DBR (Lafite) Los Vascos Cabernet Sauvignon

BACKGROUND

Los Vascos wines blend Lafite tradition with the unique terroir of Chile to create elegant wines that bring exceptional to the everyday. The vision of Domaines Barons de Rothschild Lafite to expand their estate took them to South America in 1988, becoming the first French viticultural investment in modern Chile. Since then, a comprehensive modernization and investment program has been undertaken, oriented towards the production of fine wine using and adapting the viticultural experiences of Bordeaux and other areas where Domaines Barons de Rothschild Lafite is present.

Los Vascos is located in Valley de Caneten (Colchagua), a closed valley in the central zone of Chile, approximately 25 miles from the sea. The valley provides a perfect microclimate for high quality viticulture, with Northern exposure to lands uncontaminated by airborne or water-borne pollutants. Daily on-shore winds provide temperature changes between 68-77°F, for optimum maturation of the grapes. With 1,581 acres planted on the over 10,000 acre estate, it is one of the largest vineyards in the central Colchagua valley, at the foot of Mount Cañeten.

TERROIR & VINTAGE NOTES

Grapes are sourced from the historical plots of the property. The soils are predominantly clay loam on a bed of Tosca (typical rockbed made from volcanic ashes).
A rainy winter gave way to a cool spring in which maximum temperatures did not exceed 78°F. The summer kicked off with early rains and unusually low temperatures. It was, in fact, the coolest season in recent years and this, of course, is reflected in the wines. It was necessary to watch the vineyard closely, taste and analyze the grapes more frequently in order to make the right decision for the harvest date. The grapes were handpicked during April (Due to the cold season, the sugar levels were not high enough, the harvest was postponed slighty). Toward the end of the month, forecasts of heavy rains forced a rush to harvest before the grapes were damaged.

WINEMAKING

The wine is made according to the traditional Bordeaux method. Grapes are placed in stainless steel tanks for fermentation under controlled temperature between 77° and 80°F. It is followed by 10 to 15 days of maceration, during which several pump-overs are performed to allow a gentle extraction of the phenolic compounds. The wine is then left to age for three months in stainless steel tanks in order to obtain its unique fruit-driven style.