Kaiken Ultra Mendoza Cabernet Sauvignon 2022
The wine is deep ruby in colour, with distinct aromas of plum and clove on the nose. The dark fruit notes are intense on the pallet, with nuances of pepper and spices from the time in oak.
The grapes were sourced from the Vistalba vineyard in Luján de Cuyo. This fine 80-year-old vineyard gives wines of outstanding elegance, structure, and power. The vines are grown 1,050 metres above sea level and 800 metres away from the Mendoza River. Half a metre of alluvial soil on top of gravel from the river yields concentrated high-quality fruit.
The fruit was hand picked and then sorted manually in the winery. The must was cold soaked for seven days at 10ºC before fermentation in concrete tanks at controlled temperatures of 26ºC using selected and native yeasts. Fermentation took seven days with post-fermentation maceration lasting another three weeks. The wine underwent spontaneous malolactic fermentation in tank before being transferred to French oak barrels (one third of which were new) for 12 months. It was then aged for a further six months in bottle prior to release.
| RRP | £18.99 |
| Bottle size | 75cl |
| Vintage | 2022 |
| Alcoholic strength | 14.5% |
| Country | Argentina |
| Region | Mendoza |
| Subregion | Luján de Cuyo |
| Grapes | Cabernet Sauvignon 100% |
| Residual sugar (g/l) | 2.4 |
| Vegetarian | Yes |
| Vegan | Yes |
| Organic | No |
| Biodynamic | No |
| Closure | Natural Cork |
| Winemaker | Gustavo Hörmann |
Kaikenes are wild geese, native to Patagonia, that fly across the Andes between Chile and Argentina. In the same way, legendary Chilean winemaker Aurelio Montes crossed the Andes to make wines in Mendoza. After several exploratory trips, Aurelio saw the enormous potential for premium viticulture in this region and founded the Kaiken winery in 2002. His aim is to make great wines in Mendoza and, in doing so, show the best of both sides of the Andes. His efforts have clearly yielded great results, with Kaiken named ‘New World Producer of the Year’ by the Sommelier Wine Awards in 2024. In addition, they have now achieved B-Corp certification, illustrating their commitment to both responsible and sustainable business practices.
Kaiken’s estate vineyards are planted in the heart of Mendoza and further south in the Uco Valley, where many premium producers are now sourcing fruit. Their focus is primarily on Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon, a variety once almost forgotten in the region. As a result of Kaiken’s protection, there are now several old vine Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards in Mendoza that produce excellent wines, including Kaiken’s vineyard in the Vistalba district of Luján de Cuyo, which was first planted in 1910.
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