W I N E K N OW L E D G E
INSPIRED BY THE COLOURS OF NATURE Harnessing a unique microclimate to produce exemplary wines.
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n a valley in central Chile, the Pacific and the Andes come together to create a unique microclimate conducive to producing wines of great elegance and precision. This is where the Los Vascos winery makes the Cromas Gran Reserva, one of the most precious wines originating from the Colchagua Valley. The wines at Los Vascos are true to their Chilean heart, born amid the wild nature of the valley. The vineyard is 40 kilometres from the coast and 150 metres above sea level, resulting in hot, dry days and the crisp, cold nights. The temperature difference can reach up to 30°C in a day—making the valley particularly favourable to the slow maturation of Cabernet Sauvignon. Still, the Los Vascos wines are elaborated in a truly French spirit, inspired by Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite), who bought the winery in 1988. Today, the estate is known for combining ancestral winemaking know-how and Bordeaux tradition with advanced techniques. The Los Vascos winemakers aim to achieve the perfect balance between this solid local identity and what the DBR Lafite team has learned about finesse and precision.
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INSPIRED BY THE COLOURS OF NATURE It took the DBR Lafite team years of diligent work to select the bestsuited terroirs to produce wines that could synthesize the unique spirit and complexity of Los Vascos. “Ten years ago, the Los Vascos teams found and planted new terroirs on the slopes of the estate. It opened a universe of microclimates with different exposures, soil types with its own colours and textures,” says Philippe Rolet, Technical Director of Vina Los Vascos. “That is what inspired us to create the CROMAS wines.” In fact, the name “Cromas” is derived from the Greek word for colour. Maximiliano Correa, a winemaker at Los Vascos, proposed the name because the observation of nature—including changes in soil colour—is critical in the art of vine growing and winemaking. For years, the team has been refining its techniques as it grew grapes on the coloured slopes of granitic soils of Los Vascos. “Every tone, every shade, every nuance is a message from nature. As cultivators, years of caring observation have taught us to
