Cheval des Andes is the result of a collaboration between two iconic wineries in France and in Argentina:
In 1998, Pierre Lurton, general manager at Cheval Blanc, was asked to find the best site for the winery. He studied the different terroirs of Las Compuertas with Roberta de la Mota and decided to combine Cheval Blanc’s experience with Malbec’s most pure expression. Cheval des Andes has inherited
Familia Deicas winery is one of the most prestigious and trailblazing producers in Uruguay today, combining both a long history and a groundbreaking approach to modern Uruguayan wine. The Deicas family took over the historic 18th century estate and winery of Establecimiento Juanicó in 1979, a brand which continues to be a market leader in Uruguay today, and in 2000 launched their own luxury brand, Familia Deicas, with a focus on premium wines with low intervention winemaking and at the forefront of terroir explorations around Uruguay.
Familia Deicas winery was born in 2000 as a project by the Deicas family, who own Uruguay’s well-known Establecimiento Juanicó winery, to make quality terroir-driven wines with a minimal intervention philosophy.
Under the eye of third-generation vigneron Santiago Deicas as winemaker, the portfolio is increasingly lo-fi in its approach preferring the use of clay amphorae and neutral oak barrels, with a preference for co-fermentation of different grape varieties.
Bodega Familia Deicas has 60 hectares of vineyards spread around some of the most diverse sites in Uruguayan viticulture. With a major focus on terroir exploration, Familia Deicas no doubt has the most far-reaching diversity of vineyard sites in Uruguay, and some of the most exciting vineyard sites too. The vineyard management is focused on sustainable viticulture with some organic practices.
Located in the classic southern region of Canelones, the Juanicó vineyard was the first owned by the family and is planted on calcareous-clay soils which have a good water-storing capacity which perform particularly well in the drier years. The silty-textured sedimentary rock is from the quaternary era. The main varieties planted in the Juanicó vineyard are Tannat, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Marselan, Gamaret, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Albariño. It is the same estate where the Familia Deicas winery is.
In the Progreso wine region of Canelones, the soils here have a high concentration of calcium carbonate and clay, with a heavy texture known as vertisols which swell and crack during the hydration and drying process. The cracks in these soils create deep oxygen ingress, which gives life to the entire soil profile. The main varieties planted here are Tannat, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Marselan, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris.
Within the same region, the family has a special vineyard called ‘Suelo Invertido’, meaning ‘Inverted Soil’, where the soil was turned over so that the fertile top soil was at the bottom of the soil profile and the calcareous subsoil is now the top soil. It’s an interesting and innovative vineyard site, which is now producing some very interesting Tannat.
This vineyard is called the “sea of stones” because it looks like a sea bed with loam soils which are covered in gravel and almost vertical schist. The low fertility and limited water-storing capacity means that these vineyards produce a very low yield of very concentrated grapes. The main varieties planted here are Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tannat and Merlot.
Coming from the Durazno wine region in the centre of Uruguay, the soils here are typically clay loam with varying proportions of sand and calcareous material. Deicas has Cabernet Sauvignon, Marselan and Tannat mainly planted here.
The vineyard is planted in the Valle de los Manantiales where the soils are typically of granitic rock and very deep, with low fertility and very well-draining meaning that grapes are typically healthy and concentrated in character. The main varieties are Merlot, Tannat, Marselan, Petit Verdot, Albariño and Sauvignon Blanc, all of which benefit from the cooler coastal breeze.
Within the Garzón vineyard, Deicas used an experimental plot to remove the first metre of topsoil and reveal the calcareous subsoil on which they planted vineyards of Tannat, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
Near the city of Montevideo, this vineyard has a clay loam texture of soils with a good balance of nutrients and a good ability to retain water, allowing for balanced and ripe grapes. The main varieties are Tannat, Merlot and Pinot Noir.
