THE TERROIR OF CALIBORO Searching for a new "Terroir" in the wine valleys of Chile was comparable to a treasure hunt. First came the basic research work. By thorough and detailed investigation in meteorology and geology I discovered that one area of Chile showed the best potential for producing red wines with grand aging perspective: the Maule Valley. Particularly the hilly highlands lying just east of the central valley. What makes this area so special is a combination of intense luminosity from consecutive months of clear skies, fresh dry southerly winds that blow all through the warm seasons, yet just enough rainfall to allow dry farming. In all the optimal harshness, typical of dry Mediterranean climates, for growing traditional red grapes. The second step was finding within this area "The Terroir". Luck brought me to Caliboro, a pre-Columbian human settlement, inhabited since ancient times by the Andean civilizations, and in more recent times reserved by its owners from expropriation in the land reforms. Caliboro has gently sloping alluvial terraces embraced by the river Perquilauquen, rounded hills protect the river banks from the harsh north winds and numerous springs provide plenty of drinking water. In the XIX century a large wine cellar was built and vineyards planted to supply the nearby main house of the Caliboro estate that extended 22 thousand hectares. In the XX century, during the land reforms, the owners reserved from expropriation the land comprising of the cellar, the vineyards and the surrounding hills, to be known from then onwards as "La Reserva de Caliboro". Today, on this historic land still rich in native vegetation and wildlife, we planted a chosen selection of Cabernets and Merlot, brought especially from Europe for the purpose of creating Erasmo, a blend of the best Andean mother earth and the ancient tradition of my family in producing quality wines.

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