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DON
MATEO VINEYARDS
Don Mateo Wines are in the heart of Chilean wine country in
the Curicó Valley – part of the Valle Central wine
growing region. Its small size and location makes it ideal for
a boutique winery such as ours. The Curicó Valley is
also known for diversity of wine grapes with more than 30 varieties
grown there since the 1800’s.
Our winery is in a small valley in Curicó surrounded
by mountains and influenced by winds from the coast –
the Sagrada Familia Valley. The conditions are perfect for producing
red wines -- very warm and no rain at time of the harvest. This
allows our winemakers to wait for the perfect moment to harvest
the grapes. The temperature difference between day and night
produces an exceptional color and quality grape.
The white grapes are produced in a place nearer the Andes, a
cooler climate that has the required characteristics for the
production of great white wines. The wines are mostly produced
with our own grapes giving Don Mateo strict quality control
and consistency from year to year.
In our vineyards, each varietal is planted in the optimal location
so that it experiences the best conditions for growth. For example,
the whites are in drier and cooler areas whereas the reds are
in warmer regions with large exposure to sunlight – especially
the Syrah and Carmenere. We irrigate by the drop to ensure that
each varietal receives the precise quantity of water required.
The reserve varietals are produced in smaller quantities and
grown in drier regions with less irrigation to achieve a higher
concentration of color and tannins.
The true quality of each of our wines is defined in the vineyard.
The most concentrated grapes are used to produce Reserva wines,
and those that are exceptional are used to produce Gran Reserva
wines. The harvest is manual and done using boxes. The grapes
are sorted and selected cluster by cluster in the case of Reserva.
For the Gran Reserva the selection is made grape by grape. The
fermentation tank is small with excellent temperature control
and lasts about a month.
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Cabernet
Sauvignon
Carmenere
Merlot
Syrah
Chardonnay
Sauvignon Blanc
