Chakana is a family owned winery located 960 meters (3,149 feet) above sea level at the foothills of the Andes Mountains in Agrelo, Mendoza. It is one of the leading projects among the new generation of winemakers dedicated to the discovery and expression of the Andean diversity of climate and soils.
Southern CrossChakana is the name given to the Southern Cross constellation by the indigenous people of the Andes highlands. The Chakana is believed to hold the key to finding the perfect timing for the cultivation and harvesting of crops – a calendar, compass & symbolic link between earth and spirit. On May 2, 2002, the Chakana reached perfect vertical position in the sky, marking the beginning of a new farming cycle. It was then that Chakana's founder Juan Pelizzatti chose its name for his winery, paying homage to the Incan understanding of and respect for nature.
Chakana wines are designed by winemaker Gabriel Bloise, whose wines get “better with every vintage” according to Jeb Dunnuck. Gabriel has participated in multiple harvests in key regions of the world, such as Tuscany, California, Priorat, and Australia.
Gabriel & the team at Chakana are committed to biodynamic and organic viticulture & preserving the true character of the soils & region: "Higher quality fruit demands minimum intervention in the winery to create truly enjoyable wines that challenge the established criteria of manipulation: spontaneous fermentation, natural acidity, minimum or no sulphur, locally adapted varieties, no clarification nor filtration preserve the identity of wines."
Chakana owns 121 hectares (299 acres) of vineyards, spread across the top terroirs in Mendoza. They have followed organic and biodynamic viticulture practices since 2012 and have organic, biodynamic & vegan certifications from Demeter, USDA & other organizations.
Chakana produces 150,000 9-liter cases per year and exports to 33 countries. With more than 50,000 cases sold in the USA every year, Chakana is one of the top premium exporters of Argentine wine to the USA.
"Chakana’s wines are getting better with every vintage under winemaker Gabriel Bloise."
- Tim Atkin, Argentina Special Report 2016
