The Cellar 8 wine guys, who include Matthew Pragnell, Stephen Facey and Vikram Dhiman, are at it again. This time they have launched a line of Argentine wines from Chakana. In from Argentina was Matteo Acme, Chakana’s export manager, who assisted the Cellar 8 team in introducing his wines to the invited guests.

With the number of wine-centric culinary destinations increasing in Jamaica, good business practices call for each to offer some unique gastronomic experiences including beverage offerings. Some establishments partner with purveyors to import special wines exclusively, others like Cellar 8 just import them directly. One of the wines that Cellar 8 went after was from a relatively young winery in Argentina called Chakana Winery.

About Chakana

Chakana was founded in 2002 by Managing Partner Juan Pelizzatti, the son of Italian immigrants with historic roots in northern Italy’s viticulture. Chakana wines are designed under the renowned international wine consultant Alberto Antonini. His philosophy is focused on using modern technology to express the terroir potential in making high-end wines, while respecting the true nature of the grape flavours. This multi-award-winning winery portfolio offers an entry level: Maipe (fresh fruit-forward wines for everyday consumption), an estate bottled organic brand called Chakana Nuna Estate, and more premium complex, barrel-aged varietal wines – Chakana Estate. There is also a super-premium Single Vineyard Malbec known simply as Ayni. Cellar 8 only has a few of these wines on hand now.

What we tasted

Cellar 8 offers the 2016 Chakana Malbec Nuna Estate, by the glass and this organic wine is very approachable, fresh, ripe, full-bodied with layers of crushed plum. It goes down too quickly.

The 2015 Chakana Estate Malbec is a rich, complex, layered harmonious full-bodied wine with intense, fruity flavours and velvety tannins.

Earlier this year, I discovered the 2014 Ayni Malbec, the super-premium icon wine from Chakana. At this event, Cellar 8 poured the 2015 Ayni Malbec, a youthful, but more sophisticated and intense wine with layers of complexity.

Cellar 8’s director and Wine Guy in-Chief-Matthew Pragnell is extremely passionate about wine, and we look forward with interest to see what else he will be adding to their portfolio.

Christopher Reckord – Information Technology Entrepreneur & Wine Enthusiast. Send your questions and comments to creckord@gmail.com. You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram @chrisreckord and on Twitter: @Reckord