Winemaker Notes
Albis is a wine that shows the territory of Pirque: notes of spices, coffee, hints of smoke and black fruits. In the mouth you can feel its elegance, the fineness and length of its friendly tannins.
Blend: 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Carménère
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Deep yet attractive nose with lots of tapenade, spiced blackberries and blackcurrants. Some mint leaf, dark chocolate and currant leaves, too. The full-bodied palate is loaded with chocolaty tannins, which are super tight but fine-grained. Very youthful, vertical and impressively structured. Lots of muscle and length. It will need at least two to three years to soften and open up more. There is potential. From organically grown grapes. Wait until 2026.
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Wine Spectator
Offers a loamy, spicy floral cast to the smooth plum and cassis flavors, which benefit from a slight push of fresh acidity. Ends with mocha details and fine tannins. Cabernet Sauvignon and Carmenère. Drink now through 2030.
Haras de Pirque is located in the easternmost part of the Maipo Province, at the foothills of central Chile’s mountain range. This area enjoys extremely favorable climatic and geographic conditions and is well-known for producing high quality wines. The vineyards that surround the estate are bordered by a thoroughbred racetrack and the winery was built in the shape of a traditional horseshoe. The vineyards grow at an altitude of 550 to 650 meters (1804-2132 feet) above sea level, south of the Maipo River on the lower slopes of the Andes’ foothills. In the lower area, the soil is rich in clay while the upper area is rocky. The Andes Mountains and its vicinity to the Pacific Ocean influence the region’s climate: summers are hot and dry but are mitigated by humid ocean air and cool nights. The estate’s vineyards are planted to international varieties (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc) that are able to find a new expression in this territory, as well as to local varieties such as Carménère – one of the most authentic Chilean grape varieties. Haras de Pirque represents Marchesi Antinori’s desire to produce high quality organic wines that express Chile’s winemaking potential while promoting the Maipo Valley’s extraordinary terroir.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
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.