2005

GENERAL INFORMATION

The 2004-2005 season resulted in a very good harvest, from which we expect exceptional wines.

During the months of October and November the average maximum temperatures were 0.5 Celsius degrees less than normal and resulted in an average delay of 10 days for flowering and fruit ripening.

In general terms, there was an absence of rain during the fruit’s ripening season, and although there were some high temperatures, during March and April maximum temperatures were generally moderate.

The main challenge of the 2005 harvest was the long wait to reach phenolic maturity for each variety. The monthly heat summation was less than usual from the budding stage onwards.

As an example, in the Aconcagua Valley the accumulation of degree-days during the 2004-2005 season was 1730, 120 degree days less than in a normal year (1850 degrees -day).

The lower heat summation resulted in the slower development of the different phenolic stages such as flowering, setting, colouring and ripening, resulting in greater sugar levels in the clusters and a delay in the general phenolic maturity.

The fresh and dry climate allowed us to wait patiently until phenolic maturity was reached, ensuring that the fruit was preserved along with a good concentration of round and soft tannins.

From this, the agricultural and enological team could forecast that 2005 would be a season in which monitoring and tasting the grapes would be very important to ensure that each lot reached maturity.

Intervening with leaf-pruning and pre- and post-colouring was of the outmost importance in all our vineyards to improve the micro-climatic conditions for the fruit, decrease the presence of green flavours in the fruit and strengthen its normal phenolic evolution rate. The overall condition of the fruit and low rainfall ensured that it was in optimum condition when picked. Between the months of March and April 25mm of rain fell in the Aconcagua Valley and 50mm in the Lontue Valley.

VALLEY OF ACONCAGUA

In general, development was very slow and by mid March the tannins in the red varieties had started to mature bywhich time in previous years the Merlot and Sangiovese had already been harvested.

The harvest in the Aconcagua Valley took place between the first week of April and the first week of May. It began inMarch with Merlot at the Las Vertientes vineyard and ended by mid-May with Carmenère in Panquehue.

The reds are characterized mainly by a high concentration of antocyanins, giving wines of intense and lively colour aswell as full and structured mouths. 2004 was similar but in 2005 the tannins are sweeter and rounder.

In addition to a deep colour intensity, the Cabernets exhibit full mouths, tannins of great softness and sweetness, including the lots from the West of the Valley whose tannins are usually less sweet and firm.

Carmenère present great colour and sweet and soft tannins, showing the usual potential of this grape variety in theAconcagua Valley, especially when the vineyard is adequately worked upon in terms of balance, exposition of the fruit with leaf plucking and the correct maturity is achieved.

For a second consecutive year, the Merlots have given good results. The wines are exceptional, with very good colour and juicy, long mouths. The round tannins are quite different from the hard and even drying tannins usually produced by this difficult variety.

Climatic conditions caused slow maturation and together with careful irrigation during the ripening stage, undoubtedly resulted in the elegance and good fruit expression of this variety.

This year, Shiraz as well as Carmenère, again stands out in the Aconcagua Valley. The wines have good colour, mouth sweetness, and the already classic complex notes of black and ripe red fruits as well as spices. In the vineyard, this grape variety stood out for its vigour at the beginning of the season and for its generous production of clusters. To achieve quality grapes and thus wines, it was necessary to thin early in the season.

SEÑA ESTATE

During August 2004, preparation of the soil began ready for the planting of the second stage in the higher areas of the Seña property. Its total surface area measures 27 hectares, and contour terraces will be planted in the highest areas.

The varieties selected to be planted during July-August 2005 are: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Carmenère, Merlot, Malbec, Shiraz and Petit Verdot. In April, the expert in biodynamics, Mr. Alan York, visited the property and will consult over the conversion of the Seña project from a conventional management system to a biodynamic system.

During his visit a review was made of the development of the property as a whole, the optimum location of each variety was analysed, and the first biodynamic preparations were carried out for next spring’s treatments.

In this area of the valley, Rabuco de Ocoa, the heat summation measured in degree days from October to April was lower than normal (1740 compared to 1900). This meant that be April the Merlot was barely reaching its optimum maturity and the Cabernet Sauvignon was three weeks away from harvest.

The vineyard was divided into different areas in accordance with vigour levels and ripeness follow-up, allowing us to make the correct harvesting decisions, proof that this is an extraordinary terroir and that this should be an outstanding vintage for Seña.

The Merlots exhibit intense and profound colour, and mouths with strong but ripe tannins.

The Cabernets reached good maturity after a prolonged wait, exhibiting good fruit intensity and structured mouths.

CASA BLANCA VALLEY

The unusual climatic conditions, in respect of a lower heat summation, was less evident in the Casablanca Valley due to its proximity to the sea. Heat summation recorded in our La Escultura Vineyard, located Northeast of the valley, was of 1480 degree-days, lower than the normal 1540 degree-days. Phenological processes such as flower and colouring were characterized as long and uneven, while the maturity of all lots was 10 to 15 days later than in 2004.

