Vina Dagaz Cuvee El Camino

Region

Colchagua, which forms part of the larger Rapel Valley, runs southeast to northwest, from the foothills of the Andes on its east to the Coastal Range on its west. It enjoys a perfect climate for viticulture; warm with cool coastal breezes, and dry but with occasional rain and rivers that bring meltwater and nutritious silt down from the Andes.

Producer

Viña Dagaz (Dagaz is a Celtic rune that means ‘the beginning of a new path’) was founded in 2015 by renowned winemaker Marco Puyo and Patricio Gomez-Barris. After many years exploring the different areas of Colchagua whilst working on behalf of other wineries Marco felt that the temperate Mediterranean climate and granitic soils of Pumanque offered a unique opportunity to create something more personal. Drawing inspiration from the granitic soils of Côtes du Rhône, Galicia and Rioja, he wanted to create something that authentically represented the terroir. The first vintage in 2016 produced Tierras de Pumanque; a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Carménère and Syrah. Today Dagaz continue to produce high quality wines showing elegant mineral characteristics and good acidity with great structure. 

Viticulture

The Pumanque Vineyard is located 34 km (21 miles) from the Pacific Ocean at an altitude of 238 m (781 ft) above sea level. It is planted on rolling hills and hillsides at a density of 5,263 plants per hectare and a distance of 1.9 m (6.2 ft) between rows and 1 m (3.3 ft) between plants in the same row. It was planted in 2006 and is trellised to vertical shoot position and cane pruned. The vineyard consists of 20 hectares (49 acres) of Cabernet Sauvignon, 6 ha (15 ac) of Carménère, 11 ha (27 ac) of Syrah, and 2 ha (5 ac) of Petit Verdot. The soil is granitic, with a significant presence of quartz stones in varying degrees of fragmentation. It is deep and permeable, which enables good root growth.

Vinification

Bunches were selected, followed by a cold soaking of 4 days at 8°C. Then fermentation for three weeks and maceration for 10 days. Ageing for 10 months in used French oak barrels to impart subtle aromas and flavours of oak that serve to complement the fruit character of the wine and the expression of the terroir from which it comes.

Tasting Note

This wine has a nice ruby red colour. On the nose it has a lot of fruit intensity such as raspberries and cherries, mixed with light notes of cedar and spices from its ageing. In the mouth it is soft but with a good tannic structure. Elegant and complex with good persistence.

Food Matching 

Steak with herbs, spiced pork cutlets, hard cheeses, grilled vegetable kebabs.