94 POINTS
James Suckling
Reviewed by James Suckling
94 POINTS
Descorchados
93 POINTS
Robert Parker
93 POINTS
Vinous
92 POINTS
Wine Enthusiast
The grapes were hand-picked in good condition in the cool morning hours and transported in small 15 kg boxes
to the vineyard where they were inspected twice to remove plant debris and damaged grapes. Fermentation took place on selected yeast at 24 – 28 degrees in small, stainless steel tanks. Three daily pumpovers were performed to achieve the desired extraction level. Depending on the development of the individual batch, the wine went through a total maceration time of 9 to 35 days. All batches were aged for 22 months in French oak barrels (65% new), where malolactic fermentation, clarification and stabilization occurred naturally.
Eminent and with fresh notes and complex, characteristic mineral notes, completely clean tannins in a fantastic texture.
Don Maximiano Founder’s Reserve can be seen as representative of Errazuriz’s heritage, tradition and constant quest to make the finest and most elegant Cabernet Sauvignon-based wine, while showcasing the terroir of the Aconcagua Valley to the world. 2013 was a fantastic growing season marked by cool conditions, especially in the northern and coastal areas of Chile. The spring was characterized by cool temperatures and rain concentrated in the month of October, which replenished the water reservoirs and provided enough water for the vines to grow early. Flowering and fruiting occurred later than in previous years (12 to 25 days, depending on the grape variety). Summer growing conditions were mild with the exception of February, which brought higher than average temperatures and maximum temperatures that helped push the ripening process. In general, the harvest began later than in previous years – up to 15 days later for Cabernet Sauvignon. This was due to the cool conditions and a dry autumn, which developed the ripening slowly and gently, which in turn produced lively red wines with great fruit intensity, freshness, depth, elegance and balance. The Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec grapes show intense fruit with a perfect balance between freshness and structure. Carmenere stands out with its spicy notes and elegance.
About Viña Errazuriz
It was the famous Don Maximiano Errázuriz who founded Viña Errázuriz in 1870. With great visions for the future and his innovative ideas, he planted the first French grape varieties in the Aconcagua Valley. In addition to the great vinous involvement, Errázuriz was also a politician and diplomat. He was born in Santiago in 1832, into a family of Basque origin that came to Chile in 1735. Since then, two members of the family have been presidents, two have been archbishops of Santiago and others have been diplomats, writers and businessmen who have contributed to the development of Chile. His great work was handed down to future generations in the family, and in just over a century his descendants consolidated the winery and placed their wines among the absolute best in the entire continent of South America. Today, Viña Errazuriz is therefore world famous for wines of very high quality.
Environmentally conscious world class
Viña Errazuriz is environmentally aware and future-oriented. In 2008, it was the first Chilean winery to introduce lightweight bottles to reduce CO2 emissions during both production and transport. Errazuriz also practices sustainable wine production, and the fields are cultivated organically as much as possible. The crowning achievement is – so far – the inauguration in 2010 of the new sustainable winery, Don Maximiano Icon Winery, in the Aconcagua Valley, as well as the official approval in 2011 as a sustainable company.
Roughly speaking, Errazuriz divides its wines into four categories
Estate Reserva: The basis of the house, where the quality is already far ahead of other Chilean wine houses’ “luxury editions”.
Reserva: From specially selected fields. A further development of the Estate Reserva wines, often with slightly longer/intense barrel ageing. Including i.a. the popular Max Reserva series.
Specialties: E.g. Single Vineyard, Wild Fermented, Organic and Late Harvest
Icon wines: Like Viñedo Chadwick, Seña, Founder’s Reserve and KAI. Belongs not only to the Chilean wine elite, but also to the world elite.
