The Society's Exhibition DO Colchagua Andes Carmenère 2020

Koyle is a project of the Undurraga family (Max, accounts, Alfonso, sales and Cristóbal, viticulture and winemaking), who have sold the company that bears their name and bought a lovely estate near Los Lingues, called Viña Koyle, in Alto Colchagua to make, principally, fine red wines.

History
They planted 50 ha in 2006/7 (cabernet sauvignon, carmenère, syrah, malbec, petit verdot, mourvèdre, tempranillo) and a further 30 ha in 2010 (cabernet franc, merlot, carignan, grenache, sangiovese and petit syrah) totalling thirteen varieties. The vineyards are at the base of some hills at 400-550m altitude in quite a windy situation, particularly in summer, where the maximum average temperature in the hottest month is about 26ºC. Annual rainfall is between 500-700mm and may allow some vineyard blocks to be dry farmed once the young vines have established deep roots. The soil is red clay over friable granite soils.

The wines
The vineyard faces north-west and is divided into three terraces. The bottom terrace has more clay and alluvial soils, while the middle and upper ones have decreasing proportions of clay and increasing amounts of stones and friable granite. The altitude gives a 2ºC difference in temperature.

There is huge potential to make lovely wines here; Cristóbal, who lives in a house built on the property, has a real feeling for vineyards and viticulture and is also a very experienced winemaker, having worked in Australia at Rosemount with Phillip Shaw, in Bordeaux at Château Margaux with Paul Pontallier and in Mendoza for Kaiken with Aurelio Montes. The early stars have been carmenère and mourvèdre. One can sense great quality potential here.

Environmental sustainability

Since their acquisition of the vineyards, the approach of winemaker Cristóbal Undurraga has been on making Koyle as a benchmark in biodynamic agriculture. This has enabled them to bring greater life to the soils, which has led to better aeration, drainage and retention of water. The vines’ roots have been able to grow much deeper, resulting in greater balance and extraction of salts and minerals.

Koyle also encourage biodiversity, not least because they believe it helps their grapes. For example, local bee population helps the family to manage botrytis in their syrah grapes. If these split, the bees are attracted by the sugar oozing out of the grapes, they suck the sweetness from the grape and in so doing prevent rot from taking hold.

Social sustainability
Koyle believe that they have an important role to play in educating consumers about the benefits of biodynamic practices. In one interview, Cristóbal Undurraga commented that it is important to communicate 'more about the benefits for the soil, the vines, the biodiversity it creates and therefore the improved quality of the grapes'. Koyle plan to develop an eco-park to encourage city-dwellers to better understanding of the link between nature and fine wine and food.