Emiliana is a winery we have introduced for many years, winemaker Alvaro Espinoza I believe everyone is starting to get familiar with it, in addition to being a pioneer of Chilean biodynamic law, but also making Carmenere one of the leading figures in Chile's national Portuguese! And Emiliana was built by him – she has worked at Château Margaux, Moët & Chandon, and later worked with Bordeaux’s divine wine consultant Jacques Boissenot! They are also Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine Book 2010 Chilean Storm Characters (only four in all)! Emiliana was his first partner after setting up his own consulting firm Geo Wines
釀酒師 Alvaro Espinoza
Emiliana was founded in 1986 and started to take off in the late 1990s. Owners Rafael and José Guilisasti were aware of global health and environmental protection trends early on, so they joined Álvaro to gradually create South America’s first 100% biodynamic + organic Emiliana – To date, Emiliana has more than 1000 hectares of organic vineyards. The Adobe series produced is the number one selling organic wine in Chile, with a market share of 59.9%! Incidentally, Emiliana is now owned by Concha y Toro, Concha y Toro, this Chilean No. 1 factory in addition to amazing sales, its three top wineries Almaviva, Don Melchor, Cono Sur are one of the famous Chilean Eighteen Rohans! Emiliana's flagship wine Ge has also been rated 98 points by James Suckling for many years, 2018 vintage was selected by JS as 2021 Chile 100 No
With stable quality and pioneering organic philosophy, the winery has received global recognition: has been awarded organic certification in the EU, the United States, China, Japan and other countries, as well as Demeter biodynamic, fair trade, vegan and other authoritative certifications;
Region
The winery owns approximately 1,256 hectares of vineyards spanning six of Chile's core wine regions, encompassing diverse terroirs from cool coastal areas to warm inland regions, providing a rich flavor base for its various wines:
- Los Robles Estate in the Colchagua Valley is the birthplace of the winery's biodynamic farming methods. Its granite soils impart a robust structure to the wines, making it the core region for its flagship wines;
- Los Morros Estate in the Maipo Valley, with its predominantly alluvial soils, is an important growing region for classic Bordeaux red varieties, particularly Cabernet Sauvignon;
- The Maule Valley, a traditional old-vine region, employs arid cultivation methods, resulting in highly concentrated fruit that imparts a full-bodied fruit flavor and robust texture to the wines;
- The Casablanca Valley and Biobío Valley, along with other cool coastal regions, primarily produce white and sparkling wines, complementing the winery's product range.
The grapes for this wine are all sourced from Fundo Quitralman's own vineyards in the Mulchén region of the Biobío Valley. Planted in 1993, the vineyards are situated at an altitude of approximately 300 meters, making it one of the cool-climate regions in southern Chile ideal for growing Riesling.
Located far inland from the central valley, the Biobío Valley is heavily influenced by cool Pacific winds and the Antarctic Current. The mild, cool climate during the growing season, with significant diurnal temperature variations, extends the grape's ripening period, allowing the fruit to slowly accumulate rich floral and fruit aromas while retaining a clear and sharp natural acidity. The vineyard's soil is volcanic red clay loam, with excellent drainage and rich mineral content, giving the wine a distinctive flint character and a savory undertone.
The vineyards adhere to the winery's organic and biodynamic management standards throughout, without the use of synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, or herbicides. Ecological diversity is maintained to ensure the vineyards remain healthy and that the grapes purely express the terroir of the region.
Winemaking
Novas, meaning "supernova," symbolizes their patience and research in respecting and integrating with nature, much like a supernova—young, innovative, and shining brightly. The Novas series uses organic grapes in its Gran Reserva wines, each from a single appellation, faithfully expressing the terroir.
1. **Harvesting and Pressing**: The grapes are hand-harvested to ensure healthy and intact bunches. Upon arrival at the winery, a pneumatic press is used for gentle pressing, extracting juice at different stages for separate vinification to preserve flavor layers.
2. **Clarification and Fermentation**: The grape juice undergoes static clarification to adjust turbidity to the appropriate range. It is then placed in stainless steel tanks, old French small oak barrels, and French large oak barrels for low-temperature alcoholic fermentation. The fermentation temperature is strictly controlled at 12–14℃ to maximize the preservation of the grapes' fresh fruit and delicate floral aromas.
3. **Leech Aging:** After fermentation, the wine continues to age on fine lees, with regular bâtonnage to enhance its texture, roundness, and flavor complexity.
4. **Aging and Stabilization:** The wine is aged for a total of 10 months, with 10% aged in French foudre barrels and 90% in stainless steel tanks. This process infuses the wine with subtle oak notes without suppressing its varietal aromas. Before bottling, only light clarification and cold stabilization are performed to prevent over-processing and maintain the wine's original flavor.
