Chivite: A wine legacy dating back from the 17th century

Chivite: A wine legacy dating back from the 17th century
By Sherwin Lao
Bodegas Julián Chivite is the oldest wine producing dynasty in all of Spain, and one of the most durable wineries in the world. Founded in 1647, the winemaking tradition has been passed from generations to generations and remains family owned till present. Today, the company is run proudly by the four energetic Chivite heirs: Julián, Carlos, Fernando and Mercedes.
The first breakthrough for Chivite came in the 1860s, when demand for wines from neighboring France was at its highest due to the oidium crisis in French’s vineyards. Oidium is a vine disease caused by fungi that grows on vines during the photosynthesis stages. Oidium can still be a menace to vines but is now easily stopped by sulfur dioxide. Of course as history would reveal, France would follow the misfortune of the oidium plaque with the phylloxera problem in the late 19th century. Phylloxera is the deadly louse-like insect that preys on the roots and destroys the vineyards. Chivite, through the stewardship of Claudio Chivite Rández, was one of the major Spanish wineries that exported heavily to France to cover for the serious French wine shortage. Aside from the successful wine export that brought the Chivite name all over France and other parts of Europe, the Chivite house in Cintruénigo, Navarra, known as ‘‘El Parador’’ also became a popular inn for buyers via coaches en route to Madrid, further spreading the word on Chivite wines.
By the 20th century, Chivite is already a byword amongst wine aficionados. In 1988, the Cintruénigo winery got totally renovated, pioneering in the region the use of modern viticulture and vinification technology. Also on the same year, Chivite bought and annexed the prime Seòorio de Arinzano estate to their Navarra land scope. The Seòorio de Arinzano property is dedicated to the crown jewel wine brand of the family, aptly called Coleccion 125—a commemoration of Chivite’s humble breakout year when it started exporting in 1863, some 125 years earlier. In 1998, Chivite acquired Viòa Salceda winery in Rioja Alavesa, a wine with huge brand equity in the domestic market, and in 2001, Chivite annexed another bodega with the purchase of La Horra winery in Ribera del Duero to complete its present portfolio, and established itself as one of the major shaker and mover of the Spanish wine industry. Chivite’s top wine brands are Gran Feudo, with winery in Cintruénigo, the Coleccion 125 from the modern facilities in Seòorio de Arinzano, the Viòa Salceda from Rioja Alavesa, and recent acquisition, La Horra from Ribera del Duero.
Collection 125
The 1988 purchase of the Seòorio de Arinzano signified the start of the Chivite family’s venture into fine wines. The Seòorio de Arinzano estate is located in Aberin, northern Navarra. This 700 hectare estate is a perfect enclave for wines—blessed with ideal terroir. The area lies at an altitude from 420 to 500 meters above sea level, has climate that ranges from a low of -2 degree’s Celsius to a high of 28 degree Celsius, with good river influence and sandstone soil. Vineyards are planted mainly to local Tempranillo grapes, followed by international favorites, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay. Due to constant pruning and dedication to the optimal physiological growth of each vine, yields has been limited to only 3,500 to maximum of 5,000 kilograms of fruit per hectare—a lot less than the 8,000 kg of fruit yield allowed by the Navarra regulatory council.
In the late ’90s, Chivite contracted renowned Harvard Architecture professor and Navarra born Rafael Moneo to design the region’s most modern winery. And in 2002 the Coleccion 125 Seòorio de Arinzano Winery was inaugurated by the king and queen of Spain. Only about 50 percent of the 700 hectare estate has been dedicated to vineyards to-date, which means so much volume expansion is still possible.
Tasting notes from recent vintages:
• Coleccion 125 Gran Reserva 1996 —‘Garnet color, pruney on the nose, some noticeable fruit acid, dry, medium-bodied, with slight tartiness at the end’
• Coleccion 125 Reserva 1999— ‘Brownish ruby color, raisiney, tangy, some meatiness, wellstructured, juicy acids, full bodied, long star-anise flavor at the finish’
• Coleccion 125 Reserva 2000—‘Ruby color, toasty oak, meaty, dry, medium bodied, some leafiness on the mid palate, long finish’
• Coleccion 125 Reserva 2001—‘Deep ruby color, black currant, sweetly spiced, cinnamon, cassis, dry, full-bodied, with bitter sweet tannins and good minerally finish’
• Coleccion 125 Blanco 2004—‘A 100 percent Chardonnay with bright light gold color, nicely oaked, limey, very fresh, good complexity, dry with tanginess in the mid palate, and a delightful long finish’
• Coleccion 125 Vendimia Tardia 2004 (or Late Harvest)—‘A wine made from Muscat with gold orangey color, nose of petrol, longan, lychee, honey, sweet without being cloying, full bodied, long depth, enough acidity, with some bitter sweet flinty aftertaste’ Coleccion 125 and Gran Feudo wines from the Navarra region are exclusively distributed in the Philippines by Philippine Wine Merchants. For inquiries please contact (02)-832-2523.
Viña Salceda
Viña Salceda was started in 1969 by a political clan, the Rivas family. The 40 hectare land is located in Elciego, on the river banks of Ebro, in Rioja Alavesa. Vineyards consist of Tempranillo, Garnacha and Mazuelo. The first vintage, the 1970 wine, was a smashing success and critics took early notice. The excellent performance of the wines were due to the old vines existing in the area, which can produce much lesser yields than other vineyards, but at higher flavor concentration. The old vines, coupled with modern viticulture and vinification technology, has made Viòa Salceda one of the most successful Rioja wines of the modern age. Already an extremely recognized brand in Spain, the Chivite take-over in 1998, made Viòa Salceda truly international.
Tasting notes from recent vintages:
• Viña Salceda Crianza 2004—‘Black cherry color, fresh cherry nose, very ripe, fruity, vanilla, dry with slight acidity, tannins still aggressive, but not offensive, spicy and peppery on the finish’
• Viña Salceda Crianza 2003—‘Black cherry color, subtle berries, truffles, dry, some acid, medium bodied, with licorice flavor at the end’
• Viña Salceda Reserva 2002—‘Black cherry color, dark berries, raisins, herbaceous, tarragon, toasted bread, long and deep, dry, full-bodied, luscious fruits, very concentrated, silky and black currant and cassis finish’
• Viña Salceda Reserva 2001—‘Dark ruby color, vanilla, prunes, sweet and very ripe, dry, some noticeable acids, juicy acids, long licorice and cassis like finish’
• Conde de Salceda 2001—‘Dark black cherry, prunes, cedar, thyme, black currant, dark fruits, dry with mineral notes on the palate, deeply flavorful, full-bodied, with a cinnamon bark finish’
• Viña Salceda Gran Reserva 1999—‘Garnet color, licorice, plummy, sweet oak, toasty, dry, some stemmy tannins, a bit of coffee latte taste at the end’ Viña Salceda wines from the Rioja region are exclusively distributed in the Philippines by Golden Wines Inc. For inquiries contact (02)638-2025.

Origin: Manila Standard Today