No harvest is the same as another, and this one was no exception. Despite the years of experience our team of professionals have, which together amounts to more than half a century, we await each new growing season with trepidation.
This time, together with the now traditional collection of climatic data, we would be evaluating the application of leading edge technologies and management strategies used in our vineyards, including the Scholander chamber and an interesting new software application that uses infrared imaging coupled with field data to allow us to “work” each block of the vineyard with submetrical precision.
With the harvest preparations underway in mid-February, San Isidro surprised us with a cold rain that made us forget all about global warming. The entire Andes range and some lower foothills awoke covered in a blanket of snow that mentally transported us to mid-winter. Not even the oldest local resident remembered so unusual an occurrence at this time of year. Without a doubt, this intensified our uncertainty. This was especially true when we recalled the 2002 harvest, when the end of summer rains caused us major problems with grape health. Still, no two harvests are the same …Fortunately, the grapes were spared from the spread of fungal disease by the low temperatures and quick drying of the berries, and the fact that the rain had fallen early enough.
After the typically timid start picking the first grapes, the harvest itself was carried out with unusual normality. But this was not just luck. We had been able to clear out the winery and avoid intense “peaks” by separating each parcel into sectors with different levels of vigor. This allows us to identify lots of grapes whose low vigor (in some cases weakness) causes them to ripen prematurely, pushing up their harvest date; on the other hand, lots with greater vigor normally delay their ripening, making for a later harvest. This meant that the grapes sent to each tank in the winery were quite uniform in their ripeness and condition, because of their common origin. And in terms of quality, this strategy has produced very positive results.
Overall, I am very satisfied with the quality obtained and have even had some pleasant surprises. Towards the end, my expectations became impressions and then conviction: This 2007 harvest will be remembered as a good one across the country. For Caliterra, I think it has been the best in history.


Parcels by polygons

Together with Marcelo Ugarte, winegrower in charge of the Caliterra vineyard, we decided to lay it all on the line with a precise harvest system. Using special software we were able to identify separate subsectors, blemishes, stains or mosaics, what we call POLYGONS. The plants within each polygon have a similar appearance, which is different from those outside their borders. These areas can be as small as we want, and the same parcel can contain a number of similar polygons. In this way we obtain a manageable quantity of grapes that is then taken to a particular tank.
The fact that one parcel has different plants is due to natural differences in soil texture (clay, silt, sand), structure (granular, layered, etc.) and depth, that are found in most Chilean soils. These differences are accentuated in the Caliterra vineyards, where the soil originated as deposits from the surrounding slopes.
The office work this involves is not insubstantial. The most difficult thing is selection in the vineyard; instructing the pickers to harvest only in the places indicated and then managing the small (but many different) lots in the winery. But the results make it all worthwhile. Indeed, the experience we gained through this effort has made us want to intensify our use of these techniques, starting this winter, when we will use different vineyard management techniques that take the map of polygons fully into account.

Varieties

Sauvignon Blanc
This variety ripened more quickly than in previous years. There were even sectors in which we thought about making a “ripe” version, as the grapes were sweeter than we expected. In any case, this was a year of lessons learned, as we expected over-ripe wines and in fact the opposite was true. We even have green aromas in a few early lots. The absence of extremely high temperatures ensured this variety’s high quality; although the season in general displayed medium high temperatures, those aromas that were so elusive in other valleys were very well preserved in Casablanca.

Chardonnay
The flexibility of this variety allows it to deal with the climatic ups and downs season after season. Though it also ripened early in Casablanca Valley, this variety is able to adapt to both climatic and enological changes, offering a much more expansive spectrum of styles than other varieties. Its quicker ripening called for longer maceration times to extract the elusive tropical fruit aromas; in a year such as this one, riper fruits such as apples and peaches will be the dominant aromas on the spectrum. As I write, there are still some lots fermenting and the rest has months of evolution still to go; but already we are getting the impression of a good quality harvest for the Chardonnay.

Merlot
This year 2007, the Merlot showed its capricious nature. At first there were sectors of the vineyard, mainly on the sides, that displayed some level of dehydration in the berries. We responded in time with good selection and removal of problem areas to escape its influence. Though in other sectors the problem did not occur, it was in the former where the best quality was obtained: wines with rich color, smooth and with ripe tannins. Almost ready to drink as soon as they are bottled, foreshadowing their favorable condition when we decide to release them 10 or 12 months from now.

Cabernet Sauvignon
Among all the reds, this one had the biggest difference in yield compared to last year, with a 15% reduction. One of the outcomes of this is an increase in concentration in the vineyard, with enormous benefits in terms of quality. This was a great year for this variety: To date, we have obtained wines with intense color and aromas, very complex, mature and not excessively alcoholic.

Shiraz
One of the most favored by the vineyard selection program has been the Shiraz, with little doubt that we have made the best lot that this vineyard has ever produced. It is so good, in fact, that it may become a component of our icon wine, which in 2005 and 2006 did not include this variety.

Malbec
This is the variety in which the profound impact of the vineyard separation technique reaches its maximum expression. In deed, in one parcel there were polygons harvested one month apart and with very positive results. Today, each sector has its own distinct features, which allows us to craft a very complex blend.

Carmenère
Harvest began just a few days ago, and there are some sweet lots that are now fermenting. It is notable, however, that the over-spicy notes of Carmenere have been replaced by notes of ripe fruit such as prunes and cherries. Only the cloves are notable in the background, complementing the nose. It already has a fine taste, and this taste is what will improve most after the post-fermentation maceration that is only now beginning.

Conclusion

No two crush seasons are ever the same, but this one was more unusual than most. It was my first crush in this estate after having spent nearly 10 years elsewhere. It was a chance to deploy my ideas and talents (which hopefully surpass my limitations) in an atmosphere of exploration. It felt like my first close encounter with this vineyard. Although the vines speak the same language in Colchagua, here in Caliterra one needs to learn their dialect to truly understand them.