Malbec “Aventura” Los Chacayes Sur 2019 – Kaiken Aventura

The grapes to produce the Malbec “Aventura” Los Chacayes Sur Kaiken Aventura were harvested by hand at the end of March and then sorted manually at the winery. The grapes underwent pre-fermentation maceration for four days at 10ºC before fermentation for seven days at 24ºC in concrete tanks using selected and indigenous yeasts. Post-fermentation maceration lasted 20 days before the wine was transferred to and matured in separate concrete tanks for 12 months, then a further six months in bottle before release.

The Kaiken Aventura range celebrates Kaiken’s ongoing exploration of new sub-regions and their regional differences within Mendoza. Located in the heart of the Uco Valley, Los Chacayes was classified as a GI in 2017 (a ‘Geographical Indication’ signifys an area of particular quality). Kaiken planted vineyards here between 2011 and 2016 at 1,250m, the highest altitude of the region.This location provides a climate of warm summer days and cool nights, which helps to slow ripening and maintain a fresh acidity.The vines in Los Chacayes Sur sit on free-draining sandy-loam soils. This causes the roots to penetrate deep into the soil in order to access water and nutrients, which results in a more powerful depth of fruit concentration.

Kaikenes are wild geese, native to Patagonia, that fly across the Andes between Chile and Argentina. In the same way, Montes, the Chilean winery, crossed the Andes to set up in Mendoza. Their vineyards are situated in the heart of Mendoza and further to the south in Valle de Uco, where many of the premium producers are now sourcing their fruit. The focus is primarily on Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon, a variety that has been somewhat forgotten as Malbec has surfed one wave of success after another in the past decade. As a result, there are many old vineyards in Mendoza that produce excellent fruit. Kaiken’s own vineyards supply 70% of their production requirements and 30% is from vineyards that they control.