Red Wine Chakana 4 Gatos Locos Malbec 2019. No need to decant but best to open it half an hour before serving. 4 Gatos Locos is a project conceived by Gabriel Bloise, Facundo Bonamaizon, Mariana Salas, and Juan Pelizzatti, respectively, oenologist, winemaker, and founders of Chakana. The grapes come from a 20-hectare vineyard located in the Alto Gualtallary, one of the most attractive and promising areas of Argentine viticulture. The vines are planted on privileged soils at 1,360 meters above sea level on the slopes of the Sierra del Jaboncillo, a geological formation near the alluvial cone of the Las Tunas river, in the north-western area of the Valle de Uco wine region. The 100% Malbec grapes are fermented with natural yeasts, after a 28-day maceration on the skins. The wine is then aged in a mix of new 500-liter French oak barrels and 5,000-liter French oak casks, and left to rest for another eight months in the bottle. The resulting wine is a succulent and opulent Malbec with the typical exuberant aromas of ripe black fruits, as well as smoky touches, spices, vanilla, and chocolate, resulting from aging in oak. In the mouth, it reveals a good body with round and juicy tannins and a great personality. It is the perfect wine for grilled and roasted red meats, pork, pasta with meat sauce, as well as hard cheeses.
2019
Red Wine Chakana 4 Gatos Locos Malbec 2019
Red Wine Chakana Ayni Malbec 2019. The Pelizzatti family can trace their winemaking roots back to 19th century Italy, so it’s only fitting that in 2002 they founded a new estate in Agrelo in Argentina’s top wine region of Mendoza. In total the property has 120 hectares of vines with some particularly prized plots in the high altitude Uco Valley where conditions are ideal for premium winemaking. Recently, the Pelizzattis have embraced both organic and biodynamic winemaking practices, avoiding the use of chemical additives as much as possible in their vineyards and winery. This commitment to working in harmony with nature is evident in this delicious Malbec cuvee which is named Ayni” after the indigenous Quechua word for the principle of reciprocity. The fruit for this wine is sourced from Chakana’s Paraje Altamira vineyard in the Uco Valley which sits at 1000 metres above sea level. This helps to produce ripe and very concentrated grapes which are fermented with wild yeasts in stainless steel tanks and then aged in large oak foudres for 12 months. Bursting with wild berries, dark plums and ripe cassis, this robust yet smooth Malbec is great for serving alongside a ribeye steak, barbecued ribs, or a hearty beef stew.
2019
Red Wine Chakana Estate Selection Malbec 2019. The Pelizzatti family can trace their winemaking heritage back to the 19th century when their ancestors lived and worked the land of Valtellina in Italy. Later generations emigrated to Argentina, but in 2002 they returned to their viticultural roots by founding their own winery in the Agrelo sub-region of Mendoza. They now have some 120 hectares of vines including plots in Lujan de Cuyo and the high altitude Valle de Uco sub-region. Over the years the family have converted all of their vineyards to organic and biodynamic farming. In the winery they practice minimal intervention methods using wild yeasts and only using sulphur and other additives when absolutely necessary. The family’s Estate Selection wines are made from the finest parcels of vines with the best soil profiles. For this Malbec the fruit comes from Finca Los Cedros, Finca Ayni and Paraje Altamira where the vines sit at 1100 metres above sea level. Once in the winery the grapes are vinified and the young wine is then aged in a combination of large neutral French oak casks and concrete tanks for 12 months. This helps to preserve plenty of natural aromatics and character from the Malbec grape as well as smoothing out the tannins and adding gentle hints of spice and toasted oak.
2019