In the coastal region of Maldonado, this vineyard has deep soils with moderate drainage and medium fertility, mainly of silt and clay. The main varieties are Tannat, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
One of the only vineyards in Lavalleja, this is an extremely stony vineyard with poor soils of granite originating from a large geological fault called “Sarandí del Yí shear”. This vineyard requires attentive viticulture management for this more extreme terroir, and the main varieties are Tannat, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Viognier and Marselan.
With one of the most extensive portfolios in Uruguay, Familia Deicas has an incredibly diverse selection of wines which includes white, red, rosé, sparkling and orange wines! The portfolio is split into several lines:
Atlántico Sur is the entry line which focuses on the coastal influence in the vineyards making fresh wines with good varietal expression from their more coastal vineyards (all within 30 km of the coast). The goal of this line is to transmit the freshness and energy of Uruguay’s coastal climate.
Single Vineyard is a range of several wines which focuses on the optimum expression of each vineyard site. This line is the result of 15 years of exploration around Uruguay’s wine regions and the wines reflect each place, using different grape varieties which are often co-fermented and with a minimal intervention winemaking philosophy.
Extreme Vineyards is a limited edition single vineyard range looking into Familia Deicas’ most extreme terroirs: Suelo Invertido in Progreso, Cerro del Guazuvirá in Lavalleja and Subsuelo in Garzón. This range breaks with the conventional vineyard sites and methods of Uruguay and delivers characterful and unique red wines.
Familia Deicas also has a selection of licorosos or sweet wines, and the winery was the first to pioneer a Licor de Tannat some 15 years ago which has become an emblematic wine of the portfolio. Sparkling wines also make up an integral part of the portfolio, under the Castelar brand, made in the traditional method with a second fermentation in the bottle.
Another interesting wine in the collection is the Ocean Blend Rosé, which is a refreshing coastal blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir and Tannat.
The icon wines of Familia Deicas are Cru D’Exception and Massimo Deicas, which are boutique productions of no more than 1,000 bottles. Cru D ́Exception consists of a Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot from Uruguay, a Malbec from Argentina and a Saint Émillion blend from France. Massimo Deicas is the best Tannat from the vintage, and only made in the best vintages. Preludio is another super premium wine of the winery, and focuses on showing the true ageing potential of Uruguayan wine – as a blend that is only released after two years in oak and three years in bottle.
Born between the vineyards, Santiago Deicas is the third generation of the family and one of the most promising winemakers of his generation. He has worked closely with consulting winemakers Michel Rolland, Paul Hobbs and Gerardo Michelini, who helped him to develop his own personal style and flair in the winery. Taking charge of the winemaking at Familia Deicas, Santiago is constantly exploring new techniques and vineyards while also respecting the heritage and tradition of the family winery. He spearheaded Familia Deicas’ most innovative projects including the Extreme Vineyards range.
Santiago Deicas explains his philosophy:
We have learned that genuine wines need a natural interpretation of the terroir. We cannot give a sense of place if we look for perfection, because we can be tempted to use makeup. With every new vineyard, we experiment with several microvinifications, and the conclusion is always the same: the best wines are those were the place dominates the winemaker. It seems that this approach is easy, but it actually demands much more knowledge and work!”
You can visit Familia Deicas winery and restaurant for a wine tasting and tour, and book in to stay for lunch or nibbles.
There are three wine tasting options: the Atlantic tasting which includes wines from the Atlantico Sur range and Single Vineyard range; the Historic tasting which includes some older vintages; and the Familia Deicas tasting which includes all the top icon wines of the winery. Each tasting includes a cellar tour and a plate of homemade nibbles and charcuterie.
The restaurant is open for lunch with previous booking and has a special seasonal menu which can be paired with Familia Deicas wines.
Altaïr wine and winery is the fine wine arm of Viña San Pedro making complex and full-bodied red wines from Cachapoal Andes. Altaïr is the top wine and Sideral is their second-label, but just as complex and ageworthy. You can visit the winery in Cachapoal for a tasting and even stay for lunch.
