Ritual - Sauvignon Blanc 2015 (750ml)

Ritual is a labor of love.  It connects us to the land we farm, to healthy living soil, and to the daily rituals of artisanal winemaking.

 

Crafting fine wine is steeped in Ritual and grounded in terroir.  We endeavor in creating beautiful wines that are a reflection of this special place.

 

Rated 92 Points by James Suckling

 

“A Sauvignon with a beautiful core of ripe fruit showing dried pear, apple  and green mango aromas and flavors.  Full body, pretty texture without giving away agility and tension.”  James Suckling

 

Ritual Sauvignon Blanc Casablanca Valley 2015

 

Intense citrus and floral notes, balanced acidity and an impeccable smooth finish.

 

Casablanca Valley is famous for Sauvignon Blanc.  Its location between the rugged Pacific Coast and the soaring Andes Mountains produces wines with crisp and intense fruit flavors.

 

This is an elegant Sauvignon Blanc with floral, citrus and tropical fruit characters, richness on the mid-palate, and a long, smooth finish

 

The grapes of this Sauvignon Blanc come from three different plots: Gloria and Mauco, which are pure expression of our native forest, and Terrazas, which showcases the minerality of the Coastal Mountain Range.  Three parcels that show the best expression of this variety in Casablanca.

 

North-facing vineyards

Mica granite soils, sandy loam textures

Planted in 2001

1 Davis clone

 

 

The Estate

 

A Celebration of Place

 

This thriving, wildly diverse ecosystem we call home, is the life force of Ritual and our site-specific wines.

 

Our estate is situated in the extreme eastern end of Chile’s Casablanca Valley, set against the dramatic sweeping beauty of the coastal range and heavily influenced by the cooling effects of the Pacific Ocean and Humbolt Current - ideal growing conditions for cool climate wines.  Vineyards are surrounded by 6000 acres of native forest, creating a balanced, biodiverse landscape for healthy vines to thrive alongside natural wildlife corridors and native vegetation.

 

The Team

 

True leadership

 

Rodrigo Soto, Winemaker

 

Born in Chile, Rodrigo brings a wealth of international winemaking background to Ritual.  He has worked in different wine regions around the globe, including 6 years as head winemaker at the well-known Benziger Winery in Sonoma, USA.  While there, he led the winemaking program for their vineyard-designated wines and expanded their Biodynamic program.  His experiences have allowed him to develop a keen understanding of terroir, honing his winemaking skills and fueling his passion to produce wines that express a sense of place.

 

Paul Hobbs, Consultant Winemaker

 

Paul Hobbs is known for producing highly acclaimed terroir-driven Pinot Noir.  Twice named Wine Personality of the Year by Robert Parker, he is credited with introducing night harvesting, wild-yeast fermentations and extended cold soak time to the cellar.

 

Rodrigo and Paul employ art, dedication and precision to reach the maximum expression of terroir, fulfilling Ritual´s quest to produce exceptional wines from Casablanca.

 

Winemaking

 

Let the vineyards shine

 

We believe in minimal intervention and making wines with authenticity and a real sense of place.

 

Much like our low-impact farming methods in the vineyards, we believe in gentle handling and the revival of Old World winemaking techniques in the cellar.

 

The grapes are hand-harvested in small batches at first light in the cool morning and carefully double-sorted.  Whole berries are added to open-top tanks with hand-punch downs during fermentation.  Wines are basket pressed, and only native yeasts are used obtaining a natural balance and greater purity.  Ritual wines use different containers that deliver unique characteristics.

Oak Barrels: structure

Concrete eggs: texture

Stainless steel drums: freshness

Stainless steel tanks: aromatics

 

These different containers allow us to obtain a natural balance, greater purity, maintain freshness, complexity and an elegant finish.

 

Farming Practices

 

A Natural Balance

 

“We believe in letting the vines connect with their environment over time, this is the art of crafting exceptional wine.” – Ritual Winemaker, Rodrigo Soto

 

Using our own compost to feed the soils to promote a balanced and self regulated ecosystem

 

Cover cropping and seeding for revitalizing the soils

 

Sheep help us mow the grass and act as a natural fertilizers

 

The 6.000 acre native forest surrounding the vineyards provides biodiversity and healthy vines to our estate

 

Wildlife corridors provide a balanced and biodiverse ecosystem for healthy vines

 

We are undergoing an organic farming certification process that will be completed by 2017