De Martino Alto los Toros Syrah 2010

De Martino is one of the country's oldest family-run estates and is, they claim, not only known for being the first winery to bottle a Carménère, but also for being the first carbon neutral winery in South America. Wow! We can't independently verify these claims, but we do love De Martino can certainly independently verify the quality of this laser-precise, hard-hitting, Szechuan pepper and redcurrant showstopper.

De Martino is one of the oldest family estates in Chile, with a history dating back to 1934. Since the start, their main aim has been to produce wines that reflect their origin. The winery remains family owned and is run by the members, with great attention into detail. The ambition of the De Martino is to produce the most honest, truthful and elegant wines that they can. De Martino is known for being the first winery to bottle a Carménère, for discovering new wine regions and for following organic practices. Plus, being the first carbon neutral winery in South America.

All the wines are carefully produced with wild yeast and with minimum intervention in the vineyard and winery. Winemaker Marcelo Retamal has been working at De Martino since 1996. He is a big figure in Chilean winemaking and was named Chilean Winemaker of the Decade in 2009 in Chile.

De Martino was a pioneer in working in Single Vineyards in Chile. Each wine comes from a limited parcel of fruit (clearly stated in the label) and these are the most refined, terroir-driven wines that we produce. Sense of place is really important in this range and there is a seriously limited quantity produced each vintage.

The Alto los Toros Vineyard is 3.98 hectares and is in the northern region of Elqui. The vineyard is situated at 2000 meters above sea level on the Andes Mountains (making it the highest vineyard in Chile), and is planted on a 45º slope. It is influenced by important oscillations between day and night temperatures.

The wine is made using traditional fermentation with its own yeast. After fermentation the wine was aged in new French Oak barrels for 15 months. No eggs or diary were used during its production.