2017 Clos Des Fous Cauquenina Viñas Viejas Itata Valley – buy online

WHO?

Clos des Fous is an exciting project led by four Chileans: Pedro Parra (vineyard specialist and pedologist, credited with discovering many exceptional microsites throughout Chile), François Massoc and Paco Leyton (winemakers), and Albert Cussen, who oversees all business-related aspects. ‘Fous’ is a French term for madmen, a concept that aptly describes their fanaticism and tireless spirit in pushing the traditional limits of viticulture in Chile to cultivate grapes in vineyards located in extreme conditions. Literally, they translate terroir into the glass.

WHERE?

Clos des Fous owns 19 hectares under vine. This blend comes from old, unirrigated vines and granite slopes where, at the foothills of the Andes themselves, this microsite benefits from very cold nights and daily temperature fluctuations. Pedro emphasizes: the key is to move away from fertile plains towards slopes closer to the Andes, where rocky soil results in lower fertility, ultimately providing better balance and more finesse in the wines.

WHY?

Cauquenina is a blend of old vines and grapes from different vineyards, with the proportions varying each year depending on the harvest, but the focus will always be on old vines of Carignan, Pais, Malbec, and Carmenere. It’s an elegant, fresh, earthy, and spicy wine with exceptional proportions, proving that Chilean wines don’t necessarily have to be fruit bombs. It’s a full-bodied wine that expresses even more terroir. On the palate, ripe red fruit, finely grained tannins, and plenty of mountainous minerality dominate.