When we think of innovation at Viña Morandé, Golden Harvest is one of the clearest examples of our commitment to pushing the boundaries of Chilean wine. Since its creation in 2000, this wine has set a precedent in the category of national sweet wines. The vision of Pablo Morandé, the winery’s founder, was always to craft a Late Harvest of exceptional quality in the Casablanca Valley, and Golden Harvest is the realization of that dream.
The El Ensueño vineyard, located in Lo Ovalle, is the birthplace of this unique wine. Situated in the coldest part of the Casablanca Valley, it is constantly influenced by morning fogs from the coast, creating high relative humidity in the summer and encouraging the appearance of the coveted Botrytis cinerea or “noble rot.” This condition is key in producing the world’s greatest sweet wines, as it concentrates the sugars and acidity in the grapes, resulting in complex and elegant wines. However, in our conditions, noble rot has only appeared abundantly in three memorable vintages: 2000, 2007, and 2013.
The vinification process of Golden Harvest is entirely artisanal and requires meticulous attention. After selecting the best clusters with proper dehydration and fungal development, we hand-remove the berries and press them in vertical hydraulic presses. This method yields two types of juice: one liquid and another dense, with a honey-like texture. Both musts are fermented in oak barrels for nearly a year, where they develop exceptional aromatic and structural complexity.
What truly sets Golden Harvest apart is the incorporation of a proportion of botrytized grapes equivalent to the 6 puttonyos classification in Hungary, following the tradition of the great sweet wines of Tokaj. This detail distinguishes it from a conventional Late Harvest and gives it unparalleled depth and longevity. The wine then remains in its original barrels for a second year before bottling.
Inspired by the legendary wines of Hungary, Ukraine, and Slovenia, Golden Harvest is a Chilean reinterpretation of these historic styles. Its production is extremely limited and entirely handcrafted, making it a cult wine for lovers of the world’s finest sweet wines. Its balance of sweetness, acidity, and structure has led many to consider it the best sweet wine in Chile, and it undoubtedly marks a milestone in the evolution of winemaking in our country.
Golden Harvest is more than a wine; it is the expression of our passion for innovation, respecting tradition while exploring new winemaking horizons. A true testament to how, at Viña Morandé, dreams are transformed into great wines.