Kevin's comments:  Cracking example of a chilean value wine, full of lovely earthy, blackcurrant flavours.

TIERRA ANTICA CABERNET SAUVIGNON

These attractively packaged wines are blended especially for us and show the kind of style that has put Chilean wines on the map over the past few years.

This winery is now at the forefront of modern winemaking in Chile, placing great emphasis on using non-invasive winery techniques so that the purest possible fruit can be expressed.

Wine maker, Constanza Schwarderer, concentrates on working in the vineyard in order to optimise the quality of the grapes produced.  This is evident in these fruit-driven wines which show intense varietal character.

TIERRA ANTICA CABERNET SAUVIGNON

Variety:    100% Cabernet Sauvignon   

Vinification:   After destalking the grapes were gently crushed and then taken to a stainless steel tank where selected yeasts were added.  During the alcoholic fermentation, which reached temperatures of between 28°C-32°C, pumping over was carried out in the traditional way, in order to extract as much colour and flavour from the lees situated at the top of the tank.
 
After alcoholic fermentation was completed the wine was left in contact with the skins for 12 more days, in order to obtain greater structure and character in the wine.  Control of the malolactic fermentation was carefully supervised.

Consequently the “first pressings” wine was removed from the fermentation tank and transferred to another tank, always protected by carbonic gas, where the malolactic fermentation finished.  The remaining skins were pressed again, thus obtaining a second fraction of wine.
 
Before bottling the “first pressings” wine was blended with a small proportion of the “second pressings”, at which time the final blend was protein stabilised and taken to low stabilisation temperatures (-4°C), micro filtered and bottled. Alcohol 13.6% vol.

Tasting Notes:   Attractive deep purple in colour, with aromas of ripe small black fruits, which follow through to the palate.  The wine is elegant, smoothly rounded and well balanced.  Enjoy!

Best enjoyed:   Immediately, or will age well over the next 3-4 years.