Antiyal Winery
NileGuide Expert Says:
For the most informal, personal, relaxing wine tour you'll ever take, check out biodynamic winery Antiyal.Address:
NileGuide Expert tip:
If you want to know about biodynamic wine and taste some highly-regarded, hard-to-find wines, check out Antiyal for a tour.Description:
Antiyal is considered one of the best boutique wines in the Maipo Valley, and is owned by Alvaro Espinoza and his wife, Marina Ashtonleading organic winemakers in Chile. They cultivate just a half a hectare of Cabernet Sauvignon near their home, and use small quantities of other grapes from the Maipo valley to round out their wines, and this year bottled less than 4,000 bottles (due to the earthquake), though usual production never tops 6,000 botles.
Not only are their wines organic, but they are also biodynamic, which means they concoct various poultices and special herb and animal-based treatments for the land, and follow a strict schedule of planting and harvest, according to the biodynamic calendar.
A visit to this winery is an education in biodynamics, a walk through peaceful wine plantings where the land is plowed by hand and draught animal, and where chickens peck in between at the tasty bugs unearthed. Marina is an excellent hostess, and can explain in as much or as little detail as you like about biodynamic winemaking.
Antiyal, considered Chile's first "garage wine" is reviewed and accoladed by various media outlets, including Wine Spectator, which since the year 2000, has found all of its wines outstanding, earning 90 points and above on their wine scale. Kuyen is another wine bottled here.
Visits can be coordinated directly with the winery or thorugh a wine tourism company that can take you to a set of wineries over the course of a couple of days.
2007 Antiyal
Among the very best wines being produced in South America, a "garage wine" from the celebrated Chilean winemaker Álvaro Espinoza. Made with an organic blend of Carmenère (52%), Syrah (25%) , and Cabernet Sauvignon (23%). Aged in French barrels for twelve months, then cellared in the bottle for six months. Fewer than 500 cases are produced each year.
Antiyal has been a Wine Spectator favorite ever since since its release in 2000, earning 90+ points for every vintage.
Suggested Retail: $65.00
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