Cousiño-Macul Isidora
Wine Description
Isidora Goyenechea was born in 1836 to a family of prominent silver miners in northern Chile. She married Luis Cousiño in 1855, with whom she had seven children. Luis died in 1873, leaving Isidora with the challenge of raising their family and becoming steward to a group of companies ranging from coal mining to winemaking. Isidora courageously took the reins of both family and business, becoming one of the leading figures of Chilean society during the second half of the nineteenth century. Isidora's role in Cousiño-Macul's history may well be compared to that of the great "champagne widows" like Veuve Clicquot, Louise Pommery and Elisabeth "Lili" Bollinger. Her contributions to philanthropy and the development of the arts have added to her reputation as an outstanding feminine figure in the history of Chile. In an effort to convey Isidora's elegance and strength, her name and personal crest have been selected as the signature elements for this new Sauvignon Gris label. Season 2011-2012 began with a very dry winter, followed by a warm springtime that allowed for an even sprouting. The summer presented higher average temperatures than normal resulting in an advance in the harvesting date for the majority of the white varieties. The condition of the grapes was excellent and with good ripening thanks to the weather conditions. We started harvesting the on the second fortnight of February. In general the wines are fresh and savory, with intense fruit bouquets that are typical of the variety. 100% of the grapes were pressed to accentuate the natural freshness of the wine. A 30-day fermentation in stainless steel was followed by 5 months of aging in stainless steel tanks before bottling in October.