2019 El Principal Calicanto Jeroboam (3 liter)
| Type of Wine | Red |
|---|---|
| Country | Chile |
| Region | Maipo Valley |
| Winery | Viña EL Principal |
| Year | 2019 |
| Grape | Cabernet Franc Cabernet Sauvignon Carmenere Syrah-Shiraz |
| Content (Alc) | 0.75 ltr (14%) |
| Drink window | 2023 - 2030 |
Viña EL Principal belongs to the absolute top from South America - Chile and that is not surprising because the house was founded in 1993 by partners Jorge Fontaine Aldunate, owner of the El Principal estate, and Jean Paul Valette, French winemaker and former owner of the famous Premier Grand Cru Classé Château Pavie in Saint-Émilion. Today the owner is the Said Sandal Family and the winery is of the most exclusive and premium in Chile with only 4 wines, but a range of wines of the highest quality that captures the spirit and typicity of Chilean terroir. The hand, tradition and experience of the Valette family of Château Pavie is reflected in every element and the style (and choice of grape variety) inextricably has a Bordelaises St Emillion twist, but that is not surprising given the background.
Located at the foot of the Andes Mountains in the Alto Maipo Valley (DO Maipo Andes), El Principal's terroir was perfect for their project; The unique combination of climate, soil type and altitude made it ideal for producing wines with character, unique identity and extraordinary quality.
The season was characterized by a rainy winter and a spring with good temperatures, clarity and no precipitation. The summer to the month of January recorded moderate temperatures and good accumulation of degree days, then two weeks of high temperatures were recorded in February and then got a month of fresh March and very moderate temperatures, resulting in slow accumulation of sugars, conservation of acidity and a delay in the harvest date of the grapes. The yield was 20% higher than the previous season with grapes of good colour, high acidity and ripe tannins.
Since the first vintage of Calicanto in 2007, this red blend from Andetelmo Estate has been distinguished by its fresh and fruity character, spicy notes and polished, silky tannins. Partly due to the higher altitude vineyards from Andes, the Callicanto gets an extra dose of clarity and freshness. Wonderfully fruity with herbal and berry flavors combined with a spicy spicy touch. Medium-bodied with fine and round tannins, a soft texture and a good balance, incomparable to the often very fruit-driven wines from Chile. This is a Chilean Frenchman not surprising if the base and training comes from Château Pavie.
The vineyard is located at 770 m above sea level and consists of Loam - Colluvial origin. The vineyard is strongly influenced by the Ocean with a significant influence from the Andes Mountains. The average is between 18°C and 22°C. The wine is a blend of the typical French varieties: 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Carmenère, 3% Malbec, 3% Cabernet Franc, 7% Syrah which is aged for 12 months in 100% French oak
Calicanto was named in honor of the first bridge built over the Mapocho River in the city of Santiago between 1767 and 1782. Over time, several shops and businesses grew up along its sides, making it one of the first commercial centers for Chilean wine. Like that first bridge, Calicanto symbolizes the union between tradition and modernity and a commitment to producing wines of the highest quality that express the soul of the Chilean terroir through the French varieties planted in the vineyards.
Viña EL Principal belongs to the absolute top from South America - Chile and that is not surprising because the house was founded in 1993 by partners Jorge Fontaine Aldunate, owner of the El Principal estate, and Jean Paul Valette, French winemaker and former owner of the famous Premier Grand Cru Classé Château Pavie in Saint-Émilion. Today, the owner is the Said Sandal Family and the winery is of Chile's most exclusive and premium with only 4 wines, but a range of the highest quality wines that reflect the spirit and typicity of Chilean terroir. The hand, tradition and experience of the Valette family of Château Pavie is reflected in every element and the style (and choice of grape variety) has an inextricable Bordelaises St Emillion twist but in the end that is not surprising given the background. The terroir of El Principal, located at the foot of the Andes mountain range in the Andean part of the Maipo Valley (DO Maipo Andes) was the perfect place for their project.
There are many factors that contribute to the uniqueness of Viña El Principal wines, but arguably one of the most important is the exceptional terroir. Today the estate is located in the Valle de Alto Maipo (Maipo Andes) on the slopes of
The oenology of Viña El Principal has been developed from the vineyard. These wines are produced with grapes grown exclusively on site where the vineyards are continuously studied and analyzed with regard to plant physiology and their relationship to the terroir in order to identify and perfect the best blocks and in this way the highest quality raw materials. All harvests are done manually, with controlled productions and careful selection of clusters, both in the field and in the warehouse. Later, we undergo a careful process of traditional Bordeaux fermentation and aging in oak barrels, resulting in a unique wine that reflects the elegance and identity of the terroir.
The wines are made exclusively with grapes grown in our own vineyards where we have full control over production, harvesting the grapes by hand and selecting them first in the vineyard and then again in the winery. The wines are carefully crafted using traditional techniques and aged in French oak. This results in wines with unique characteristics that reflect the elegance and identity of El Principal's terroir.
The wine company's name is named after Chief Picunche Andetelmo, "El Principal", the lord of the lands that make up the terroir, in the foothills of the Andes Mountains in the Maipo Andes Valley. His visionary and peaceful nature earned him the respect of the Spanish conquerors, initiating a history of openness and exchange that continues to this day. The spirit of Andetelmo lives on in the wines, which express all the nobility and quality of a unique terroir.
The winemaker of Viña EL Principal is Marco Puyo. Marco is a household name in international viticulture. He is an agricultural engineer and winemaker, a graduate of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, has worked in major Chilean wineries for 29 years, giving him a detailed knowledge of the different "terroirs" of Chile. At the international level, he harvested grapes in Bordeaux, Champagne and Burgundy in France, Napa in the United States and the Uco Valley in Argentina. Since December 2020 he is Executive Consultant and Winemaker of Viña El Principal.
| Type of Wine | Red |
|---|---|
| Country | Chile |
| Region | Maipo Valley |
| Winery | Viña EL Principal |
| Grape | Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, Syrah-Shiraz |
| Biological certified | No |
| Vegan | No |
| Year | 2019 |
| Drinking as of | 2023 |
| Drinking till | 2030 |
| Alcohol % | 14 |
| Alcohol free/low | No |
| Content | 0.75 ltr |
| Oak aging | Yes |
| Sparkling | No |
| Dessert wine | No |
| Closure | Cork |
| Parker rating | 90 |
| James Suckling rating | 90 |
| Tasting Profiles | Earthy, Dark fruit, Dry, Aged on wood, Powerful, Tannines, Full |
| Drink moments | Barbecue, Lekker luxe, Met vrienden, Open haard |
Dishes that match well with this wine
Follow the latest news about all our wines, promotions, and new selections.
Latest review
27.03.2023
2018 Alejandro Fernandez El Vinculo Crianza
"Voor het eerst bij vrienden geproefd. Een geniale wijn. Donker en heel v..." Jos
View product review
Login and Registration Form