GENERAL INFORMATION

The 2005–2006 growing season finally drew to a close after an extended harvest and promises to result in good quality wines with deep color and intense fruit aromas and flavors. Data from our weather stations indicates that this was a cold, dry season.

The accumulated heat summation measured in degree days (based on 10°C / 50°F) between October 2005 and April 2006 was lower in the valley than it was during the 2005 season and over the course of the past 7 years.

Lower heat summation resulted in a slower progression of the different phenological stages such as flowering, fruit set, and veraison, as well as an average delay of twelve days in phenolic maturation. In the Aconcagua Valley the season’s mean temperature was 18.2°C (65°F), which is .8°C (1.44°F) less than the historic average.

The primary challenge of the 2006 vintage was the particularly long wait for each variety to reach proper phenolic maturity, which resulted in higher sugar levels in the grapes. However, a cool, dry summer and an early autumn allowed us to wait patiently for phenolic maturity, thereby conserving the fruit and allowing good concentration with soft, well-rounded tannins.

The ripening season was rain-free with the exception of a single, low-intensity event in Casablanca (6.8 mm / .27 in.) and a couple of fronts during the month of April that left moderate-intensity precipitation in Colchagua (21 mm / .83 in) and Curicó (7 mm / .28 in).

We intervened in each of our vineyards throughout the season with pre- and post-veraison leaf-pulling to improve microclimatic conditions in the fruit zone, decrease the presence of possible green flavors, and encourage normal phenolic evolution. This conditioning of fruit zone, along with lower-than-normal precipitation allowed optimal levels of fruit health at harvest. The viticulture and enological teams were able to use the climatic records to foresee that the 2006 season would require repeated combing of the vineyards and extensive grape tasting to ensure that each plot was completely ripe. The use of vigor-map photos was an essential tool for dividing the vineyards into sectors of differentiated maturity and beginning the harvest in riper sectors of each vineyard while waiting for the remaining sectors to continue ripening.

It bears mention that this vintage’s colder season resulted in red wines with remarkably low pH levels of 3.55–3.65 that encouraged color intensity and helped create good health conditions. The low incidence of microbial contaminants stimulated good kinetics during the alcoholic fermentation and prevented problems during malolactic fermentation.

In sum, the secret to this season’s success was based on early recognition of the requirements of a colder season and a timely decision to drop fruit loads to facilitate ripening, as well as being patient enough to wait beyond the traditional harvest dates of the different varieties, which was possible thanks to the good health of the grapes due to the dry year and early leaf plucking.

Although it is unlikely that the 2006 red wines will reach the state of perfection of the 2005s because of the bigger berry size of this season, they already show tremendous aromatic and color intensity, juicy palates with sweet, round tannins and should lead to good to very good quality. The cooler conditions made this a very good year for white wines, especially for aromatic varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, and Gewürztraminer, because the lower temperatures allowed long, gentle ripening and helped maintain acidity and aromas.

ACONCAGUA VALLEY

Heat summation in the Aconcagua Valley during the 2005–2006 growing season was 1712 degree days, which is 5% lower than the previous season. The harvest season began slowly in late March with Merlot and ended in mid-May with Carmenère, although the vast majority of the picking was concentrated between the second week of April and the second week of May.

This season’s daily temperature oscillations were slightly narrower than the historic average (18°C/64.4°F vs 18.9°C/66°F), although the month of March saw a tremendous oscillation that reached 20.4°C (68.7°F), as opposed to the historic average of 18.8°C (66°F). This differential probably influenced the high concentration of anthocyanins found in this year’s red wines, which, when added to the season’s low pHs, result in wines with very vivid, intense colors.

The Merlots had another good season, and the wines show very good color, juicy palates, and round tannins.

The Shiraz is this season’s highlight variety in terms of quality consistency, proving once again just how well-suited it is to the Aconcagua Valley. The wines stand out for their intense color, sweet palate, classic complex notes of ripe black fruit and spices.

The lots from the western side of the valley, which normally present highly concentrated tannins, produced surprisingly soft tannins this year.

In spite of this being a cool season, the long hang time produced Cabernet Sauvignon with color intensity, lush palates and good fruit concentration. Soft, sweet tannins, was the norm.

Weather conditions such as those experienced this season allowed for slow ripening, which along with careful canopy and irrigation management during the ripening stage were clearly common factors for achieving good fruit expression, round tannins and elegance.