2019 Los Vascos ‘Cromas’ Gran Reserva Cabernet Franc, Colchagua Valley, Chile

92 Points, Vinous
91 Points, James Suckling
90 Points, Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast

Tasting Notes

Bright ruby red color. The nose predominantly shows aromas of strawberry and blackberry, with notes of currant, black cherry, aromatic herbs, and roasted red pepper gradually appearing. Aging in oak barrels enhances the aromatic complexity, adding notes of tiramisu and nuts. On the palate, this wine is firm, with present tannins that enhance its liveliness and charm. An impressive and undoubtedly promising wine.

Vineyard Characteristics

The vineyards stretch from the Coastal Mountain Range to the Andes. The Mediterranean climate and the excellent quality soils of the region make Colchagua a unique area in Chile for the quality of its wines. Los Vascos is located at the foot of the Coastal Mountain Range, 200 km south of Santiago, in the coldest part of Colchagua, where the vines benefit from the natural freshness provided by the Pacific Ocean.

Terroir

Characterized by its strong personality, elegant structure, and good aging potential, Cabernet Franc has always been one of our favorite grape varieties. The idea of creating a high-end, single-varietal Cabernet Franc emerged after terroir studies were conducted at Los Vascos between 2009 and 2012. In 2013, 2 hectares were planted for the first time, which gradually increased to the current area of 18 hectares. For this demanding variety, we chose the slopes of Santa Lucía with its granitic soils and low clay content. The southeast orientation offers optimal conditions for fruit ripening, benefiting from the influence of the gentle sea breeze, which lowers the temperature of the grapes during the night. The results were as positive as we expected. Since the 2019 harvest, the vineyard has provided us with grapes possessing all the attributes necessary to produce an excellent single-varietal wine, suitable to be included in the Cromas line.

Harvest Summary

The name Cromas de Los Vascos is inspired by the colors of nature, which reflect the terroir and the knowledge and experience of the Los Vascos team. On this occasion, a drier than usual start to the season required early irrigation and careful vineyard management. The greatest challenge of this harvest was the extremely high temperatures recorded at the end of January and early February (peaking at 40.6°C). Fortunately, temperatures were much lower at night (with a historic low of 10.2°C), allowing the grapes to reach exceptional maturity and balance.

Winemaking Process

In the winery, this variety must be treated with great care, and the extraction and maceration processes must be performed with patience and caution. The grapes ferment in small stainless steel tanks to vinify each plot separately. Then, 80% of the total wine volume is aged in oak barrels, and the remaining 20% ages in cement tanks.

Specs

• Grapes: 100% Cabernet Franc
• Denomination: Colchagua, Chile
• Alcohol: 14.5%
• pH: 3.72
• Total acidity: 3.19 g/l

What’s Included

4-bottles:

• 4x 2019 Los Vascos ‘Cromas’ Gran Reserva Cabernet Franc, Colchagua Valley, Chile
  Case:
• 12x 2019 Los Vascos ‘Cromas’ Gran Reserva Cabernet Franc, Colchagua Valley, Chile

Price Comparison

Not for sale on winery website, $480/case MSRP

About The Winery

Viña Los Vascos

Domaines Barons de Rothschild acquired Viña Los Vascos in 1988, driven by a pioneering spirit and the goal of revealing the potential of this exceptional terroir. Today, we are working on a project that will allow us to fulfill a shared dream: to transform our property into a rich ecosystem where the finest wines of Chile are produced.

We are free in spirit. We combine Chilean traditions with the know-how of DBR Lafite to produce wines in our image.

Available States

AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY

Estimated Delivery

Monday, Sep 29 - Thursday, Oct 2