Wines of Chile
Calcu, which means “healing doctor” in the local Mapuche language, was created to emphasize the diversity of Chile’s Colchagua Valley. Winemaker Rodrigo Romero oversees the production of an exciting line of small production wines made for everyday drinking but yet far more interesting and distinctive than most in its category. The fruit is always a combination of the family’s estate fruit, and locally sourced, sustainable grapes from quality Colchagua growers. Calcu produces exuberant wines that are fresh and fruity, but also elegant.
The Hurtado family has owned the Viña Maquis vineyard for more than a century, but it wasn’t until almost 20 years ago that the family decided to make their own wine out of the terrific grapes in their own backyard. They built a state-of-the-art gravity flow winery and set out to make the Maquis winery one of the great properties in all of South America. Located in Colchagua Valley, the winery’s focus is on distinctive single-vineyard, estate wines, as well as producing “balanced” wines that are not over-ripe (resulting in excessively high alcohol) but also not exhibiting any of the “green” character that sometimes plagues wines picked from grapes that have not fully matured. The Maquis main vineyard is essentially an island: it is deeply influenced by the Tinguiririca River on one side and the Chimbarongo Creek on the other. These two large waterways once brought alluvial sediment from the Andes and today act as pathways for cool coastal breezes that help moderate the warm Colchagua summers, contributing to the intensity, character, fruitiness and mineral elements of the Maquis wines.
Calcu Sauvignon Blanc
Sourced from Calcu's high elevation vineyard in the Colchagua Valley, positioned in the foothills of the Andes Mountains 500m above sea level. This cool climate slowly matures the grapes, leading to the development of a range of flavors, from white tropical fruit to delicate herbal notes. This wine shows a pale green pale color with a very expressive and clean range of aromas: mango, crisp pineapples and hints of asparagus and fresh cut grass. A bright acidity and touch of salinity makes this wine satisfying and refreshing, a perfect balance between the Old and New World style.
Calcu Rose
This rose, a blend of 90% Malbec and 10% Petit Verdot, is sourced from vineyards settled in the rolling hills of Marchigüe, a location close to the Pacific where the fresh ocean breeze permeates the vines during night and day, moderating the temperatures during the growing season and favoring a low yield of concentrated and aromatic grapes. The Malbec contributes with an extraordinary aromatic power to the blend, while the Petit Verdot provides body and structure. This wine presents a pale pink color with some violet hints. The nose is expressive, with tropical fruit notes like mango and tart red berries with delicate floral background. On the palate, it is fresh and juicy, with a great balance between power and elegance. This is a De Nux favorite!
Maquis Cabernet Sauvignon
Chile's Colchagua Valley produces a style of Cabernet Sauvignon all its own, eering more on the side of red fruits and enhanced spicy notes with a noticeably more present acidity and fresher tannins. Maquis' Cab, a harmonious blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Carménère, and 7% Petit Verdot, is a fantastic example of this uniquely Chilean wine. A complex, profound nose with spicy flourishes with cinnamon, clove, cocoa and red fruits. Vibrant and fresh wine with great tannin structure and balance.
Maquis Carménère
Carménère, often referred to as the lost grape of Bordeaux, now enjoys a reputation as the national red wine grape of Chile. After it's phasing out in the the vineyards of France, Carménère was brought to Chile in the 19th century where it was mistaken for a clone of Merlot for over a century. By the time the true identity of the grape was discovered in 1994, Chilean Carménère had already found a home in Colchagua Valley, Rapel Valley, and the Maipo district. Maquis produces a classic Chilean Carménère from Colchagua Valley. This wine also displays a layer of deep red fruits, with an expressive nose containing fresh blackberries, spices, roasted red peppers and that characteristic touch of green bell pepper freshness that the varietal is known for. On the palate, it is fresh, with sweet tannins and a full-bodied flavor that ends in a lovely, lingering finish.
Maquis Cabernet Franc
The Cabernet Franc blends rich red fruit aromas with spicy touches of tobacco and dark chocolate fi nishing with smooth, silky tannins. The grape blend for this wine is 92% Cabernet Franc and 8% Petit Verdot from vineyards planted between the Chimbarongo Creek and the Tinguiririca River on the Maquis estate in central Colchagua Valley. The significance of Cabernet Franc to Maquis runs deep. Ricardo Rivadeneira (owner and winemaker) began to consult with Xavier Choné, renowned viticulturist, on the soil conditions of his vineyard and the geographical analysis concluded that the vineyard contained poor soil with alluvial clay content and a deep gravel substrate. The location is between two rivers, a true island, which keeps the vineyard cool during hot summer days providing ideal conditions for Cabernet Franc production. “Cabernet Franco” was the name people used to call the Cabernet Franc in Chile. Ricardo credits his grandfather’s old coworkers with enlightening him on how well Cabernet Franc thrived and that it was the best wine to come from the old Maquis vineyard, now 100 years old. Rich, balanced and refreshing. Each vintage can be traced to specific vineyard blocks on the estate where the fruit was harvested and hand-sorted.