The Ayni Estate
Ayni is produced in a state-of-the-art winery, Chakana, built with the purpose of achieving outstanding quality.
Chakana winery was founded by Juan Pelizzatti on May 2nd, 2002. Juan was driven to enter the wine industry first and foremost by his passion for wine, and also by the desire to invest his time and money on a product of agriculture. Although Juan did not know it at the time, the company was founded on the same day the Chakana was celebrated on the Andes highlands: on that same day, the Southern Cross (the Chakana for the Inca people) becomes vertical in the night Andean sky.
Juan's mission is to create an integral experience to introduce world consumers to the taste and culture of the Andes. His vision is to become one of the top 20 exporters of wine from Argentina, by consistently offering outstanding value for money.
Wine is currently produced in four different levels at Chakana, by winemaker Gabriel Bloise:
Entry Level: Maipe
Reserve Level: Maipe Reserve, Cueva de las Manos, Nuna
Estate Selection
Ayni
The winemaking process is focused on treating the grapes with great care and with strict control of every step of the production.
Wines are designed under the responsibility of the renowned international wine consultant Alberto Antonini.
The winery is located on a 150 ha. estate, 34 km South of the city of Mendoza, in Agrelo, Lujan de Cuyo.
The grapes grown are 35 year-old Malbec, Bonarda and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Deep and textured soils facilitate plant development and confer great body and structure to the wines.
The year-long sunny and dry conditions allow almost organic viticulture practices. The outstanding feature includes a great daily thermal amplitude, with mild days and cold nights, permitting a particular richness of polifenols that improves the wines flavors and color.
A drip irrigation system has been set up to achieve a precise control of the vegetative cycle and a rational use of water. Waters are processed and used in the vineyards.
The Ayni Vineyards
Chakana sources grapes from their own four estates:
Agrelo
Acreage: 150 ha, 120 ha with vineyards
70 ha entry level
40 ha reserve level
10 ha estate & ayni
Acreage by varietal at Agrelo Estate:
Malbec: 50 ha
Cabernet Sauvignon: 30 ha
Syrah: 10 ha
Bonarda: 10 ha
Tannat: 2,5 ha
Petit Verdot: 2.5 ha
Cabernet Franc: 1.5 ha
Aspirant Bouchet: 2.5 ha
Ancellotta: 2 ha
Sauvignon Blanc: 4 ha
Viognier: 2.5 ha
Chardonnay: 2.5 ha
Wine Profile: Medium bodied, elegant, fresher fruit. Round tannin on gravels.
Terroir: Very heterogeneous – deep clay to sandy clay gravels; cool climate
Altamira I
Acreage: 15 ha, Malbec high density. Planted in 2010, not in production
Wine Profile: Full bodied, impressive tannic structure and roundness, spicy and complex.
Terroir: Sandy clay gravel, limestone; cooler climate
Altamira II
Acreage: 36 ha, 26 ha with vineyards
20 ha malbec, estate and ayni level
4 ha chardonnay, entry level and reserve
2 ha pinot noir (used for sparkling wine)
Wine Profile: Medium bodied, elegant, fresher fruit. Round tannin on gravels.
Terroir: Very heterogeneous – deep clay to sandy clay gravels; cool climate
Terrada
Acreage: 21 ha, all in vines
100% malbec, old vines, high density
Reserve – Estate Selection
Wine Profile: Complex, ripe fruit, medium bodied, elegant.
Terroir: Sandy clay gravels, 70cm. soil depth, Some limestone; warmer climate.
They also source wines from contract suppliers in Ugarteche and Medrano, for entry level wines, and in Vista Flores, for Estate Selection & Ayni levels.
Ayni Malbec Paraje Altamira is made from 100 percent Malbec.
Ayni is the Quechua term for the principle of reciprocity, practiced for centuries by the Andean people - "in order to receive, you first have to give." Chakana's renowned Paraje Altamira vineyard, which sits 3,300 feet above sea level, bears the name Ayni & is the source of the Ayni wines.
Deep ruby-red in color with violet hints. Complex and intense bouquet, featuring blackberries, cherries and plums, with delicate floral notes and spices. Balanced and fresh; full-bodied with good length of spices.
Pairs well with grilled meats and stews.
