Single Vineyard Awarded Gold at the 2014 Global Riesling Masters
4 December 2014
Single Vineyard Riesling 2013
Selected for its extreme southern origins and cold climate, the Rulos del Alto (No Irrigation) Block is part of the Quitralmán Estate and contains the oldest vines planted in the Bío-Bío Valley. Experiencing some of the lowest average temperatures during grape ripening, along with its red clay soil, add to this Riesling´s freshness and impressive minerality.
Cono Sur Vineyards & Winery was founded in 1993, with the vision of producing premium, expressive and innovative wines that convey the spirit of the New World. Our name refers to the company’s geographic position, representing wines proudly made in South America’s Southern Cone, on whose western edge lies Chile and its gifted wine valleys. Our logo also evokes a freehand drawing of the silhouette of South America.
Right from the start, Cono Sur applied new ideas and technology to traditional winemaking methods. Our main goal, therefore, is to create expressive and innovative wines from the world’s southernmost land.
The cornerstone of Cono Sur Vineyards & Winery is innovation. The company defines itself by three main features: the creative use of technology, orientation towards quality and respect and commitment for the environment. Our philosophy is the starting point of each one of our innovative and expressive wines.
Cono Sur has diversified and enriched its grape sources, leading a permanent search for areas that will best express the aromatic and flavour potential of each variety. This quest has taken us to new and exciting terroirs, from the northernmost to the southernmost frontiers of Chilean viticulture.
The Cono Sur winery is equipped with cutting edge technology, with a total capacity of 8.5 million liters in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks, and a temperature and humidity controlled ageing cellar holding up to four thousand barrels. They have a boutique winery adjacent especially designed for the vinification of their finest Pinot Noir. The best Pinot Noir grapes for their finest wines are harvested by hand and trodden by foot. Cono Sur is owned by the Guilisasti and Larrain families, who also own the very well- known Concha y Toro winery.
Four important geographic bodies surround the Chilean wine growing region: the Andes Mountains to the east, the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Atacama Desert –the driest on Earth– to the north and ancient glaciers to the south. These natural barriers essentially isolate Chile and have protected our vineyards for centuries. Other determining factors, such as abundant luminosity, significant daily temperature variation, dry weather during ripening season and fresh Andean irrigation water, contribute to the production of pure and wholesome grapes. In a bid to express the country´s extraordinary diversity, Cono Sur is present in Chile´s most prestigeous wine valleys.
Vineyards Management
For Cono Sur Winery, both sustainable agriculture and organic vineyard managements have become a way of life in the vineyards, where a special relationship with the terroir is cultivated, and clean and natural wines are born. Organic management means the fruit is produced without the aid of any chemical products, while sustainable agriculture avoids it. Both require the help of animals, insects and self-regulation of the eco-system.
The infrastructure at the winery was designed to allow for the delicate handling of grapes and wine. Today, Cono Sur’s winery has a total capacity of 12 million litres in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. Our aging cellar, which holds up to 4,000 barrels, is both temperature and humidity controlled
2014 Harvest Report
This year began with a very cold spring, resulting in historic frosts in many of the valleys, especially the coastal areas. Due to this, we saw a significant decline among the white varieties such as Chardonnay and Gewürztraminer. The frost also delayed the budding of the vines throughout the valleys.
The first stages of growth were also slow, leading to blooms with balanced vigor that did not require pruning. The fruit set period was marked by low temperatures as well, which generated small, well-positioned bunches in balance with the plant ́s growth, indicating a lower yield, but of excellent quality.
January was a hot month that encouraged the plants ́ growth, allowing them to achieve normal vigor and optimal development of the clusters, hence an even and healthy veraison. February was a bit cooler, preserving the grapes ́ natural acidity and developing delicate, intense aromas. Temperatures rebounded in March, which greatly helped in the final maturation period. That, along with smaller yields, allowed us to harvest earlier than the year before, all the while maintaining greater acidity with intense and delicate aromas due to the cold.
As a result of the absence of rains, medium vigor and balanced crop productions, this was an extremely healthy harvest; botritis was a word never mentioned during this harvest.
The harvest began with Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay from the Maule and Colchagua Valleys; and then to Casablanca and Bío-Bío, launching us into full harvest mode, adding Gewürztraminer, Riesling, Pinot Noir and Viognier. Around mid-March we began to harvest Merlot and the first Cabernets, along with the other red varieties. And as always, in May we harvested the cold-climate Syrahs, as well as the last bit of Carmenere before closing the curtain on this vintage.
With once again extraordinary climate conditions, perfect for the production of high quality wines, we were able to harvest at the winemakers ́ wishes without any problems. The 2014 vintage had an excellent harvest, which will surely be remembered for the quality of its wines.
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