Lazuli is the emblematic wine of Viña Aquitania. The partners of the winery wanted to make a very special wine that would make one think of a jewel, and what better way to put a name that would recall the beautiful Chilean stone Lapis Lazuli with which beautiful and delicate products are made.
Cabernet Sauvignon wine from Peñalolén, one of the highest and closest places in the Andes mountain range that has the Maipo Valley. This place has been the origin of the fame of Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon thanks to the softness of its tannins and the elegance of the wines produced in this terroir.
The vineyard, being located at the foot of the mountain range of the Andes, receives the cold breeze that comes down from the mountain range, providing the grapes with the vegetal and distinctive aromas of the mountain range that are translated into fresh mentholated scents, sometimes combined with camphor, and very spicy, which gives a great complexity and a very different typicality to other wines from the Maipo Valley that originate at a much lower altitude.
Studies of ours and of other countries have shown that this set of different aromas is dominated by a molecule called vitispyrene, which develops especially in Cabernet Sauvignon from cold areas and in wine it manifests itself with intensity after the second year.
Characteristics of the vintage: 2017 corresponds to a very dry year with little winter rains as usual in the area and only with some precipitation in late spring. Temperatures began to rise at the end of winter, which caused an early budding at the end of August and a general advancement of the vegetative cycle of the vine.
In a hot year with very healthy grapes, the Cabernet Sauvignon was harvested in the first week of April 2017, two to three weeks earlier than normal in Aquitaine. The low yield helped to have wines of very good concentration, good acidity, very fresh and as always with ripe, soft and elegant tannins.
Characteristics of the vineyards: The Peñalolen vineyards are in the foothills of the Andes mountain range at 750 meters high. These are a mixture of alluvial and colluvial soils with a clayey silt. This mixture allows a very good drainage of the waters, which allows a very good maturity of tannins. The irrigation of these vineyards is essential and is done with water from the Maipo River. A drop-by-drop system is used and supplemented, if necessary, by furrows. The plants of these vineyards are of mass origin in free standing planted in the years 1990 and 1991, with a density of 4,200 plants per hectare. The yield is 5,500 kgs / ha.
Elaboration (including used yeasts): The grapes are harvested manually in boxes of 10 kg. The manual selection is done on a belt before washing and drying the grapes.
The grapes are washed and dried before grinding. It is then completely destemmed and then gently ground.
Then the fermentation begins with six days of pre-fermentation maceration at a low temperature. Fermentation is carried out in the presence of yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Zymaflore F15, in a 6,500-liter stainless steel tank. at 26o C for seven days, with three pump-overs a day to respect the fruit as much as possible. After the alcoholic fermentation is finished, post-fermentation maceration is carried out for six or more days. The malolactic fermentation is carried out in barrels.
Aging: In French oak barrels of 400 and 225 liters for 16 months (33% new, 33% 2nd use, 33% 3rd use).
Intense ruby red color. Very elegant and complex on the nose, it presents aromas of ripe red fruits, spices, with notes of dried fruits such as figs and dried plums that are mixed with notes of mocha and tobacco. In the mouth it is harmonious and complex, of great elegance, with a pleasant combination of fruits and spices. With soft and round tannins, this wine has great structure and a persistent finish. Lazuli combines perfectly with red and white meats and will be very good to accompany any fine meal.
Designation of Origin : Peñalolén, Maipo Alto Valley
Grape type : 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Planting Date : 1991
Soil : Piedmont of Cordillera de los Andes
Vineyard Height : 700 meters
Production : 8707 bottles
Color : Ruby
Type : Red / Dry
Alcohol : 14,3%
pH : 3,5
Total Acidity : 3,71 g/L ((H2SO4)
Residual Sugar : 2,19 g/L