Review:
"Ayni hails from the poor soils of the southern part of Paraje Altamira and is a serious, structured, ageworthy Malbec that needs a little more time for its tannins to soften and integrate. The underlying wine is impressive, with laurel and thyme aromas, lots of chalky intensity and compact damson and black cherry fruit. 2025-35."
- Tim Atkin (Argentina Report 2022), 94 pts
Ayni is the quechua name of a principle of reciporcity practised for centuries by the andean cultures, it means in order to receive something you first have to give. Ayni is also the name of our most special vineyard, located in Paraje Altamira one of the best appelations within Uco Valley in Mendoza.
Argentina has a history of sparkling wine production since the early 1960’s.
Tasting Notes: Aged for 18 months on its lees before disgorgement. It’s a creamy with a nice toast aroma. It is made in a well-balanced style, with fine bubbles and a dry, palate-cleansing finish.
Vineyards: 100% Altamira in the Uco Valley subregion
Soil type: Sandy loam over calcium carbonate coated gravels, 30 to 50 cm deep
Grapes: 100% Pinot Noir
Average age of the vines: 10 years
Winemaking: Methode Traditionnelle (Champenoise). Aged sur lattes for 18 months. Made following the tratidional method, fermentation goes until it gets totallay dry. No liquor is added to keep the freshnes, elegance and purity of is clean profile.
A versatile wine, good on its own or paired with any food.
"An impressive first release for this all-Pinot Noir bubbly from Paraje Altamira, aged for 18 months on its lees before disgorgement. It’s a creamy, bready, well-balanced style, with fine bubbles and a dry, palate-cleansing finish. A fizz to watch. 2017-22"
- Tim Atkin (Argentina Special Report 2017), 92 pts
"Perhaps with the same sort of structural power that Altamira reds possess, this sparkling rosé shows something immutable in body, lively texture, bracing acidity. The wine spent 18 months on the lees and this, no doubt, provides flavor complexities well beyond the fruit, but still the fruit predominates with intense aromas, substantial, and crisp, lively acidity. If what you’re looking for is a sparkler for carpaccio or roast beef, this is it."
- Descorchads 2018, 94 pts
DAOU Vineyards Soul of a Lion is made from 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Cabernet Franc, 7% Petit Verdot .
The 2020 vintage presents an alluring profusion of black cherry, mulberry and Oregon blackberry aromas with notes of leather, cigar box and dark chocolate. Hints of desert sage and crème de menthe accent the rich fruit. The palate is silky and voluptuous, delivering loads of currant, cassis, black raspberry and ripe cherry. Notes of fig and baking spice are underscored by earthy tones of dates and truffle. Mature, ripe tannins yield a weighty, velvety texture integrated with a limestone minerality and subtle oak. A lengthy finish leaves lingering impressions of blackberry, plum and espresso with a touch of white pepper. A wine of immense staying power that will evolve favorably for many years to come.
Review:
Impressively dark in the glass, this bottling pairs intense purple fruit and flower on this nose with more roasted, umami-laden aromas. The elegant palate is a master class in tannin management, proving firm in structure yet soft in mouthfeel. Flavors of blackberry jam, cocoa, walnut and cracked pepper ride a lingering acidity into the finish.
-Wine Enthusiast 97 Points
Demoiselles Sancerre Blanc is made from 100 percent Sauvignon Blanc.
The name "Les demoiselles" (translate as "The young ladies"), refers to the beautiful migratory birds (Cranes) that fly over the town of Sancerre twice a year (in the Fall going South to spend the winter in the African continent, and in the Spring going back North to spend the Summer in Northern Europe). These graceful birds offer a unique and impressive show when they sometimes land on the banks of the Loire River. The Fleuriet family wanted to highlight this exceptional grace and express an elegant and refined bouquet in this Sancerre Demoiselles cuvée.
The wine shows a bright yellow color with green highlights, a fruity nose with aromas of white flowers and acacia. Light-medium bodied in the mouth, supple and well structured, its concentration and crisp acidity make it a harmonious and food-friendly wine.
Pairs nicely with fresh goat cheeses, oysters with lemon, grilled lemon chicken breasts and Mexican dishes. Serve these whites at 46 °F (8 °C).