Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) Cabernet Sauvignon 'Los Vascos' (2018)

Cabernet Sauvignon is the classic grape of  Los Vascos’ vineyard and is the variety on which the estate has built its reputation. The common feature of all the vintages is ripe fruit, fresh aromas, and a supple, full-bodied structure. This wine has a sparkling ruby red colour and a pleasantly fruity nose with aromas of black cherries, raspberries and plums, all with a hint of spice. This is a silky, flavourful wine, with a supple tannin structure. A great classic.

Tasting Notes

Deep and intense ruby red color. The nose features aromas of red fruit like plum, raspberry and cherry with savoury notes as well as tobacco, toasted hazelnuts, dark chocolate and tapenade.
The mouth is dominated by the presence of young, lively tannins. Good concentration, nice structure and a persistent finish of great personality.

The Winery

Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) took over the Los Vascos estate (Los Vascos meaning The Basques, in honour of its Basque origins) in 1988. At the time, the property extended to some 2,200 hectares, of which 220 hectares were planted with vines. The pioneering ambition of DBR in Chile was above all the result of extensive research into the potential of local wines. Many properties were visited and many wines were tasted before choosing Los Vascos, because of its location near the ocean and its exceptional soil. Along with ideal weather conditions, Los Vascos benefits from intense exposure to the sun, adequate water sources, semi-arid soils and little risk of frost. At an average of 130 m above sea level and at just 40 kilometres from the Pacific Ocean, the microclimate of Viña Los Vascos has everything to produce fine wines.

The Vineyards

Planted in a single block, the vineyard is located at 34°30’ latitude and 71°30’ longitude, 40 km from the Pacific Ocean and 200 km to the southwest of Santiago. With 640 hectares, it is one of the largest vineyards in the central Colchagua valley, at the foot of Mount Cañeten.

The soil is of volcanic origin, consisting of sandy-clay soil and granitic sand. The vineyard is planted with Cabernet Sauvignon (85%), Carmenère (5%), Syrah (4%), Malbec (1%) and Chardonnay (5%). Given that there was major replanting at the beginning of the 1990s, the vineyard is divided between a group of 15-year old plots and another group of 40 to 50-year old plots. The oldest vines are 70 years old. The Sauvignon Blanc and some of the Los Vascos Chardonnay come from vineyards under long-term contracts in the cooler regions of the Pacific coast (Casablanca and Leyda) or the foothills of the Andes (Colchagua Andes).