Chakana is the name of the Southern Cross constellation. Its rotation in the sky throughout the year made it an effective agricultural calendar for the ancient Andean people.
Estate Chardonnay is from Chakana's Altamira vineyard (3,200 ft elevation).
Yellow color with green hints. Deep and clean aromas of pineapple, toasty notes and a fresh mineral character and finish. A good body, dense and lively on the palate.
Crabcakes and seafood pasta.
"Generic white fruit and mild oak aromas are easy to like but just as easy to overlook. A pulpy palate is oily and fairly full, with intermixed flavors of melon, orange and nectarine. A steady finish confirms that this is a Chardonnay with potential popular appeal. - MICHAEL SCHACHNER"
- Wine Enthusiast Magazine (August 1st 2019), 88 pts
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 ...
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"In the future, it’s possible that this will be released as an Ayni Chardonnay to partner Chakana’s top red. It’s certainly promising, with notes of honey, spice and stone fruit underpinned by the chalky freshness that’s a feature of Paraje Altamira wines. 2018-22"
"The 2015 Chardonnay Estate is pure Chardonnay from the newly defined Paraje Altamira appellation, with 20% of it barrel fermented and matured in barrique for eight months and the rest aged in tank. It has a reticent nose mixing white fruit and notions of smoke and fennel, and a straightforward palate with some chalky minerality and a dry finish. - Luis Gutiérrez"
"Chakana's 2014 Chardonnay Estate (90% Chardonnay and 10% Sauvignon Blanc, with 20% of it barrel fermented and the rest aged in tank) offers plenty of tropical pineapple, white peach and citrus blossom in a lovely, pure, fruit-driven style. It should drink nicely for several years."
"Bright, light yellow. Aromas of white peach, citrus fruits and flowers lifted by dusty stone. Juicy, citrusy wine, given texture and flavor interest by salty minerality and a complementary oak element. Finishes with decent grip. - Stephen Tanzer"
"This large winery in Mendoza, Argentina makes numerous wines under the Maipe, Chakana and Cueva de las Manos labels. Almost all of them represent good values. The 2013 Chakana Chardonnay Estate sees a small amount of barrel fermentation, but it is largely aged in older wood. It reveals some brioche notes intermixed with orange blossom and Thai lemongrass in a medium-bodied, fruity, more restrained and structured style than the Maipe Chardonnay/Viognier cuvée. Drink now. - Robert Parker"
