Ventisquero Tara Atacama Syrah 2015

Drink now or cellar for up to 9 years. No need to decant before serving.

Although Ventisquero only began producing wine in the Maipo Valley in 2000, it has quickly become one of Chile’s most exciting wineries. Today the estate has prime vineyards in the country’s top terroirs including Colchagua, the Coastal Maipo valleys, Lolol and Leyda. Named after Chile’s stunning “hanging glacier” in Patagonia, this young winery celebrates the natural beauty of the earth which is translated into the glass by Ventisquero’s talented winemakers and vineyard workers.

Their Atacama Syrah honours the rugged and remote Atacama desert in northern Chile which is one of the most extreme wine regions in the world. One of the pioneering wineries in the region, the Ventisquero team has faced and overcome huge challenges to turn their corner of the desert into a flourishing vineyard. The vines planted here give tiny yields in the tough conditions and the grapes are handled with minimal intervention including manual harvesting despite the extremely hot summer temperatures.

Once in the winery the Syrah grapes are fermented using wild yeasts and vinification is carried out without filtration and with a tiny dose of sulphites. 24 months of ageing in used French oak barrels completes the winemaking process, creating an intense yet beautifully balanced Syrah that exudes luscious dark berries, dried herbs, and hints of graphite on the finish. Powerful yet elegant, this is a great wine to cellar for a few more years or enjoy now with herby roast lamb, charcuterie, aubergine parmigiana, or earthy game dishes like venison.