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Buy any 12 bottles and save 10% (excludes sale). Free UK delivery on orders over £175. Tel : 02922 337454
Buy any 12 bottles and save 10% (excludes sale). Free UK delivery on orders over £175. Tel : 02922 337454
2022 Mendoza Cabernet Sauvignon, Kaiken Ultra Wine Republic - Enoteca and Wine Merchant

2022 Mendoza Cabernet Sauvignon, Kaiken Ultra

Mendoza, Argentina

Andean Cabernet with a velvet glove.

This is Mendoza Cabernet in full voice, rich, structured and seriously handsome. Sourced from the 80-year-old Vistalba vineyard in Luján de Cuyo, sitting at 1,050 metres above sea level on alluvial soils over river gravel, it has both the sunshine and the tension that make the best Argentine Cabernet so compelling. The nose opens with plum, cassis and ripe black fruit, layered with clove, black pepper, cedar and a touch of cigar box. On the palate, it is dense yet polished, with dark berries, subtle oak spice and a lovely thread of freshness running through the richness. The tannins are ripe and rounded, giving the wine shape and poise, while the finish lingers with that lovely combination of power, spice and mountain-grown elegance. 

For when: steaks are sizzling, candles are lit, and only a proper red will do.
Pairs with: ribeye, roast lamb, smoky barbecue, slow-cooked beef, or hard-aged cheeses.

Kaiken was founded by the team behind Montes, crossing the Andes from Chile to build a winery in Mendoza, inspired by the wild Patagonian geese, the kaiken, that make the same journey between the two countries. Their focus on old vineyards and high-quality Cabernet has paid off beautifully here, with fruit from Vistalba delivering both concentration and class. The 2022 vintage brought a cool, dry spring, some frost pressure and a tricky spell of rain, but dry, sunny conditions later in the season allowed the fruit to reach full ripeness, helping shape a wine that feels both generous and composed.

Whats in the bottle
100% Cabernet Sauvignon

£17.95 - £17.95
£17.95
£17.95 - £17.95
£17.95
Availability:
In stock

Kaikenes are wild geese, native to Patagonia, that fly across the Andes between Chile and Argentina. In the same way, Montes, the Chilean winery, crossed the Andes to set up in Mendoza. Their vineyards are situated in the heart of Mendoza and further to the south in Valle de Uco, where many of the premium producers are now sourcing their fruit. The focus is primarily on Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon, a variety that has been somewhat forgotten as Malbec has surfed one wave of success after another in the past decade. As a result, there are many old vineyards in Mendoza that produce excellent fruit. Kaiken's own vineyards supply 70% of their production requirements and 30% is from vineyards that they control.

The fruit was hand picked and then sorted manually in the winery. The must was cold soaked for seven days at 10ºC before fermentation in concrete tanks at controlled temperatures of 26ºC using selected and native yeasts. Fermentation took seven days with post-fermentation maceration lasting another three weeks. The wine underwent spontaneous malolactic fermentation in tank before being transferred to French oak barrels (one third of which were new) for 12 months. It was then aged for a further six months in bottle prior to release.