Origin: Bio-Bio Valley, Chile

Grapes: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon

About the Wine, Winemaker, & Winemaking Process:

Cabernet Sauvignon is the most widely grown grape in the New World. Cabs from Chile have an elegance, and earn great respect due to the complexity and diversity of characteristics, stemming from nuances of what the Chilean landscape gives to the grape.

Thick skins lead to classically high tannins, and strong red and black fruit-forward characteristics on both the nose and palate. The grape originates from France and is one of the 5 original grapes of Bordeaux. Chemical compound in the grape give it a distinct note of green peppers.

This wine loves to be aged in oak. Chilean Cabs usually age in American oak for 1-2 years, which gives them classic hints of vanilla, spice, and tobacco.

The really fun thing about Chilean Cabs is that you can get a wide variety of flavors on the palate depending on where in the country they originate! This particular bottle makes for a high-acidity, fuller bodied glass.

Manuel Moraga and his family live just outside of Yumbel in the Bio Bio River Valley of Chile. They are the seventh generation to look after their 80 hectare farm, 16 of which under vine. The rest of their land has been dedicated to horticulture, forest, and animals...lots of animals! Horses, cows, sheep, pigs, chickens, and lastly their two dogs Pipo and Pepa. Manuel took over the estate when his father passed away in 2009, and in his first vintage an earthquake completely ruined the winery. He still managed to make wine that year with practically no means at all. Content with the outcome of that first year, he realized not much was needed to make wine ... and this has been their philosophy ever since.

All of their vines are dry farmed, and are characterized by its soils of trumao - volcanic sand formed by redeposited ash. Cacique Maravilla's vineyard was the 33rd registered vineyard in the history of Chile, which speaks for just how old these vines are. Actually, you'll find the number 33 on all of their corks paying homage to their ancestors.

The oldest vines are without a doubt the país (listan prieto) vines, some of which over 250 years old, and accounting for more than half of their total production. The other half comprised of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Moscatel, Corinto and Torrontel. In the winery, all of the work is done manually meaning no destemmer - only zaranda (traditional bamboo screen); no presses - only free run juice; no pumps - only gravity.

In addition, the wines are made naturally without using any type of oenological products, including sulphur. I guess you could say they're natural wines made manually, which isn't always the case these days!

Chilean Wine Tasting