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Haras de Pirque is located in the easternmost part of the Maipo Province, at the foothills of central Chile’s mountain range. This area enjoys extremely favorable climatic and geographic conditions and is well-known for producing high quality wines. The vineyards that surround the estate are bordered by a thoroughbred racetrack and the winery was built in the shape of a traditional horseshoe. The vineyards grow at an altitude of 550 to 650 meters (1804-2132 feet) above sea level, south of the Maipo River on the lower slopes of the Andes’ foothills. In the lower area, the soil is rich in clay while the upper area is rocky. The Andes Mountains and its vicinity to the Pacific Ocean influence the region’s climate: summers are hot and dry but are mitigated by humid ocean air and cool nights. The estate’s vineyards are planted to international varieties (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc) that are able to find a new expression in this territory, as well as to local varieties such as Carménère – one of the most authentic Chilean grape varieties. Haras de Pirque represents Marchesi Antinori’s desire to produce high quality organic wines that express Chile’s winemaking potential while promoting the Maipo Valley’s extraordinary terroir.
The Maipo Valley is Chile’s most famous wine region. Set in the country’s Central Valley, it is warm and quite dry, often necessitating the use of irrigation. Alluvial soils predominate but are supplemented with loam and clay.
The climate in Maipo is best-suited for ripe, full-bodied reds like Cabernet Sauvignon (the region’s most widely planted grape), Merlot, Syrah and Carmenère, a Bordeaux variety that has found a successful home in Chile.
White wines are also produced with great prosperity, especially near the cooler coast, include Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.
A noble variety bestowed with both power and concentration, Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys success all over the globe, its best examples showing potential to age beautifully for decades. Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes in Bordeaux's Medoc where it is often blended with Merlot and smaller amounts of some combination of Cabernet Franc, Malbecand Petit Verdot. In the Napa Valley, ‘Cab’ is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious, age-worthy and sought-after “cult” wines. Somm Secret—DNA profiling in 1997 revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon was born from a spontaneous crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in 17th century southwest France.