2017 Cauquenina Itata Valley, Clos des Fous

• Style: Red Blend, silky tannins, mineral-driven
• Taste: Black cherry, raspberry, floral tea, graphite minerality
• Food: BBQ & grilled meat, aged cheese, stews, game
• Occasion: Weeknight or Sunday lunch
• Serve: 13.5% ABV, room temperature or lightly cool

In the Glass — Tasting Notes

Dark ruby deepening into violet, this blend arrives with immediate perfume of black cherry and raspberry cut through with floral tea and chamomile. Mineral tension—graphite and earth—runs through the mid-palate, keeping the wine sharp and purposeful. The tannins are remarkably fine and silky, whilst the acidity snaps through like a tuning fork, delivering thrilling balance and liveliness.

The Winery — Clos des Fous

Four Chilean friends—viticulturist Pedro Parra, winemakers François Massoc and Paco Leyton, and entrepreneur Albert Cussen—earned their name by hunting for vineyards in cooler, extreme conditions when the establishment favoured Central Valley fruit. The Cauquenina draws from multiple sites across Itata Valley, a region now experiencing genuine renaissance. Fruit comes from high-altitude, rocky slopes in the Coastal and Andean ranges, where volcanic and granite soils force vines to work harder. The multi-varietal assembly—Pais, Carignan, Syrah, Malbec, and Carménère—is fermented and aged separately in cement vats and French oak before blending. The 2017 vintage benefited from exceptional heat and early harvest, concentrating fruit and acidity in equal measure.

At Your Table — Food Pairing & Serving

At 13.5% ABV, this blend drinks with remarkable grace and digestibility. Pour it with grilled meat—barbecued chicken, beef ribs, smoky sausages—or aged hard cheese. It rewards stews, braises, game, and roast dinners with equal enthusiasm. Built to age gracefully yet equally rewarding now, it's vegan and vegetarian friendly, made with natural cork. Explore our full Chile portfolio and you'll discover why willingness to challenge convention matters in fine wine.