.

Fran

çois

Lurto

nFr

ançois

Lurto

n

epresenting the 5th generation of the

Bordeaux Lurton Family, François Lur-

ton set up his own business in 1988 fi rstly with

his brother Jacques. Today he runs the company

single-handedly and owns and produces

wines in estates in four countries;

Argentina (Alta Uco Valley, Mendoza)

since 1996, Chile (Lolol, Colchagua Valley)

since 1999, France (Languedoc-Roussillon

since 2001), and Spain (Rueda/Castilla y Leon

& Toro) since 2002.

It is Chile that has become his second home.

hile is a paradise for vines with very little disease and a stable cold climate.

Although making wine in Chile since 1992, it was not until 2000 that the perfect « cool » location at Lolol in the Colchagua Valley was found by François and his brother Jacques for their own domain. They purchased 200 hectares of land here (bringing together seven different landowners in the same family), in an area that at the time had not been used for vine growing.

Today the estate has 26 hectares of vines and Lolol has become a sought after area of wine production. Being on the « Ruta del Vino » and

in such a stunning location, wine tourism is being developed on the estate to cater for the growing numbers of wine enthusiasts to the Colchagua Valley. Visitors are able to visit the vineyards on horseback and appreciate the natural biodiversity to be found due to its biodynamic practices.

Chile is a very narrow country sandwiched

between the Cordières of the Andes and the

Pacifi c Ocean with a range of hills near to

the coast which creates its unique climate

well-suited to vine culture.

HACIENDA ARAUCANO

VINEYARDShe Lolol Valley is a sub-appellation of the Colchagua Valley which is particu-

larly cool due to its proximity to the Pacifi cOcean and the morning mists that are

funnelled up the valley. This is unique to Lolol and means that it is more similar to cooler re-gions in the north such as Leyda or Casablanca rather than Colchagua.

34043’51 South / 71035’18 West

Hacienda Araucano is located just outside the small historic village of Lolol in Chile’s Colchagua Valley, just over two hours’ drive south of Santiago down the Route 5. It lies 30 km west of Santa Cruz, its closest town.

The estate is located in a valley that runs from East to West which funnels cold air from the Pacifi c Ocean. The difference in temperature between the sea and the land causes a white fog to develop, the ‘Humo Blanco’, which can be seen most mornings just above the vineyards of our estate. It marks the limit of how far the fog reaches inland.

LOCATION

The climate is hot during the day and very dry but the oceanic breezes and morning fogs from the Pacifi c (only 40km away), cool the temperatures and make the area more temperate. Most of the rain (650mm per year) falls in winter months (so irrigation is needed). Temperatures fall to -2°C in the winter and rise no higher than 28°C in the summer months. Nights are always cool.

CLIMATE

VINEYARDS de Lolol SIZE : 26 hectaresVineyard Chomedaue: Size 15 hectares Our vineyard at Chomedaue lies on fl at land behind Santa Cruz. It is trained in pergola with the bunches of grapes hanging down below the foliage. This protects the grapes from sun scorch. The viticulture here is organic.EXPOSITION : North-facing slopes (equivalent to the nor-thern hemisphere’s south-facing)

VINEYARDS

Sauvignon Blanc / Chardonnay / Carmenère / Cabernet Sauvignon / Cabernet Franc / Pinot Noir / Syrah / Malbec / Petit VerdotThe terroir here is very much adapted to Pinot Noir and Syrah. Depending on the exposition of the vi-neyard plots; we have chosen to grow these varieties to benefi t from the variety of soils and the exposition of our vineyards.Sauvignon also excels here. Picking is done early to benefi t from the aromatic peak of the grapes.

GRAPE VARIETIES

. To increase the organic matter of the soil

we compost all the residues of our grapes

(skins, seeds and stems) which are already

organic. This is then applied directly to soil

in the vineyards.

ORGANIC CULTIVATIONAT LOLOL

We have chosen biodynamic cultivation for our vineyards at Hacienda Araucano as we believe that producing wines as naturally as possible is good for the environment, good for consumers and tastes better! We have noticed a marked increase in the aromatic profi les of our wines particularly Sauvignon and Pinot Noir.

Our vineyards at Lolol serve as a organic pilot, the practices of which we then transfer to our

other estates across the world. It is a good place to start as in Chile very little disease exists natu-

rally. There is no fungal disease such as mildew (the bane of wine producers across the world).

