Thursday, October 13, 2005
Valdivieso - Caballo Loco #7
From TheWineDoctor.com:
"Caballo Loco, meaning 'Crazy Horse', however, is different. The usual approach to making a premium wine may include pinpointing a suitable vineyard that produces higher quality fruit than other sites, reducing yields, more rigid selection of fruit and perhaps increasing the use of new oak and the duration of oak maturation. Jorge Coderch, however, decided to do something slightly different. Coderch is the winemaker behind Caballo Loco, and he is also the inspiration for its name, for he has long been known as a 'caballo loco'. He has essentially introduced a solera system, similar to that used in the production of sherry, to produce a sequence of non-vintage premium wines. Not only is the vintage an unknown, but so is the encépagement, as Coderch keeps the blend of varieties used a closely guarded secret.
When Caballo Loco No. 1 was made, only half was released, whereas the rest was retained for blending with future wines. Consequently No. 2 was a blend of the new harvest with some of the retained No. 1. Some of Caballo Loco No. 2 was retained, and this was subsequently blended in the making of No. 3, and so on."
From Wine-Pages.com:
"Caballo Loco is made by a solera system of fractional blending, with a base of Cabernet Sauvignon, and bits of Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Carignan and others. No. 6 contains a portion of No. 1, and every Caballo Loco since, in the blend. "
GPCI - Before I decided to buy few cases, I tried this wine first time in Santiago, Chile in May 2005 with Don Guillermo and his son who chose the wine - it was definately an experience to remember - a very unusal wine that challenges your palate (what's in there?) with intensity and power.
I shared this wine with few of my friends... John M, Jim, John B, Gemini, Angelo, Ken please feel free to share your experience and thoughts with CL #7...
