Cabernet Franc Gran Reserva
The vintage
The season was characterized by moderate rainfall, a little less than usual, and continued with a very cold spring. The beginning of the summer was cold but temperatures gradually increased and remained very stable throughout the season. This provided the ideal maturity conditions which resulted in grapes of great potential. 2022 is a vintage that will be talked about in the years to come.
Location
Stretching from the Coastal range to the foothills of the Andes mountains, Colchagua’s Mediterranean climate and privileged terroirs have made it a place of choice to produce quality wines in Chile. Los Vascos estate lies at the foothills of the coastal range, 200km South West of Santiago, in the cooler part of Colchagua where the vines benefit from the natural cooling influence of the Pacific Ocean.
Terroir
With its strong personality, elegant structure and ageing potential, Cabernet Franc has always been one of our favourite varietals.
The idea to made a super premium Cabernet Franc came up after the terroir studies that were conducted at Los Vascos between 2009 and 2012. The first 2 ha were planted from 2013, reaching 18 ha today.
For this demanding grape variety we chose the hillsides of Santa Lucia where the soils made of altered granite with low argile content, and the south eastern exposition offers the optimal ripening conditions, whilst the gentle ocean breeze helps cooling the grapes at night.
The results didn’t disappoint us and as 2019 vintage we saw we had the grapes with the potential to make a great single varietal wine to join the Cromas range.
Winemaking
This grape variety calls for a very soft handling in the winery and requires patience during the extraction and maceration phases. Therefore the grapes are fermented in small stainless steel tanks, allowing to vinify the various plots separately. The ageing also crucial. We use tuns, low toasted barrels and concrete tanks. 50% of the wine is aged in barrels for 12 months.
Tasting
Crystalline ruby color.
With great complexity, the nose reveals ripe fruits like plum and cherry, and spicy notes of white pepper and cedar.
On the palate, there is good volume, with a rich structure and acidity that provide depth. The tannins are present, but their high quality makes them pleasing and juicy.
Undoubtedly a great wine from a great vintage, complex on the nose and balanced on the palate.
Alcohol content
14,5
Grapes
Cabernet franc
: 100 %