2015 Viñedos Alcohuaz, Tococo, Syrah, Elqui Valley, Chile
Critics reviews
Luis Gutirrez - 28/04/2017
About this WINE
Vinedos Alcohuaz
Alcohuaz is the name of the small village near the vineyard. Viñedos de Alcohuaz is a young project, the vines are 10 years old now and planted on granite and volcanic soils in the semi-arid environment of the Elqui Valley, some 500km north of Santiago. At 1800 - 2200m altitude, these vineyards are some of the highest in the world. The vineyard are farmed organically and biodynamically but currently the winery does not seek certification. Marcelo Retamal of de Martino fame is responsible for winemaking at this 18ha estate.
GRUS is a blend of Syrah, Grenache, Petite Sirah and Malbec, fermented in stone lagares and aged for 12 months in Nomblot concrete Eggs. The name GRUS comes from a constellation of stars - the crane bird.
RHU is a blend of Syrah, Grenache and Petite Sirah, fermented in stone lagares and aged in a mixture of concrete eggs and Stockinger foudres. The meaning of RHU is the portal to the spiritual world. This is a more structured wine than GRUS, brimming with volcanic power.
Syrah/Shiraz
A noble black grape variety grown particularly in the Northern Rhône where it produces the great red wines of Hermitage, Cote Rôtie and Cornas, and in Australia where it produces wines of startling depth and intensity. Reasonably low yields are a crucial factor for quality as is picking at optimum ripeness. Its heartland, Hermitage and Côte Rôtie, consists of 270 hectares of steeply terraced vineyards producing wines that brim with pepper, spices, tar and black treacle when young. After 5-10 years they become smooth and velvety with pronounced fruit characteristics of damsons, raspberries, blackcurrants and loganberries.
It is now grown extensively in the Southern Rhône where it is blended with Grenache and Mourvèdre to produce the great red wines of Châteauneuf du Pape and Gigondas amongst others. Its spiritual home in Australia is the Barossa Valley, where there are plantings dating as far back as 1860. Australian Shiraz tends to be sweeter than its Northern Rhône counterpart and the best examples are redolent of new leather, dark chocolate, liquorice, and prunes and display a blackcurrant lusciousness.
South African producers such as Eben Sadie are now producing world- class Shiraz wines that represent astonishing value for money.
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Description
Tococo – named after a species of bird indigenous to the Elqui Valley – confirms that Syrah is a natural fit for the region’s granite soils. The grapes are not only hand-harvested, but trodden by foot in stone lagares, to limit extraction and deliver maximum purity of fruit. There’s a hint of reduction on the nose, which quickly blows off to reveal aromas of fresh red fruit, violets and black pepper. 23 months in huge (2,500 litre) oak foudres have resulted in a voluptuous mouthfeel, which combines to great effect with this wine’s mouth-watering acidity.
Will Heslop, Wine Buyer
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