This is a very aromatic wine, with fresh dark cherries and plums and a touch of pepper and bark. In the mouth, this is juicy, fruity (raspberries, figs, plums), and well structured by round tannins. It is complex, with a touch of savory dried herbs and woodsy notes, hints of coffee and chocolate, and a great mouthfeel. It’s definitely food-oriented, though it is also pleasurable alone.

WINE INFORMATION

Dan Odfjell, a Norwegian armador (ship owner) fell in love with the Maipo Valley and its sun, establishing Odfjell in the 1980s. The farm initially grew fruit, but didn’t really like the business and so switched to wine, planting grapes in 1992. His son Lawrence designed the winery, 60% of which is underground and energy efficient. Wine is moved by gravity rather than pumping. Dan made a long-term commitment to sustainable and organic agriculture and green winemaking practices. The estate has earned the Sustainable Wine of Chile certification, which accredits its use of sustainable practices in the vineyards, the winery, and their relationships with both workers and the local community. Dan made his first wine in the 1998 vintage.

Grapes for this wine come from vineyards certified organic and practicing biodynamic in the Maule and Lontué Valleys. Fruit was hand harvested, and the clusters destemmed  (not crushed) on arrival at the winery. The whole berries went through a four-day cold maceration, fermented with selected and natural yeasts in 40,000-liter tanks, followed by 10-12 days of maceration at 25°C. The wine went through spontaneous malolactic fermentation in tank. The wine aged 70% in stainless steel and 30% in third-use oak barrels for four months. Paul Hobbs has been the consulting winemaker since 1998; Arnaud Hereu is the hands-on cellar master.

Grilled preparations, Hearty stew, Mushrooms, Pork, Red Meat, Roasted Root Vegetables, Sausage, Slow-smoked Barbeque/BBQ Sauce, Wild Game