As a result of the rain on March 11th rain, the valley hit the news. The immediate effect was the development of acidic rotting in the Chardonnay. Once the first symptoms were observed, we treated the vineyard to stop the problem. The clusters that had been affected were removed although less than 5% of the fruit was destroyed and thus this did not have a big impact.

Sauvignon Blanc was not affected and we expect extraordinary quality. This season will probably be remembered as one of the best for this grape variety. The wines retained good acidity that provides freshness. They are remarkably intense, with a wide range of aromas, from citrus to tropical, but also floral and herbaceous notes and sweat, providing a fresh and lively style. Mouths are full and of good volume. These results have been achieved by careful vineyard management.

The Chardonnays exhibit good, balanced mouths and nerve. La Escultura’s characteristic tropical notes are highlighted, as well as the mouth volume of the 2005 wines. It remains to be seen if the intensity of the fruit increases over time.

The Pinot Noirs exhibit their typicity with good fruit intensity. The colour is amazing for its intensity in a grape variety that does not precisely stand out for this characteristic. However, they still need to develop mouth feel in both volume and softness.

COLCHAGUA VALLEY

In the Caliterra vineyard the beginning of the season lead us to expect a difficult harvest. Spring in Colchagua had many cloudy days, especially during the flowering period. In November, during the flowering term, we had 20mm rain.

Climatic conditions improved from December onwards, and finally the heat summation by April was of 1879.5º day, higher than the 1822º day historic-recorded.

In early March, 7mm of rain was recorded. After this climatic conditions improved during March and April and finally there were some exceptionally sunny days with the absence of morning fog. April was especially warm with average maximum temperatures of 27.9º C compared with the historic 23.2º C.

The good climate conditions however, over these last months did not have an effect, and the ripening process maintained its one-week delay in comparison with last year.

Important pruning in the cluster area was carried out in March for all varieties, to ensure good exposure to sunlight.

With controlled irrigation and good climatic conditions we were able to wait until maturation to start the harvest.

By the end of February we began the harvest, picking Sauvignon Blanc at its peak, giving wines with high tartaric acidity, adequate alcohol and great aromatic intensity.

The red varieties were harvested when ripe, with the optimum level of tartaric acidity, healthy skins and lignified seeds.

We began to harvest Merlot on March 28th, later than the previous year (March 10). Careful irrigation meant that there was a very low collapse in this variety and excellent maturity. As last year, the greatest part of our Merlot was harvested at night to facilitate cold macerations and enhance its aromatic intensity.

As usual, Cabernet Sauvignon exhibited its structure, concentration and personality, but softer, round tannins, a result of the work in the vineyard. Shiraz and Malbec surprised us again with their great colour, structure, concentration and soft tannins, with intense ripe fruit and perfume.

This year’s great revelation was the Petit Verdot with big but soft tannins and a deep black colour. Carmenère was picked in May as usual, producing ripe fruit and sweet, soft and gentle tannins.

CURICO VALLEY

As in most of the Chilean valleys, in Curico the harvest was delayed by the effect of the lower heat summations recorded in the summer. Budding, and subsequently flowering, was delayed by 5 days due to a fall of 2º C in the average mean temperatures during September. The spring term was characterized by strong bud growth favoured by 41 mm of rain in October, 100% more than last year. Rain instability persisted during the flowering period. A fall of 45 mm of rain harmed flowering and therefore setting in Chardonnay and Merlot varieties, in spite of having blunted the tips of the buds in flower to favour setting. No important rainfall occurred during the months of February, March until mid-April.

This year’s Chardonnays and Sauvignon Blancs exhibit good aromatic expression and good natural acidity that will provide the future blends with longevity and freshness. A lot that always marks the quality of Curico’s whites is the Sauvignon Blanc from Patagua, which this season excels in quality, character, sweat notes and vibrant acidity. The natural acidity of the wine is of 6.4 gr/l this year, against 5.8 gr/l in 2004, reflecting a positive quality trend in this grape variety.

The harvest of the reds in general was delayed for approximately 10 days beginning with Merlot on March 20th and finishing with Carmenère on 8 May. One of this season’s positive qualities is the more intense and deep colour existing in most of the lots. The Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits the typical red fresh fruit of the zone of Sagrada Familia. The mouth feel presents tannins that will require time for ripening and roundness.

The Merlot provided its customary quality, with wines of great colour, medium body and good aromatic intensity, mainly with notes of fresh red fruits.

This season the Shiraz and Carmenère stand out for their quality. The Shiraz has an exceptional colour with very good typicity, exhibiting red fruits and meaty flavours, with soft and easy tannins. They are very fresh wines, palate-friendly.

There is a greater diversity in the quality of Carmenère, as compared to the 2004 vintage. Within the aroma profile, there is a wide range from sweet spices and cloves to green pepper, including soy sauce, roasted pepper and ripe red fruit. In most cases they have a deep and intense colour and juicy, sweet tannins.

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