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    Premium Wines

    What is a Premium Wine?

    It is mistakenly thought that the category is the only thing that determines the price of a wine, of course it is something that must be taken into account, but there are also other variables to define whether a wine is high-end or premium . Take note because below we will review the best tips...

    Raw material

    In this aspect, the type of strain or the union of these, called assemblages, intervenes. It is common to find high-end wines from the Cabernet Sauvignon strain, although it has currently diversified to other varieties such as Carménère, Malbec, Pinot Noir and Syrah.

    Now, the mixture of strains called assemblages or Blends seek to build unique and representative wines of the locality from which the grapes have been harvested. They respond to the European school of premium wines and Chile adopted it as a way to rescue peculiar places in our geography.

    The conduction system used also influences: espalier or grapevine, since the grapevine will allow greater production than the first. All this will indirectly impact the price.

    Denomination of Origin or the origin of the grapes

    In Chile there is a well-established zoning by the Ministry of Agriculture for the cultivation of wine grapes. There are certain localities that have stood out for producing wines of great national and international prestige. The most emblematic cases are the areas of Pirque in the Maipo Alto Valley, the town of Apalta in the Colchagua Valley, San Javier, in the Maule Valley, Lo Abarca in the San Antonio Valley and Talinay in the Valle del Limarí.

    Performance

    There are grapes that are scarcer than others, which require greater care in the different cultivation fields. Yields per hectare, that is, the amount of grapes that are harvested in a given area. They influence the quality of the grapes, therefore, the quality of the must. A characteristic of premium wines is that their production or yields are limited in the production of raw materials.

    Manual or Mechanical Harvest

    It will undoubtedly have an impact on whether the grape harvest is manual or mechanical. The first, thanks to the treatment of the grape grain, will provide a better quality of wine, but at the same time this procedure makes the product more expensive. When this occurs, it is almost 100% communicated on the wine labels.


    Stored in Barrel

    It must be taken into account whether the wine was aged in wood, but what type of wood? Since French oak (more expensive) is not the same as American oak. Now we move on to the use of the barrels, which can be for first, second or third use. Finally, the months of aging will also determine a higher quality wine. Generally, high-end wines are about 18 months in first-use French oak barrels.

    Packaging and Supplies

    The type of bottle, label and cork, among other inputs, are usually of better quality. A high-end wine will never have a plastic cork or screw cap. Typically, the bottle is larger and heavier.

    Words that guide

    There are some words that may appear on the label and that help guide you when choosing a high-end wine, for example:
    • Premium : They usually have an excellent quality of the grapes, a great winemaking process, 18 months of aging in barrels and at least 2 years of aging in the bottle. An example that meets all these characteristics in GAW is the Q Clay wine, a blend mainly of the Syrah grape, from the Colchagua Valley of the Bisquertt vineyard. Buy it here

    • Icon : They are the best grapes, from the best barracks, with the best barrels and the best bottle aging process. Without a doubt, the excellence, dedication and affection that can be delivered in a bottle. An example of all these attributes in GAW is the Magia Negra wine, an assembly of four grapes, where the main one is Cabernet Sauvignon. All from the Maule Valley, from the Casa Donoso vineyard. Without a doubt an emblematic wine. Buy it here

    • Limited Edition : They generally meet the conditions of Premium wines, however their main difference is that they ensure a limited production in a certain time. They are very versatile lines that evolve over time. That is to say, perhaps tomorrow they will no longer exist to give way to different wines. At GAW , you can find Limited Editions from Viña Morandé, specifically a Carménère from Maipo and Cabernet Franc from the same valley. Buy it here

    • Single Vineyard : These are wines from a specific and well-defined geographical area. The goal is not only to appreciate the virtues of that specific terroir, but also its defects. The idea is to transport us to that place and deliver wines with identity.
    • Small Productions : It is a simile of the concept of Limited Editions

    Prices

    The important thing about the concept of a high-end wine is not to stay with the idea that it is the price that defines it, since it will be difficult to believe that in Chile a wine for $3,500 pesos for sale in a supermarket or specialized store can be premium. The quality gap in our country is generally approximately $10,000 pesos for a bottle with the characteristics described above. Now, can we find premium wines at a lower price? The answer is yes, but there are very few exceptions.

    With all of the above we can conclude that as a consumer each one has to develop their own high-end concept and the value in which they place these wines.

    If you have any questions or comments, do not hesitate to contact our Sommeliers at whatsapp +56976840114 or at ventas@gaw.cl

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