Vinodata

Viñedo Chadwick vineyards are located in Puente Alto, on the south-east border of Santiago, along the Northern bank of the Maipo River at the foothills of the Andes Mountains. In 1942 Don Alfonso Chadwick Errázuriz, father of Eduardo Chadwick, current President of Viña Errázuriz, purchased the property known as Viña San José Tocornal. This 300 hectares property in the Maipo Valley was planted with red grape varieties producing fine wines of great quality that were renowned in Chile.

The vineyard

In the spring of 1992, the property was replanted to vineyards with an array of the best field selections of Cabernet Sauvignon; 12 hectares, Cabernet Franc; 1.30 hectares, Merlot; 1.45 hectares and Petit Verdot; 1.50 hectares. The selection of vine material included the best Cabernet Sauvignon from Maipo and from the Don Maximiano Estate in the Aconcagua Valley. This 15-hectare vineyard is planted in one of the best sections of the Maipo Valley: the Antumapu soil series especially suited for growing red varieties of exceptional quality. These soils have a shallow stratum of clay loam over a stone-filled riverbed of alluvial origin. The vine spacing is 2.0 meters between rows by 1.2 meters between vines with 4,166 vines per hectare. The vines are trained to a vertical trellis and spur pruned, and irrigation is done under drip irrigation.

Viñedo Chadwick is managed under the guidance of Jorge Figueroa, our head viticulturist using sustainable farming practices. Cover crops are planted in autumn and spring for vigour control and provide a natural environment for selected plants to control harmful insects. As part of these practices, during winter piles of compost are produced to fertilize the vineyard naturally. Careful monitoring of pest biological cycles and pest predators presence also allows for very minimal interference using traditional agricultural methods. According to the vigour observed during the growing season the vineyard is divided into different blocks which are monitored independently. Viticultural decisions are made in each of these blocks guaranteeing that the fruit is harvested at optimal ripeness and uniformity.

Yields are maintained at a maximum of 5 to 7 ton/ha. For careful vigour control, irrigation is done under a unique and highly technical drip irrigation system that allows different irrigation patterns among the defined blocks in the vineyard. At harvest time these various blocks are harvested separately and at different times. Even sections of one individual row can be harvested at two or three times. Only the best grapes are selected, and all are hand harvested. They are then transported to the winery using 16 kg trays to guarantee that the fruit is received in optimal conditions.

The aim

The aim of Viñedo Chadwick is to make an elegant wine reflecting the Maipo Valley at its highest level with soft tannins, and berry fruit characteristics on the nose and palate with an added dimension of power and intensity in the finish. To achieve this, ripe tannins and concentrated fruit are the key and lead our picking decisions.

 The vineyard has been divided into several blocks which are monitored independently and harvested in the cool morning hours to preserve fruit quality. Lots are gently crushed and then fermented separately between 28° to 31° Celsius to maximise their character. This is followed by an extended maceration of up to thirty days depending on the development of the individual lots. The wine is then aged in 100% new French barriques, in our underground cellars.

Each vineyard lot is aged separately to maximise blending options. Racking takes place four or five times during ageing and is done from barrel. Blending decisions are made late in the ageing process just before bottling. The aim of this is to give us the most options for the final blend and to make the best blending decisions after the individual lots have developed their own unique characteristics in barrel. This gives us more control each year over the quality and character of the final wine. Released worldwide in February of 2002, the first vintage of Viñedo Chadwick will be from the outstanding harvest of 1999, a very limited production of a Cabernet Sauvignon and Carménère blend.