Los Vascos Le Dix de Los Vascos (Lafite)

Description

Le Dix de Los Vascos 2021 is produced by
Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) at their pioneering
wine estate in the Colchagua Valley. This iconic Chilean red wine blend,
produced primarily from old-vine Cabernet Sauvignon, is named in honour of
the Rothschild family’s first ten years in Chile.

Reflecting Lafite’s uncompromising standards, Le Dix is released only in
exceptional vintages; production was skipped entirely in 1998 and 2005,
for example. The 2021 vintage displays the classic elegance, structural
precision, and deep, dark fruit complexity one expects from a property
under the Rothschild family stewardship. It is available to buy now,
both in-store and online at Fareham Wine Cellar.

Le Dix de Los Vascos Vineyard

The grapes for Le Dix de Los Vascos primarily come from an
exceptional 70-year-old vineyard known as the “El Fraile”, which means
“The Monk”. It is planted with 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and is quite large
at 200 acres; however, due to the age of the vines, careful vineyard
management and very particular cuvee selection, the yields are kept very
low. The Syrah comes mainly from El Mirador, the first vineyard planted
on the hillsides. Crafted from low-yielding 70-year-old vines, Le Dix is
widely regarded as one of Chile’s finest

Cabernet Sauvignon
blends.

Le Dix de Los Vascos Winemaking

• Grapes are hand-picked and sorted manually at sorting tables.
• Fermentation occurs in stainless steel tanks at 30°C with pumping over to extract optimal flavours, aromas, and colour.
• A long maceration follows, lasting 20 to 25 days.
• Malolactic fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks.
• After careful selection, the finest wines are aged for 18 months in French oak barrels (60% new) from Lafite’s cooperage, Tonnellerie des Domaines, in Pauillac, Bordeaux.
• Le Dix de Los Vascos 2021 is a blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc and 3% Syrah.

About Viña Los Vascos

Although the estate’s history dates to the 1750s, when vines were planted
in the area, Los Vascos was founded in 1982. The name “Los Vascos” means
“The Basques”, in honour of its founder’s 18th-century Basque origins.
The property was acquired by

Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite)
in 1988. At the time of the takeover, the vast estate extended over
2,200 hectares, with 220 hectares planted to vine.

The Lafite Acquisition & Modernisation

DBR Lafite immediately initiated a major investment phase to unlock the
estate’s true potential. This pioneering project was driven forward under
the strict guidance of the Technical Director of

Château Lafite Rothschild
, establishing Los Vascos as one of the first major European-backed
fine wine ventures in Chile.

• Vineyard Restructuring: Soils were mapped, vineyards
  replanted, and yields reduced to maximise fruit concentration.
• Infrastructure: Deep drilling secured a pure water
  source for precision irrigation, supported by an on-site weather
  monitoring station.
• Winery Upgrades: The historic bodega was modernised
  and expanded in stages to handle world-class vinification and barrel
  ageing.

Today, the estate spans 3,600 hectares, with 640 hectares of prime vines
planted across the volcanic soils of the Colchagua Valley.

Le Dix Wine Labels

Le Dix was relaunched in 2018 with a striking new label design featuring
a painting rendered in midnight blue Indian ink, embodying the deep,
elegant spirit of the wine. The labels are printed on premium, natural
paper stock with strong, visible organic fibres; no two labels are ever
the same.