The biggest problem are red spider mites but we have found natural ways of controlling these!

There is no phylloxera so the vines are “franc de pied”, ungrafted having their original rootstock.

. To replace the use of chemical herbicides we

use alternative practices;

- Growing sward of a mixture of grass and herbs

which is eventually mulched into the soil to provide

organic matter. It also gives a home to benefi cial

insects.

- Mechanical weed control by ploughing of the

alternate rows.

- «Intercep» machinery for under-vine weed

management.

- 50 sheep over-winter and graze the grass.

Chickens and turkeys can also be seen in the

vineyard.

. To replace the use of chemical insecticides we use

« Intergrated Pest Management » and biological

control ;

- At Lolol, one of the main pest problems

are small Red Spider Mites. The best

solution we have found naturally is

applying a product based on hot local chilly!

- We encourage « benefi cial insects » to make

their home at Lolol by providing the right habitat.

We have created a waterway through the pro-

perty to encourage biodiversity

The effect of all of our «green » actions are

notable, with increased wildlife on the estate inclu-

ding many wild fl owers, swallows, small Chilean

quails and hares in the vineyards. More useful

to the vine is the increase in ladybirds (a natu-

ral predator to the plant eating insects) and

bees which help to fertilise the vines.

. Plant, mineral and cow manure-based ‘pre-

parations’ are used to help soil fertility and to

combat fungal disease and insect attack. These

are added to the compost or sprayed directly

onto the vineyard.

. We work with the Astronomical Calender (lu-

nar and cosmic movements) to check the correct

timing for vineyard activities (planting, pruning

and spreading compost) and also in the cellar

(racking and bottling).

oday the emblematic variety of

Chile, Carmenère for many years

remained hidden, confused as Chilean

Merlot. It was not until 1994 that French

ampelographer Jean-Michel Bourisquot

identifi ed it as Carmenère, the lost grape

of Bordeaux.

Carmenère is related to Cabernet

Sauvignon but its tannins are sof-

ter and gentler when it is very ripe.

It has notes of red fruits and berries and

has a distinctive smokey characteristic

of fragant tea. Due to the diffi culty of its

ripening in Europe it is unreputed as a noble

variety and certainly not normaly estee-

med « fi ne » enough to be a varietal,

François was convinced of this Bordeaux

variety’s potential for fi nesse and com-

plexity and set about discovering how best

to let this « sleeping beauty » reveal itself.

Alka is the fruit of the quest to prove

that Carmenère is capable of producing

a complex, fi ne wine on its own.

The very long and late ripening of the Carme-

nere grape provides no problem in the climate

of Lolol. Its cool morning fogs lengthen the ripe-

ning season, perfect for this grape variety which

here shows its plump and rounded style.

Vines from the estate in Lolol and old vines in

the best known sub region of the Colchagua,

“Apalta” provide the backbone for this wine.

Short pruning, severe green harvesting and re-

moving the leaves to expose grapes directly to the

sun, concentrate the grape’s aromatic compounds

and to avoid the risk of any herbaceous notes

which this variety can portray if not mastered.

Harvesting is done by hand early in the morning,

the grapes are cooled and undergo a long cold

soak before fermentation. This is the secret to

the success of Alka. In this « acqueous phase »

the extraction is soft and gentle. François uses

the portuguese system of foot-treading in the

traditional lagares to carry out a soft extraction

of the skins before the fermentation introduces

alcohol.

The wine is fermented in barrel and aged in barrel

for 18 months.

Very intense, this wine shows aromas of candied

fruit and fruit from the blackcurrant family. These

aromas are accompanied by notes of oak, brioche,

cinnamon and gingerbread to make this a

aromatically complex wine.

200791 pts - Wine Advocate (December 2010)

Double Gold Medal - San Francisco International Wine Cellar (Abril 2011)

91 pts - International Wine Cellar (May 2011)

200991 pts - International Wine Cellar(May 2012)

2010Gold Medal - Wines of Chile Awards 2013(January 2013)

93 pts - Wine Enthusiast (April 2013)

200592 pts - Wine Advocate (May 2009)

The 2005 Carmenere Alka offers a complex aromatic array of spice box, cigar wrapper, pencil lead, sage, and blueberry.Supple ripe and plush on the palate, this fl eshy effort has plenty of fl avor, good balance, and a pure fi nish. Give it 2-3 years in the cellar and drink it through 2020. Hacienda Araucano is owned by Francois Lurton.

