Kaikenes are wild geese, native to Patagonia, that fly across the Andes between Chile and Argentina. In the same way, legendary Chilean winemaker Aurelio Montes crossed the Andes to make wines in Mendoza. After several exploratory trips, Aurelio saw the enormous potential for premium viticulture in this region and founded the Kaiken winery in 2002. He aims to make great wines in Mendoza and, in doing so, to show the best of both sides of the Andes. His efforts have clearly yielded great results, with Kaiken named ‘New World Producer of the Year’ by the Sommelier Wine Awards in 2024. In addition, they have now achieved B-Corp certification, illustrating their commitment to responsible and sustainable business practices.
This wine celebrates a collaboration of many years between well-known Argentinian chef Francis Mallmann and Kaiken estate. Known for his distinct style of open fire cooking, ably captured in the first season of Netflix’s Chef’s Table, Mallman’s unstoppable and unique nature is captured by the name ‘Disobedience’. The grapes are sourced from Kaiken’s vineyards in Altamira in the Uco Valley and Vistalba in the Luján de Cuyo region. Vistalba’s chalk and sandy soil, at 1,200m altitude, imparts an elegant and fruit-driven character to the wine. The alluvial and loam soil of the Luján de Cuyo forces vines to penetrate deep into the soil, contributing deep fruit concentration and tannin.
