Errazuriz Don Maximiano Founder’s Reserve

Description

Errazuriz Don Maximiano Founder’s Reserve is Viña Errazuriz’s flagship red wine. It is a classic Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Carmenere and Petit Verdot from the estate’s Aconcagua vineyards. Crafted with precision by winemaker Francisco Baettig, it is one of the most famous Chilean red wines. Available to buy now at Fareham Wine Cellar.

Don Maximiano Vineyard: Aconcagua Valley Terroir

The 220-hectare Don Maximiano Estate consists of eight plots centred around Panquehue in the Aconcagua Valley. The region features an extended dry season with moderately warm summer days cooled by soft afternoon breezes from the Pacific Ocean. The Aconcagua Valley’s shallow, alluvial soils and high heat during the growing season create perfect conditions for yielding intensely concentrated fruit.

The vineyards were planted between 1978 and 1999 on a hillside with north and northeast exposure on soils with a thin layer of decomposed granite over soils of colluvial origin, which ensures good drainage. The oldest sections of the vineyard are known as MAX I, MAX II, and MAX V. It is from these older plantings that the best fruit is sourced from.

Errazuriz Don Maximiano Winemaking Process

• The grapes for the Errazuriz Don Maximiano Founder’s Reserve are hand-harvested into 15kg boxes.
• Grapes are picked in the cool, early morning for optimal condition.
• A sorting table removes leaves and stems to preserve fruit character.
• Grapes are fermented in small stainless steel tanks.
• Three daily pump-overs ensure proper extraction.
• Maceration lasts 16–28 days at 24°–28°C, based on each parcel.
• Lots aged 22 months in French oak barrels (60% new, 10% Stockinger foudres).
• Malolactic fermentation, clarification, and stabilisation occur naturally.

Don Maximiano 2021 Blend

The Errazuriz Don Maximiano Founder’s Reserve 2021 is a blend of:

• 67% Cabernet Sauvignon
• 20% Malbec
• 9% Carmenère
• 4% Petit Verdot

Previous vintages have contained small portions of Syrah and Cabernet Franc.

Errazuriz Estate: Since 1870

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

Errazuriz is a pioneer producer of the Aconcagua Valley and is well-known for its innovative approach to winemaking. They produce a range of quality, great value estate wines, as well as a series of icon wines including Don Maximiano, KAI Carmenere and Las Pizzaras Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.