«By Jay MILLER

«

91 pts - International Wine Cellar (March 2008)By Stephen TANZER

200390 pts - International Wine Cellar

Silver Medal - Wines of Chile Awards

90 pts - Wine Advocate

Very quickly the wine was recognised as a leading

fi ne wine from Chile with complexity, fi nesse and

potential for ageing. Today the fact that we can do a

vertical tasting from 1997 is proof to this (recently

tasted by Andreas Larsson, the Swedish sommelier

and wine critic).

aking wine in Chile for the fi rst time in 1992, François was immediately convinced of the enor-mous potential to produce very fi ne wines. It was not until 1997 that he was able to fulfi l this ambition and produce his fi rst Gran Araucano - “Araucano” is the name given by the Spaniards to Chile’s indigenous people. Finding some small plots of “franc de pied” both Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay vines (without grafting onto rootstocks) near to the town of Santa Cruz which produced unusually concentrated grapes and using some Grand Cru tech-niques from his homeland, Bordeaux, he produced his fi rst “Gran Araucano” wines.

Beautiful, very deep red colour with

glints of cherry.

Powerful and concentrated nose

showing notes of blackcurrant,

raspberry and subtle vanilla-

fl avoured toasted aromas.

Good volume in the mouth with nice

tannic concentration. Wonderfully

long aromatic fi nish.

200890 pts - Wine Advocate (March 2012)

Cabernet Sauvignon

2009Gold medalBest Cabernet Sauvignon of ChileWines of Chile Awards 2012 (January 2012)

90 pts - Wines Advocate (January 2013)

The 2008 Gran Araucano Cabernet Sauvignon spent 18 months in oak. It emits an alluring nose of violets, Asian spices, incense, tobacco, and assorted black fruits. This leads to an elegantly styled Cabernet with enough underlying structure to evolve for 2-3 years. This nicely proportioned offering will be at its best from 2013 to 2023.

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Cabernet-Sauvignon

2005Gold Award - Best of the Best Award - American Espress Tower Club Wine Award 2012 ( October 2011)

The nose is fresh and elegant

with hints of black fruit jam,

redcurrant and mulberry. It is a

wine that reveals itself in stages,

bringing to light the complexity

of this blend, with background

hints of black leather, white

pepper and liquorice. The overall

effect is rounded off by aromatic

power, displaying an elegance

proper to the style of Lolol Valley.

his wine represents the essence of the cool climate of Lolol with its signifi cant maritime

infl uences. It is made up of the best plots of vines of four grape varieties that excel in these

conditions of gentle, slow ripening; Carmenere, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Cabernet Franc.

The grapes are handpicked, double sorted and then left for a lengthy cold soak to gently extract

the fruity aromas and smooth tannins. Once fermented separately the different grape varieties are

blended together and are aged in French oak for 18 months. A true Chilean wine with a French touch.

2000088888817 pppppttttsssss - Jancis Robinson (October 2010)

90 pppppttttsssss - Wine Advocate (March 2012)

2000099999992 pppppttttsssss - Wine & Spirits (February 2012)

2000077777791 pppppttttsssss - Wine & Spirits (March 2010)

This wine’s acidity acts as an engine of freshness running through the middle of superripe fruit. Tannins provide an additional lift, supporting the wine’s substantial weight. A blend of cabernet franc, carmenere and syrah, this is struc-tured to age for several years, then to serve with roast lamb.

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Terracotta crimson colour.

A very intense nose with ripe fruit,

prune, blackcurrant and strawberry

jelly aromas.

The palate is round and smooth with

a full body, and a long fi nish.

Intense purple color with purplish

hints.

Very intense nose of ripe fruits,

cherry, toasted.

In the mouth, it offers a great inten-

sity, with ripe tannins. Remarquable

wine, thanks to his purity and his

elegance.

The wine has wonderful brilliance

and a beautiful pale golden colour.

The nose is marked by candied

lemon, aromatic herbs and very ripe

white fruits. Very intense, with notes

of vanilla, brioche and butter from

the light use at home.

The attack is supple and fat,

enhanced by superb acidity on the

fi nish.

