Caliterra Reserva Merlot, DO Valle de Colchagua

Caliterra Reserva Merlot is a Chilean red wine made with grapes harvested in the Colchagua Valley. It is bottled as A DO Valle de Colchagua and is from fruit sourced only from the Caliterra Estate.

Caliterra Wines was established in 1996 as a joint venture between the families of Robert Mondavi and Vina Errazuriz. In January 2004 Vina Errazuriz became the sole owner of Caliterra, at the heart of which is the impressive 1000 ha Caliterra Estate. The name Caliterra is taken from ‘Calidad’ Spanish for quality and ‘Tierra’ – land. The wine-making philosophy of Caliterra is to produce fruit-driven quality wines.

Viña Caliterra is located in the heart of Colchagua, 125 miles to the south of Santiago, in a protected valley southeast of Lago Rapel and adjoining the Apalta Valley, 150 meters above sea level. They have around 1100 hectares, with approximately a quarter planted with vines. The area is known for its Mediterranean climate with cool nights and gentle breezes which helps to produce ripe, intense, concentrated and balanced wines.

Caliterra Reserva Merlot 2016 is a blend of 95% Merlot and 5% Malbec. The grapes are sourced from vineyards with a combination of deep granitic with layers of clay, very deep colluvial with a sandy-loam texture, of medium depth and clay texture embedded with stones. The wine is vinified in 100% stainless steel with a soft extraction. 30% of the wine is matured for 7 to 9 months in barrels of 2nd or 3rd use.