De Martino
Las Cruces Single Vineyard Old Bush Vines 2006
Alcohol:
14.7%Las Cruces, an exemplary terroir-driven wine, is a limited-production blend from one of the most unique vineyard sites in Chile.
Vineyards:
Three hectares of land located in the Cachapoal Valley are dedicated to the production of this wine. The Las Cruces vineyard is situated at an altitude of 825 meters above sea level, 90 minutes south of Santiago at the foothills of the Andes Mountains stretching eastward toward the Pacific Ocean. Planted in granite-rich soil, using the trellis training method with a density of 4629 vines/hectare, the vines average age is 60 years.
Technical Data:
- pH: 3.22
- Residual Sugar: 3.45 grams/liter
- Acidity: 6.45 grams/liter
- Dry Extract: 34.50 grams/liter
Winemaking:
The Mediterranean climate causes these 2 varieties to ripen at approximately the same time. A selective hand-harvest took place in mid-March. Immediately pressed upon arrival at the cellar, the juice underwent a cold maceration for 7 days in stainless steel tanks at 8-10°C. Fermentation occurred over a period of 9 days at 26-28°C, followed by another 9-day maceration. Full malolactic fermentation occurred. The wine was aged in new French oak barriques for 14 months, before being filtered and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
An intense bouquet of ripe dark fruits with intertwined hints of cedar spice and cocoa fills the nose. It is full-bodied and complex with good acidity, firm tannins and fruit and oak flavors that are well-integrated giving the wine a rounded, elegant finish.
Food Pairings:
Enjoy with hearty meat and game dishes, particularly venison.
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Fact Sheet
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Shelf Talker
Wine Spectator - 91 pts.
Wine Advocate
The 2006 Old Bush Vines Las Cruces is sourced from an ungrafted vineyard planted in 1957. A blend of Malbec and Carmenère, the wine spent 15 months in French oak. It reveals an alluring nose of Asian spices, blueberry, black cherry, pencil lead, and violets. Layered and savory on the palate, it boasts superb concentration [...]
Wine Spectator
A broad, ripe wine, with crushed plum, red cherry and raspberry fruit layered with alluring spice, aged tobacco and licorice snap notes. The long finish has nice briar and shaved vanilla hints. This should flesh out with modest cellaring. Malbec and Carmenère. Drink now through 2011.
Sommelier Journal
The De Martino family and winemaker Marcelo Retamal are in the forefront of Chile’s quest for new and extreme terroirs, as well as old vineyards that have essentially been forgotten for the past 50 years. One of these exciting locations is the Single Vineyard Old Bush Vines, which produces Las Cruces, a blend of 60% [...]
