Concha y Toro returns to style of the ‘70s

Concha y Toro winemaker, Marcelo Papa, is keen to return to the style of wines the company was making in the ‘70s by picking earlier and using less oak.

In a bid to achieve his goal, Papa is currently experimenting with 5,000-litre untoasted Italian botti, commonly used to age Barolo and Barbaresco.

Papa has purchased 50 of the 5,000-litre casks from Asti-based barrel maker Gamba, and has used one barrel to age part of the 2013 vintage of his Marques de Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon for a bespoke bottling due out in March.

Marques de Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon

The ultimate aim is for 50% of the wine, made from Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from Puente Alto, to be aged in the botti and the other half in standard French oak barrels.

“Papa has Italian roots and has always been influenced by Italian winemaking,” Concha y Toro’s tasting coordinator, Massimo Leonori, told db during a recent trip to Chile.

“He’s seeking minimal oak influence and for the oak to have less contact and impact on the wine, which the botti provides.

“We want to go back to the style of wines Concha was making in the ‘70s, when we harvested at the start of April and the wines were around 12.5% in alcohol.

“The market wants fresher wines that are easier to drink and we have to listen to that.”

Leonori believes Puente Alto is the best terroir for Cabernet in Chile and has noticed that when aged in botti, the wine is more rounded and less tannic.

He also believes a lower rate of micro-oxygenation will help the wine to age longer.

“We don’t want to lose any of the wine’s concentration, but want it to better express the terroir of Puente Alto. By picking earlier, we achieve greater freshness,” Leonori added.

The standard Marques de Casa Concha Cabernet sells for £12.99 in the UK.