Malleco

Traiguén, Malleco Valley

In 1993, Viña Aquitania pioneered the development of an innovative and successful wine project in Traiguén, Valle del Malleco, 650 km south of Santiago, 38º south latitude.

When there was no vineyard further south of the Biobío, Felipe de Solminihac in a visionary way talked to his father-in-law Mr. Alberto Levy, owner and farmer of Traiguén, in order to start a project to plant the first vineyards in the area, which would later give name to the DO: Valle del Malleco, Traiguén area.

In 2000 the first SOLdeSOL Chardonnay wine was produced. Thanks to the quality of this wine, Felipe de Solminihac obtained the recognition of the Ministry of Agriculture to expand the Wine Denomination to the South of Chile, creating then the new name Valle del Malleco, Traiguén area.

Today this vineyard is planted with the short cycle varieties Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir that manage to ripen perfectly in this cold and rainy region.

The vines in Traiguén grow on deep red clay soils of volcanic origin, rich in organic matter, with good water retention and where the vines find all the elements for a good development and a balanced production of high quality.

The climate of the area in winter is cold with high rainfall, around 1000 mm., The summer is dry and the ripening of the grapes occurs with mild temperatures, no more than 18ºC, which preserve the acidity along with the fine aromas and elegant that are remarkably in wine.

The oldest vineyard is planted with a density of 2,500 pl /ha with technical irrigation. Irrigation is necessary to establish the vineyard and in case of very dry summers. The newer vineyards have a density of 4,000 pl/ha. No established irrigation.
The Chardonnay, 11 hectares, is massal selection, trellised and pruned double Guyot.
The Sauvignon Blanc, 2.5 hectares, is clonal, Davis Clone 1 pruned double Guyot.
Pinot Noir, 7.5 hectares, one part of massal selection and the other Clone 777, all pruned in double Guyot.

The climatic conditions of Traiguén, the soil of the area and an adequate oenology allow us to obtain wines of excellent quality with a very good sugar-acidity balance, fresh, with great fruitiness and minerality, all characteristics that are rare in Chile.