Los Vascos wines blend Lafite tradition with the unique terroir of Chile to create elegant wines that bring exceptional to the everyday. The vision of Domaines Barons de Rothschild Lafite to expand their estate took them to South America in 1988, becoming the first French viticultural investment in modern Chile, oriented towards the production of fine wine using and adapting the viticultural experiences of Bordeaux. Los Vascos is located in Valley de Caneten (Colchagua), a closed valley in the central zone of Chile, approximately 25 miles from the sea. The valley provides a perfect microclimate for high quality viticulture, with Northern exposure to lands. Daily on-shore winds provide temperature changes between 68-77°F, for optimum maturation of the grapes. With 1,581 acres planted on the over 10,000 acre estate, it is one of the largest vineyards in the central Colchagua valley, at the foot of Mount Caneten.
TERROIR & VINTAGE NOTES
Los Vascos is made up of a large diversity of soils. The heart of the estate, in the valley floor, consists of sand and clay alluvions left by the erosion of neighboring granitic hills, as well as Tosca, a very hard soil made from volcanic ashes. Grapes are mainly sourced from the coolest parts of Los Vascos in Colchagua Valley. This season was characterized by moderate rains, a little lower than usual, followed by a very cold spring. The beginning of summer was cold, but temperatures gradually increased and remained very stable throughout the season, without reaching extreme temperatures which allowed us to obtain an ideal maturity that produced grapes of great balance and quality.
Winemaking & Aging
Grapes are harvested before daylight in order to maintain maximum freshness. Upon arrival at the winery, they are pressed and fermented at low temperature in stainless steel tanks to preserve their aromatic potential. The wine is partly aged on its lees, which confers its unique mouthfeel.
