This year's Decanter World Wine Awards Regional Trophy for Chilean Red Rhône Varietals under £15 went to Chateau Los Boldos, Momentos Reserva Syrah, Cachapoal 2013 (14%)
Tasted against:
- Amayna, Syrah, San Antonio 2012
- Indómita, Gran Reserva Carignan, Maule 2012
Profile:
Chateau los Boldos was established in 1991, the owners having bought a 190-hectare plot which included some vines planted in the 1940s. Since 2008 the estate has been owned by the Portuguese company Sogrape, which also has interests in New zealand (Framingham), Argentina (Finca Flichman) and Spain (Bodegas lan). This investment has allowed los Boldos to focus on ‘terroir zoning’: geo-referencing, studying the electrical conductivity of soils and precision viticulture.
The vines for this award-winning Syrah were planted in 2000 and located in the warmest part of the vineyard, but mesh nets prevent the grapes from raisining in the afternoon sun.
Chief winemaker is Madeira-born Carolina França who cut her teeth in Portugal, Spain and Chile, where she has previously been employed by Apaltagua, Viu Manent and Caliterra. She oversees the whole production process from grape picking through to bottling and ageing, with the aim of fulfilling los Boldos’s ambition to deliver premium wines at exceptional value.
In addition to classic varieties such as Syrah and Caberet Sauvignon, los Boldos is experimenting with Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and (appropriately enough considering the nationality of parent company Sogrape) Touriga Nacional.
Written by Decanter
