Maquis Lien Winemaking Process
"Our winemaking process is simple and straightforward because our primary efforts are concentrated in the vineyard - the origin of our wine."
- Juan Alejandro Jofré, Chief Winemaker
Harvest is brought in small trays of 12 kilograms each. Once at the winery, the grapes go through 3 sorting tables (2 for bunches and 1 for berries).
The grapes are cold soaked for as long as necessary (never more than 5 days), depending on the year and the variety. The juice is tasted every morning during this maceration to determine when to inoculate with yeast to start the alcoholic fermentation.
Temperatures during the fermentation are kept steady and pump overs are short but constant - every 3 hours (even at night) - which encourages a soft extraction. The tanks are tasted during harvest 2 or 3 times a day to make sure everything is developing on track.
During the year specific barrels are matched with the different wines. After three years of experimentation, we’ve discovered that some cooperages work better with particular varieties. Aging is made in French barrels of fine and medium toast grain, with the aging period rangined between 10 and 14 months. Older barrels and shorter periods are used for varieties like Malbec, where we seek its contribution of floral and fruit bouquets to Maquis Lien. More prolonged periods, as well as new barrels, are used for varieties like Cabernet Franc, which given its structure and character benefit more from new barrels.
The lees are stirred until the first racking to better integrate the oak flavors and create a softer mouth feel. Each varietal is kept separate during the year and the final blend is often solidified during the last racking.
These minimal techniques are only possible because the vineyards produce fruit that does not require heavy manipulation. In order to create the best wine every vintage, the winemaking team's toughest (and most creative) challenge is deciding what percentage of each varietal to blend in the finished product.
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Winemaking at Viña Maquis's
Harvest and vineyard news