ cold maceration, then fermented at 24-26oC with another 18 days on skins before going through natural malolactic fermentation. The wine was aged in older French and American oak barrels for twelve months before blending and bottling.
