Errazuriz KAI Carmenere, Aconcagua 75cl

Description

Errazuriz KAI Carmenere is the estate’s flagship and its most sophisticated Carmenere. Errazuriz Kai achieved worldwide fame at a 2010 Blind Tasting in New York when the 2003 vintage secured first place. In doing so, it beat many world-famous wines including Opus One, Haut Brion, Lafite and Sassicaia. It remains one of the world’s best Carmenere wines.

Errazuriz: A Historic Chilean Wine Estate

Errazuriz Estate was founded in 1870 when Don Maximiano Errazuriz planted his first vineyards at Panquehue in the Aconcagua Valley, located some 100 kilometres to the north of the capital of Santiago. Today, the tradition of quality lives on with Don Maximiano’s descendant, Eduardo Chadwick, the fifth generation of his family involved in the wine business.

Errazuriz Wines is renowned for producing high-quality wines that reflect the unique terroir of the region. The winery places an emphasis on sustainability and innovative practices whilst also maintaining traditional winemaking techniques. Errazuriz’s philosophy is probably best expressed by Don Maximiano, who once famously said, “From the best land, the best wine.”

The winery produces a variety of varietals, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc. Notable wines include the Don Maximiano Founder’s Reserve and the Aconcagua Costa range, both showcasing the distinct characteristics of the Aconcagua Valley. Through its dedication to quality and innovation, Errazuriz has established itself as a respected name in the global wine industry.

Errazuriz KAI Carmenere: Aconcagua Valley Vineyards

The grapes for the Errazuriz Kai Carmenere are sourced from the very best parcels of vines in Errazuriz’s Max V Vineyard in the Aconcagua Valley. The Carmenere vines here were planted in 1992 and 1993 on deep alluvial, well-draining soils with 80% stone component. This, combined with cooling breezes from the nearby Pacific Ocean, allows a long growing season to fully ripen the Carmenere grapes, which leads to good concentration, colour, texture and ripeness of fruit in this premium Chilean red wine.

Errazuriz Kai Carmenere Winemaking

• The grapes are hand-picked.
• Grapes are sorted twice before vinification in stainless steel.
• The wine undergoes several aerating pump-overs to help the polymerisation of reactive tannins, eliminating potential herbaceous notes and helping set the colour.
• The wine is aged for 22 months in French oak barrels, 70% of which are new.
• Errazuriz Kai Carmenere 2019 is a blend of 95% Carmenere and 5% Syrah.

Why Is It Called KAI?

KAI comes from the word “plant” in the language of the Mapuches, one of Chile’s original peoples.