Kaiken Ultra Mendoza Merlot 2022
Intense and brilliant ruby red in colour, this Merlot delights with pronounced aromas of cassis and red berry jam, accompanied by some spicy notes. Well-structured with grippy tannins, the finish is long and invites a second glass.
Fruit for the Kaiken Ultra Merlot is sourced from a single vineyard in Vistalba, Luján de Cuyo, lying 20km south of Mendoza at an altitude of 1,050 metres above sea level. The vineyard encounters abroad diurnal range with long daylight hours and low humidity, which enables the grapes to retain good levels of acidity while developing excellent phenolic ripeness. The alluvial soils are derived from water erosion from the Andes mountains. They are extremely permeable and loamy sand in texture, becoming more stony in composition one metre under the surface. This allows for excellent drainage and creates the ideal conditions for concentrated grapes.
The grapes were hand harvested and transported to the winery, where they underwent a scrupulous sorting and selecting. A pre-fermentation maceration took place before alcoholic fermentation took place in concrete tanks at controlled temperatures. After fermentation, the wine macerated on the skins to extract additional tannins and flavour. It was then aged in French oak barrels with further time in bottle before release.
| RRP | £18.99 |
| Bottle size | 75cl |
| Vintage | 2022 |
| Alcoholic strength | 14.5% |
| Country | Argentina |
| Region | Mendoza |
| Subregion | Luján de Cuyo |
| Grapes | Merlot 100% |
| Residual sugar (g/l) | 3.06 |
| Vegetarian | No |
| Vegan | No |
| Organic | No |
| Biodynamic | No |
| Closure | Stelvin Lux |
| 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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