Cousiño-Macul Classic Chardonnay

Chardonnay bottle image

Wine Description

Cousiño Macul was one of the first Chilean vineyards to produce Chardonnay. The vines were originally established in Maipo valley, with cuttings brought from the region of Burgundy in France at the end of the XIX Century. As time went by, the vineyard defined two different styles of Chardonnay. 

Cousiño-Macul Winery
Cousiño-Macul Vineyard
The gate to Cousiño-Macul winery
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Acclaim
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Vineyard & Production Info
Vineyard name
Buin and Macul Vineyards
Vineyard size
Various acres
Soil composition
Calcareous soil, sand and rough stone
Elevation:
1,320-1,890 feet
Vines/acre:
2,000 in Buin and 920 in Macul
Yield/acre:
2.6 tons
Exposure:
Northern / Southern
Year vineyard planted:
Various
Harvest time:
Last days of March
First vintage of this wine:
2002
Certified Vineyards:
Wines of Chile Sustainability Certification
Certifying Organizations:
Wines of Chile
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Winemaking & Aging
Prefermentation Technique:
Full bunch press
Varietal composition:
100% Chardonnay
Fermentation container:
Stainless steel tanks
Length of alcoholic fermentation:
20 days
Fermentation temperature:
57-59 °F
Malolactic fermentation:
No
Type of aging container:
Stainless steel tanks
Size of aging container:
41,000 L
Length of aging before bottling:
4 months
Length of bottle aging:
1 month
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Analytical Data
pH level:
3.5
Acidity:
4.8 g/L
Alcohol:
13.5 %
Residual sugar:
1.8 g/L
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Wine Production

The fruit was harvested during the last days of March. The must was slowly fermented in small stainless steel tanks at 14-15°C (57-59 °F) during 20 days. Several strains of yeast were used to obtain varied and complex aromas during fermentation. Once the wine was dry, it matured in stainless steel tanks for three months, then clarified, stabilized at low temperatures and bottled.

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About the Vineyard

Season 2016-2017 had higher temperatures than average, which produced a faster ripening and earlier harvest. Its main characteristics were low yield, good health conditions and good quality of the fruit. The decision of harvesting earlier was key for this season and allowed the wines to achieve excellent quality, moderate acidity and expressive aromas.