We are delighted to offer Cristóbal Undurraga’s first release of two excellent Chilean wines made under his own name from a selection of exceptional vineyards, each just over one hectare in size. Toti is his nickname, so he named his company Toti A&T.
Order by midday on Wednesday 8th July
2023 Ilusión's name reflects the idea of revealing the quality of the old vineyards in Maule, which have a long history but still remain little known. This wine is an attempt to capture and share that hidden character. It is a field blend from the mediterranean climate of Maule of approximately cariñena 70%, garnacha 10% and cinsault 10% with small amounts of cabernet sauvignon, carmenère, malbec, país and even some muscat and torontel. The dry-farmed vineyard is situated near Melosal, at Comavida, meaning ‘water from the mountain’. Documents suggest it was planted at least as early as the 1940s, but it may be older. Ilusión comes from a selection of the best 1.15ha block of the south-facing vineyard, the coolest exposition. It is ideally situated mid-slope, where the red granite and clay soils are four metres deep, enabling sufficient reserves of water to be stored and supplied to these unirrigated vines. Small yields of 24-36hl/ha and a very low pH3.3 produce a naturally concentrated wine matured 18 months in an 18-hectolitre barrel (foudre) and some 500-litre barrels.
2023 Insomnia is so named by Cristóbal because it was ‘the sleepless pursuit of a dream’, to produce a superb Maipo cabernet sauvignon. Situated at Linderos, in the Alto Maipo, the vineyard was planted with excellent genetic material in 2005 at a highish density for Chile of 5000-vines/ha on the stony soils from the fourth alluvial terrace of the River Maipo, the best soil for cabernet sauvignon. It is drip irrigated and was made from a small 1.25ha block which yielded just 27hl/ha and matured for 18 months in 228-litre barrels. This is one of Chile’s best cabernets.
