Garage Wine Co. Garnacha Bagual Vineyard #49
WHY WE LOVE IT
- Bagual Vineyard sits in Caliboro and is farmed by the Solar family. Grapes here grow near the banks of the Perquilauqen River and as a result the soil is mostly granitic silt (unique for Maule).
- This bottling has the highest acidity of any of the winery’s Carignan blends, usually checking in barely above 3.0 pH!
Varietal Composition: 70% Carignan, 24% Garnacha, 6% Mataró
Elaboration: Fermented naturally, caps were punched down by hand and pressing was strictly manual. The wine was barreled in neutral oak over one winters and then bottled in recycled glass. Unfined and unfiltered.
Tasting Notes: “Spicy, floral and subtle, it has a dark ruby color, darker than most Garnachas, a little earthy and organic. The palate is sinewy, with nice acidity and the fine tannins of the Garnacha, perfectly integrated oak and a very tasty finish.” – Wine Advocate
PRESS
2013 – 91 Wine Advocate | 92 James Suckling | 93 Vinous
2014 – 92 Wine Advocate | 93 James Suckling
2016 – 93 Vinous
PRODUCER BACKGROUND
Derek Mossman, his wife Pilar Miranda, and Dr. Alvaro Peña are producing 1,500 cases total per year of old-vine Carignan, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, with fruit sourced from small growers in Maule and Maipo.
Winemaking here veers towards the “natural” spectrum – all wines are fermented with native yeast, see no additions of any kind, very little new wood, and are low in sulfites. Punch downs are by hand, and pressing is done in a small traditional basket. You may notice slight variation in bottle thickness and shape if you were to open up cases, as Derek Mossman takes recycling to the next level and actually reuses old bottles, bottling in salvaged, used wine bottles in partnership with a recycling company located near the winery. Derek is also the founder of M.O.V.I. (Movimiento de Viñateros Independientes), Chile’s exciting, fast-growing association of independent vintners.