www.lux-review.com Page 25 LUXlife Food & Drink Awards 2022 engineer, Nicole Monteleone and Gustavo Hörmann, oenologist and general manager. By bringing Nicole Monteleone onto the team, the winery seeks to incorporate greater precision and get to a new level of detail in its quest for unique terroirs. A graduate from the National University of Cuyo, at merely 31 years of age, Nicole boasts ample experience in the world of wine, having worked in multiple regions throughout France over numerous seasons. Juan Pablo Solis has been a member of Kaikén Wines since 2015 and a graduate of the Don Bosco School of Oenology and Food Sciences. Within his role, he has successfully fostered a culture of sustainability that results in fine wines of international quality that express the typicity and uniqueness of Argentina’s terroir. Then there is Gustavo Hörmann. He graduated from Universidad Católica de Chile with a degree in Agricultural Engineering, oriented toward his two main passions – viticulture and oenology. He worked for Viña Montes for many years before Gustavo and his family then relocated to Mendoza in January 2016 to take over Kaikén Wines’ management. Kaikén’s team maintains 240 hectares of vineyards distributed over three vineyards in and around Mendoza and Salta. Its wines take advantage of their expertise as enthusiastic winemaking experts and the beautiful soil diversity, climates, temperature oscillations, and heights of the unique Patagonian environments. The vineyards Kaikén has in the Salta province take advantage of the unique makeup of the region. Here, thanks to the latitude, vineyards are found between 1,700 and 2,400 meters above sea level and have a sandy loam makeup which does wonders for the grapes. Kaikén operates out of one of the best-known regions, Cafayate Valley, where it gets the grapes for its Terroir Series Torrontés. Then, comprised of the San Carlos, Tunuyán, and Tupungato departments, the Uco Valley is one of the premier winemaking regions in all of Mendoza. The sandy, pebbly soils are deep – derived from erosion from the Andes - allowing for well-developed root systems in the deep soil. Combined with the oscillating temperature of the zone, such as the cool autumns, produces grapes with great colour intensity and pronounced structure. Concurrently – the Luján de Cuyo department is located on the piedmont of the Andes Mountains. The deep, silty loam allows for extremely healthy vineyard development and is undoubtedly why it is the first winemaking region of Argentina and the home to the greatest number of cellars in the country. Kaikén’s cellar is located here, in the Vistalba district, and it has been growing vines in the area since 2005. By doing so, plying the trade through sustainable practices, and managing around the unique climates and environments; Kaikén lets nature – and its unique produce – express itself. For example, the Kaikén Terroir Series trio highlights Argentina’s winemaking heritage and distinctive varieties through innovative blends made with grapes from the best terroirs in the region. Then the Kaikén Ultra range expresses the current pinnacle of Kaikén’s winemaking. These bottles are crafted from experience viticulture teams who make top-quality wines at the foothills of the Andes mountains. Additionally, its grapes are carefully cultivated on estates in the Uco and Vistalba Valleys. Finally, Kaikén’s sparkling wines are made from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes using sustainable but traditional methods. Aged for two years in bottle before being released, these wines have true finesse, with an extraordinary balance between richness and delicacy. All of Kaikén’s wines are genuinely exceptional and take advantage of years of experience and expertise to reach the levels of clarity and excellence that they have. The team’s knowledge of each step, process, and ingredient are down to the most granular of details to ensure that absolutely nothing is overlooked or left to chance. Kaikén has its work down to a delicate science, taking advantage of industry experience and deep technical and academic understanding – to ensure its craft is precisely as it should be. Its two decades in the business highlight not only the brilliant success of its output on the market but the sustainability of these techniques and practices to allow Kaikén to remain successful. Contact: Soledad Mayorga Company: Kaikén Web Address: https://kaikenwines.com/
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