Bodegas Chacra ‘Roka’ Malbec 2024

From the winery:

Chacra was created by Piero Incisa della Rocchetta in 2004 with the intention of finding the most unobstructed expression of the climate, micro-climate, and terrior of Mainqué in the Río Negro region of Patagonia.  Respecting the environment by following biodynamic and organic principles, Piero strives to make wines that are transparent, pure, delicate, and floral with a strong minerality.

In Patagonia, a “chacra” is a special piece of land destined to pomology. At the same time, chacras are vital energy centers that provide us with the ability to connect with the whole universe, with everything living and vibrating. In its nourishment, in the marriage with every meal, wine is the companion of pleasure and sensitivity. Wine is intimate and touches all our senses. Chacra aims to enhance that connection.

Respecting and enhancing the community of Chacra is of the utmost importance. We preserve ungrafted old vines, invest in apiculture, and organically and biodynamically farm. We see Chacra wines as a consequence of nature and a reflection of our true respect for the ecosystem.

In agriculture, one must be considered simply a contributor to nature. It is the vineyard that wants to tell us its story. We are a tool that helps to translate it. We try to make our finest drawing, but our canvas is dynamic; its constant movement requires that we make adjustments and take turns quickly.

For Piero, wine is the result of thousands of tiny decisions taken every day of the year and the unlimited variables. Weather is a crucial factor, making flexibility and nimbleness key to adapting to any changes.

At Chacra, enology begins with the intrinsic value of a natural and meticulous maintenance of the vineyards following organic and biodynamic principles.

Harvests usually begin late February to early March. The old vineyard offers polyphenolic maturity and yields a very low natural performance as to the fruit load (1-1.5 kilos/plant). Consequently, these vineyards strike a perfect balance; the lower the yield, the higher the natural concentration of the berries, thus boosting the quality of the vineyards and bunches.

Once harvest begins, grapes are picked in the small hours arriving to the winery with the remaining hint of that distinctive Patagonian morning cold. Only the best bunches are picked; bunches that don’t reach our quality standard are left to feed the birds. At the winery, a second careful selection takes place where the best bunches are chosen to produce Chacra wines.

At the completion of selection, maceration and the beginning of fermentation are carried out in small, round tanks of little depth and great width to maximize skin contact with the must assuring both equilibrium and homogeney.

With regard to maceration, we work delicately and without excessive extraction, in order to obtain a balanced and elegant expression. Fermentation is made at temperatures below 20°C (68°F) with indigenous yeasts in small cement vats. Purification of the wines is made by natural decantation, without filters or other techniques, the intention being to preserve the products’ natural aromas.

We use French oak, extra fine grain barrels, which are dry aged for thirty six months. 32 and 55 and Sin Azufre are aged in barrels of second wine.

At Chacra, we believe farms are complex living organisms. Our approach to agriculture focuses on the balance of its overall development and the relationship between soils, plants and animals to maintain a system of self nutrition, avoiding extrinsic intervention whenever possible and keeping in mind that any food exiting from the estate represents a loss of its nutrients.

Artificial fertilizers and toxic pesticides and herbicides are categorically prohibited. Biodynamic agriculture’s uniqueness lies in the use of vegetable and mineral preparations that are added to compost and aerosols for the land, as well as in the use of a sowing and planting calendar based on the movement of the stars.

Treating vineyards with the utmost respect is the fundamental tenant in our winery. While treating our vineyards organically (certified), we have also undertaken the sensible reasoning that all things we take from the natural habitat deserve a reward, proof of our gratitude. We strongly believe that only a natural habitat can grow distinctive wines; simple wine cultivation that seeks to sustain and support the microcosm of a region; a sustainable form of wine-making that can persist in perfect harmony with the natural environment.

At Chacra, compost is made with fruit skins, autumn leaves and natural guano from the animals in the estate. Biodynamic preparations are also added to the compost, containing microorganisms that naturally enrich the vineyards.