Named after one of the brightest stars in the sky, Altaïr is the top wine of Viña San Pedro and a renowned red blend from Cachapoal Andes. Coming from select plots from their 93-hectare vineyard estate, this Cabernet Sauvignon blend includes Cabernet Franc and Syrah, proportions of which change each vintage. With the cool mountain breeze and deep volcanic soils of Cachapoal Andes, the wine reflects its mountain terroir harnessing both concentration and freshness.
Much more approachable in its youth today is the second-label, Sideral, but just as complex and ageworthy.
The Cachapoal Andes winery was founded in 2002 and it is located in the Cachapoal Andes Valley at the foot of the Andes Mountain Range. This winery is focused on making Viña San Pedro’s fine wines: Altaïr, Cabo de Hornos, Sideral, Kankana del Elqui and Tierras Moradas.
The soil from the Cachapoal Andes Valley is quite diverse because of its geological and geomorphological origins giving wines a lot of complexity. The grapes for Altäir are sourced from three select plots in the vineyard, characterized by volcanic soils on a slope, alluvial gravel deposits, and volcanic soils decomposed in clay.
The Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc grapes are planted on volcanic soils containing fractured yellow basalt, with minerals mixed with sand and clay, as they provide minerality and structure to the wine. The deposits of alluvial gravel range from irregular and medium-sized to fine gravel with sand. These soils give wine structure, elegance, volume and are used for Cabernet Sauvignon vines. Finally, the volcanic soils decomposed in clay are used for Syrah vines as they contribute fresh fruit and structure.
This Cabernet Sauvignon blend includes Cabernet Franc and Syrah, proportions of which change each vintage. The wine is increasingly elegant each vintage under the hand of winemaker Gabriel Mustakis, although it remains one of Chile’s most collectable wines that will cellar well.
Sideral is a blend of five grape varieties grown in their Cachapoal Andes vineyard. It is their second-label, but just as complex and ageworthy.
Cabo de Hornos is a Cabernet Sauvignon that grows in volcanic soils. The grapes are planted at the foothills of the Andes in the Cachapoal Andes Valley and are affected by winds that come down from the mountains, allowing for slow ripening, concentration and character.
Gabriel graduated in Agricultural Engineering with a special mention in winemaking from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. He joined Viña San Pedro in 2018 after working as a winemaker both in Chile and abroad.
His passion for wine and his vision for the iconic wines of Viña San Pedro has given him the opportunity of becoming the manager of the Cachapoal Andes winery, where San Pedro’s five icon wines: Altaïr, Cabo de Hornos, Sideral, Kankana del Elqui and Tierras Moradas are made.
You can taste a vertical of the Altaïr and Sideral wines while visiting the handsome winery and vineyard, with options for lunch, picnics and biking among the vines.
The restaurant is open from Tuesday through Saturday.
Click here to book your visit to Viña San Pedro or email the winery at [email protected]
Viña Cobos winery is the acclaimed wine producer belonging to international winemaker Paul Hobbs. Having worked in Argentina since 1988, Paul Hobbs became so convinced of the potential of Argentine Malbec that he started his own winery, Viña Cobos, in the heart of Mendoza’s Luján de Cuyo in 1999. Twenty years on and Viña Cobos is one of the most respected producers of single-vineyard Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay in Argentina. Focused on the Uco Valley and Luján de Cuyo, the Cobos wines are complex, concentrated, polished and increasingly vibrant. Young Head Winemaker Andrés Vignoni is proving to be one of the most accomplished winemakers of the new generation. Cobos is their top-of-line brand, Bramare is an exciting single-vineyard range, and Felino is their worthy entry-level range.
The story of Viña Cobos winery really started with the arrival of international winemaker Paul Hobbs in Mendoza in the late 1980s. Born in upstate New York to a farming family, Paul Hobbs started his career in winemaking after studying viticulture and enology at UC Davis in California in the 1970s. He soon rose to fame as a promising young winemaker while working at two eminent wineries in Napa: Opus One and Simi Winery.