Winemaker Notes
The grapes that Casas del Bosque sources for their Gran Reserva come from old ungrafted hillside vineyards, planted in the late 1950’s, and the approach taken towards this variety is, quite simply, don´t overdo it and just let the fruit shine. From the selection of the grapes to the vinification and ageing process, the core idea is to express the spicier, slightly minty notes that make Chilean Cabernet so special.
The result is a concentrated, juicy and easy to pair Cabernet Sauvignon, with notes of tobacco that go pretty well with not just red meats, but even vegetarian food, adding versatility to this variety. Seldom do we come across a wine that over-delivers like this, vintage after vintage.
A noble variety bestowed with both power and concentration, Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys success all over the globe, its best examples showing potential to age beautifully for decades. Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes in Bordeaux's Medoc where it is often blended with Merlot and smaller amounts of some combination of Cabernet Franc, Malbecand Petit Verdot. In the Napa Valley, ‘Cab’ is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious, age-worthy and sought-after “cult” wines. Somm Secret—DNA profiling in 1997 revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon was born from a spontaneous crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in 17th century southwest France.
The Maipo Valley is Chile’s most famous wine region. Set in the country’s Central Valley, it is warm and quite dry, often necessitating the use of irrigation. Alluvial soils predominate but are supplemented with loam and clay.
The climate in Maipo is best-suited for ripe, full-bodied reds like Cabernet Sauvignon (the region’s most widely planted grape), Merlot, Syrah and Carmenère, a Bordeaux variety that has found a successful home in Chile.
White wines are also produced with great prosperity, especially near the cooler coast, include Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.