Concha y Toro Winery
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Concha y Toro Winery is located in Chile. It consists of 11,200 acres (4,500 hectares) that spread throughout Chile's major wine regions: Maipo, Maule, Rapel, Colchagua, Curico, and Casablanca.
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[edit] History
The Concha y Toro Vineyard was founded by Melchor Santiago de Concha y Cerda and his wife, Emiliana Subercaseaux, in 1883. [1] To start the winery, he brought grape varieties from the Bordeaux region in France.[1] The grapes that he brought were: Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Merlot, and Carménère.
The vineyard was incorporated as a stock company in 1923 and shares were sold in the Santiago stock market.[1] Concha y Toro began exporting wine in March 1933 to the port of Rotterdam, Holland.
In 1950, the winery began to acquire more vineyards and also began the process of adapting it's business to new markets and meeting a higher demand.
In 1987, after partnering with U.S. importer Banfi Vintners, started to incorporate more advanced technology in all of its production stages. It also started using small French oak barriques.
In 1994, shares of Viña Concha started trading on the New York Stock Exchange.
[edit] Grape varieties
Concha y Toro produces several varietals.
White: Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon
Red: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Carmenère
[edit] Wines
- Marqués de Casa Concha
- Terrunyo
- Xplorador
- Sunrise
- Frontera
[edit] Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc
Concha y Toro Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc is the first dessert wine from the winery available in the U.S. market. The grapes come from the Maule Valley and is made of 95% Sauvignon Blanc and 5% Riesling. Production includes half of the grapes harvested at 34 brix with controlled botrytis and the other half with higher sugar concentration. It is aged for two years in stainless steel tanks. The wine is golden yellow with amber tones and has a bouquet of fruit, papaya, peach and hints of honey. The alcohol content is 11.5% and the total acidity is 6.1 g/l.[2]
[edit] Amelia
The Amelia is a Chardonnay from El Triangulo, Casablanca Valley. The grapes are manually harvested in April and 100% is fermented in barrels. The wine is aged for eleven months in 100% French oak barriques. The wine has a light yellow with green hues and a smokey bouquet with mineral and honey tones. The wine also has fruit flavors of pear and figs. The alcohol content is 13.5% and the total acidity is 6.2 g/l.[3]
[edit] Don Melchor
The Don Melchor label is for a single vineyard of Cabernet Sauvignon named after the winery's founder. The wine comes from the Puente Alto Vineyard in Maipo Valley. The vines, which were planted in 1979, are harvested by hand. The wine is aged in French oak for 14 months. The wine is aged for another 12 months in the bottle. It has a deep-ruby red color and has a bouquet of ripe plums, cassis, chocolate and tobacco, accompanied with notes of vanilla. The alcohol content is 13.6% and has a tTotal acidity of 3.5 g/l.[4]
[edit] Casillero del Diablo
In the 19th century, Don Melchor noticed that wine bottles were continually being stolen from his private collection by workers. Don Melchor, attempting to discourage this, spread the rumor that his cellar was the Casillero del Diablo (Cellar of the Devil) and that the Devil was there. People believed the rumor and it turned into legend. There are those that even said they had heard weird noises or seen the devil in person. Wine was never again stolen from the cellar. [5]
The wines produced under this label include Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère, Merlot, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.
The Cabernet Sauvignon is produced in the Maipo Valley region and it is coposed of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Carménère. The wine is fermented in stainless steel tanks and then 70% of the wine is aged in small American oak for six to eight months while the other 30% is aged in stainless steel for 8 months. This produces a bright, dark red wine that has a bouquet containing the aromas of ripe cherries, black currant and dark plums with a touch of vanilla and toasted oak. The taste is medium bodied with smooth and friendly tannins and lingering finish. It has hints of plums and cherries and a generous touch of toasted American oak.[5] It contains 13.6% alcohol and the total acidity is 5.0 g/l.
The Chardonnay is produced in Casablanca Valley and it contained 100% Chardonnay. Thirty percent of the wine is fermented in French oak and aged eight months on the less. The rest is is aged 8 months on stainless steel. It also has a 10% malolactic fermentation. This produces a a wine with a light, lemon yellow color that has an aroma of pineapple, citrus and apples with a backdrop of vanilla. It is a medium bodied wine with a long finish. The alcohol content is 13.5% and has a total acidity of 5.9 g/l.[5]
The Sauvignon Blanc is produced in Central Valley and it is composed 100% of Sauvignon Blanc. The wine is produced by hand and mechanically harvested in March. The wine is aged 4 to 6 months in stainless steel. The wine is a straw color with green hues and has a fresh and citric bouquet of peaches with hints of gooseberry. The wine has an alcohol content of 13.3% and a total acidity of 6.8g/l.[5]
The Merlot comes from Central Valley as well and it is composed of 90% Merlot, 10% Carménère. The wine is fermented and macerated and afterwards, 70% of the wine is aged in small American oak barriques for six to eight months and 30% is aged in stainless steel. The wine is then aged for another month in the bottle. The color is dark and deep red and has aromas of black plum, smoke, herbs and mocha. It has a fuity taste and full body. The wine has a taste of chocolate and herb accents. The wine has an alcohol content of 13.8% and a total acidity of 5.03g/l.[5]
The Carménère is from the Rapel Valley region and is made with 85% Carménère, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Syrah. The grapes are harvested by hand and mechanically. While 70% of the wine is aged in American oak for 8 months, the other 30% is aged in stainless steel for 8 months. This produces a wine with a dark and deep crimson red color and has a bouquet of different fruit flavors: dark plums and chocolate with hints of coffee and toasty American oak. The taste has notes of dark plums and spice, generously framed by toasty American oak. The wine has an alcohol content of 14.0% and total acidity of 4.82g/l.[5]
[edit] Vineyards
All of Concha y Toro Vineyards are in Chile.
[edit] Maipo Valley
Characteristics: Flatland irrigated by an Andean river.
Vineyards: Puente Alto, Pirque, Santa Isabel
Varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.
Wines: Don Melchor, Marqués de Casa Concha Chardonnay, Casillero del Diablo Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc
[edit] Maule Valley
Characteristics: Rich lands. Choice root stocks from the Concha y Toro nurseries.
Vineyards: Rouco, Lontué, San Clemente, Curico
Varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Merlot.
Wines: Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc
[edit] Rapel Valley
Characteristics: Broad range of varietals.
Vineyards: Peumo, Rucahue
Varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot
Wines: Marques de Casa Conca Merlot, Casillero del Diablo Merlot and Casillero del Diablo Carménère
[edit] Casablanca Valley
Characteristics: Fine white varietals.
Vineyards: El Triángulo
Varietals: Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc
Wines: Amelia Chardonnay, Casillero del Diablo Chardonnay, Terrunyo Sauvignon Blanc
