About This Product :
The Wine: The winter months prior to the 2020 harvest were particularly dry, and summer was very warm. This meant lower yields which automatically has a positive effect on the quality of the grapes. At the same time, the tannins in general are well pronounced, and required careful work in the cellar to achieve the balance that Polkura’s wines are known for. Macerations were shorter and pump-overs were limited. In barrel, the work with the lees is what adds the texture and smoothness we look for.
Varietal : 98% Syrah, 1% Mourvedre, 1% Petit Verdot
Appellation : Marchigüe Area, Colchagua Valley, Chile
Soil type : Decomposed granite with clay
Fermentation temperature : Days 1–3: 27–29ºC Day 3–end of fermentation: 26–28ºC
Alcoholic fermentation : 10 days
Pump-overs : First 2 days: 2 per day with lots of extraction. Day 3 to end of fermentation: 2 per day, determined by tasting. No pump-overs post fermentation
Total skin contact : 40 days
Malolactic fermentation : Spontaneous, 100% in oak barrels
Blend in oak barrels : 100%
Coopers : Sylvain, Nadalié
Grain and toasting : Fine and Extra Fine. M+ toasting
Time in barrels : 12 months
Type of barrels : 100% French oak
Age of barrels : 15% new, 85% second and third use
Rackings : 1
Alcohol :14.5%
Residual Sugar : 2.7 g/L
Total acidity: 5.63 g/L
The Winery: Polkura is the name of a small hill, located inside the vineyard. On its slopes they grow grapes which give rise to this wine. Polkura means “Yellow Stone” in the original language Mapuche, referring to the large amount of yellow granite clay soils distributed by sector. The decomposed granite (maicillo) gives the wine minerality and elegance, while clays provide body and structure. The moderate climate adds fruitiness and spicy notes, resulting in a fine, complex and harmonious wine in perfect balance.
The Winemaker: The journey starts in 1998, when winemaker Sven Bruchfeld along with his friend and university buddy Gonzalo Muñoz, were dreaming of future projects to do together. Gonzalo was studying in Spain and Sven was working during vintage in different wine regions around the world. They met at that time near Narbonne, in the south of France. A tasting of a Mediterranean style Syrah in one of the local wineries matched with a tasty lamb and mint sauce, defined this grape variety as the one to be the base for their future wine.
Once both were back in Chile, they set out to find the best place to develop a vineyard in order to maximize the grape quality and therefore the wine they had in mind.
This is how in 2002 they found the place they aimed. A neglected property in the Marchigüe area -the Western end of the Colchagua Valley- met the soil and climate requirements needed to fulfill their dream.
12 ha on the Polkura hill were planted being 2004, the first vintage.