Kaiken Ultra Mendoza Chardonnay 2023
This wine is gold in colour with youthful hues. On the nose, aromas of pineapple, white peach and citrus intertwine with vanilla and a touch of smoke from the oak ageing. The palate is rich and complex with good acidity and along, lingering finish.
The grapes were sourced from two different areas in Mendoza. Firstly, from Gualtallary in the Uco Valley, which at 1,400 metres above sea level provides freshness and minerality, and secondly from Vistalba in Luján de Cuyo, which gives concentration to the blend. Soils are sandy loam, providing ideal conditions for growing Chardonnay. Plants are trained to the vertical shoot positioning system and yield an average of six tonnes per hectare.
Grapes were hand harvested into small, 10 kilogram boxes and sorted manually at the winery. Alcoholic fermentation lasted for 21 days at temperatures of around 16°C. 65% of the juice was fermented in small concrete tanks to preserve freshness and purity of the fruit. The rest of the juice was fermented in new French oak barrels, where it remained for 12 months. The wine finally spent two months in bottle before release.
| RRP | £17.49 |
| Bottle size | 75cl |
| Vintage | 2023 |
| Alcoholic strength | 14.5% |
| Country | Argentina |
| Region | Mendoza |
| Subregion | Luján de Cuyo |
| Grapes | Chardonnay 100% |
| Residual sugar (g/l) | 2.2 |
| Vegetarian | Yes |
| Vegan | Yes |
| Organic | No |
| Biodynamic | No |
| Closure | Stelvin Lux |
| Winemaker | Juan Pablo Solis |
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.
