Chateau Los Boldos was founded in 1991 and is situated 100km south of Santiago in the foothills of the Cachapoal Andes. Working with a portion of old vines originally planted in 1948, their focus from an early stage has been on the production of premium wines. The estate has been transformed since being purchased by Sogrape in 2008. Renowned soil scientist and viticultural consultant Pedro Parra (of Clos des Fous) was brought in to assess the plots and match the right variety to the different soils around the estate. The type of rootstock, planting density, orientation and the frequency of irrigation were all within Pedro’s remit, and the results – significantly improved grapes – are now being seen in the wines, especially since Víctor Arce Gatica, previously of Pérez Cruz winery, joined as winemaker in 2015.

Vineyards

Los Boldos has 190 hectares of vineyards which benefit from a Mediterranean climate. Clear, bright skies during the summer and a high diurnal temperature range are ideal for growing fruit that maintains fresh acidity while ripening to perfection. The nearby Cachapoal River also moderates temperatures, while stony alluvial soils in the vineyard ensure low yields. Los Boldos makes wine exclusively from estate vineyards, therefore controlling everything from grape to bottle. The wines for the Grande Reserve range are produced with hand-harvested grapes sourced from vineyards that are more than 15 years old.

Vintage Information

The 2014 vintage saw a difficult start due to a widespread frost in mid-September, which reduced production. However, the resulting low yielding vines produced more concentrated grapes. Most of Chile experienced good climatic conditions for a long and dry ripening season.

Vinification

The Merlot grapes saw 25 days of maceration in stainless steel tanks, with fermentation taking place temperatures between 25-28°C. The wine underwent malolactic fermentation, and was then aged for 10 months in French oak prior to bottling.