Pinot Noir

Carmenere

Sauvignon

he difference in temperature between the cold waters of the Pacifi c Ocean (around 10°C) and the tempera-ture of the land causes a morning mist to form (ra-

ther like in Carneros Bay, Napa Valley) which is funnelledup the East to West valley to Lolol. This mist is called the « Humo Blanco » and serves to extend the coolness of the night untillate morning. This particularly suits the cool climate grapes such as Sauvignon and Pinot Noir – hence the creation of these two wines, rich and aromatically expressive but also fresh and uplifting with fi ne well-integrated use of a touch of oak. The cli-mate in Chile, and more particularly the exceptional conditions at our vineyard in Lolol, combined with our winery facilities, have enabled us to produce, for the fi rst time, a successful wine without sulphites, with the Carménère grape.

90 pts - Wine Advocate (December 2010)

Medium straw-colored with an alluring nose of mineral, baking spices, citrus, and gooseberry, on the palate, it is smooth-tex-tured, vibrant, and savory. It should provide considerable plea-sure for several more years.

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Sauvignon 2009Gold Medal - Concours Mondial du Sauvignon 2010 (June 2012)

Pinot Noir 2009 90 pts - Wine Advocate (March 2012)

93 pts - Guia Peñín (July 2012)

- Sauvignon, our great speciality and a variety that is thriving at the Hacienda, set close to the sea.

- Chardonnay, the fruit of grapes selected from different parts of the Colchagua Valley, which undergo

two types of fermentation – Oxidative; providing body and roundness, and Reductive; to curtail the

buttery side of this variety, producing a fruity and crisp white wine;

- Cabernet Sauvignon, a dense wine with excellent tannic structure. This wine clearly bears François’

signature, as the level of alcohol is controlled to perfection, to produce a fruity and well-balanced

wine;

- Carmenere, with its characteristic « boiled sweets » nose, a very well-balanced wine, which shows

spice, fruit and richness with a sweet fi nish.

- Pinot Noir, François’ favourite wine. He decided to plant this variety in Chile as it shares a climate

similar to that of California, where excellent Pinot is produced. This is an approach that François

wants to develop further. Pinot Noir is a very delicate variety that, in this case, produces a wine

that is very fresh, fruity and easy to drink, with lots of « sweetness », from the concentrated ripe fruit.

- Syrah, it is a cool climate Syrah full of peppery and wild blackberry aromas but with the acidity

and structure that hotter climate examples sometimes lack. Lolol has recently become reputed as

the best location to plant Syrah in the whole of Chile.

- Cabernet Franc is the rising star among the Chiliean varietal mosaic. Its unical expression due

to Lolol terroir takes a large part in our Clos de Lolol blend. Today, we offer it to you as a single

varietal form, with a powerful and deep balance.

The HACIENDA ARAUCANO RESERVA cool climate fruit-focussed varietal wines:

Attractive ruby colour with slight bluish tones. Aromas of ripe fruit particularly blackberries and cherry. Black pepper, notes of vanilla and toasted bread complete the aromatic palette. A wine which has a soft full attack denoting the warmth of the vintage and a long fi nish of ripe fruit fl avours.

Great depth of colour with various shades of purple.A spicy wine, showing aromas of white pepper, liquorice and black cherry.A supple, elegant and long wine, the spices found on the nose linger on in the form of retronasal sensations. A real cool-climate Syrah.

Very deep intense colour. Concentrated nose of liquorice, blackcurrant and a minty freshness. Exceptionally rounded and soft on the palate with additional aromas of white pepper and liquorice. On the fi nish slight grilled notes of coffee come through.

Ruby color. Even on the fi rst nose the wine gives off aromas of blackberryand black currant. Notes of grilled sweet pepper and vanilla.It has a lovely roundness on the palate. Its fi nish matches its nose witha touch of oak.

Deep intense ruby colour. Concentration of intense aromas of black fruits particularly blackcurrant with a touch of vanilla. Full and well-rounded on the palate with an attractive minty freshness and a long structured fi nish.

The wine has a beautifully brilliant very pale yellow colour with glints of green.Aromas of citrus fruits, especially grapefruit and lemon zest, predominate. The mouth is very round and fl attering with a superbly fresh and acidic fi nish, still powerfully aromatic.

The wine has a beautifully brilliant pale yellow colour with glints of gold.Aromas of white fl owers, peach, melon and candied lemon predominate. The palate is well-balanced, fat, with good persistence and notes of oak on the fi nish.

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