Matetic vineyards embody the pioneering spirit and vision of modern Chilean winemaking. This biodynamic project was founded in 1999 by the Matetic family, originally Croatian settlers who arrived in Chilean Patagonia in 1892. They went on to develop 120 hectares of vineyard in the coastal El Rosario Valley of San Antonio before branching out into the Colchagua Valley.
Colchagua Valley, specifically Apalta, is the origin of this Carmenère, with hillside vineyards giving good exposure to the sun. The soils are principally granitic-colluvial in origin, with low fertility, excellent drainage, and a complex profile of clay, silt, and organic material. The wine was aged for eighteen months in French oak, made using different cooperages, forests and toasting levels.
Since the start, the team at Matetic embraced organic and biodynamic agriculture as a way of crafting balanced wines with a sense of place, as well as making a commitment to the environment for future generations. Today, they farm 160 hectares of certified organic and biodynamic vineyards, focusing on cool-climate varieties. The vineyard is treated as one organism, with the application of biodynamic compost (all of which is made on the estate), seeding cover crops, and cultivation between the rows. Geese and ducks do their work to control pests and limit undergrowth.
The Corralillo has a very intense on nose, where notes of black fruits, a twist of hibiscus, chocolate and spices combine. In the mouth it offers a good balance between power and freshness, great volume and with an intense, long aftertaste. It is smooth and rich and very rewarding, especially with a little air.
