Kaikenes are wild geese, native to Patagonia, that fly across the Andes between Chile and Argentina. In the same way, Montes, the Chilean winery, crossed the Andes to set up in Mendoza. Their vineyards are situated in the heart of Mendoza and further to the south in Valle de Uco, where many of the premium producers are now sourcing their fruit. The focus is primarily on Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon, a variety that has been somewhat forgotten as Malbec has surfed one wave of success after another in the past decade. As a result, there are many old vineyards in Mendoza that produce excellent fruit. Kaiken's own vineyards supply 70% of their production requirements and 30% is from vineyards that they control. The vineyards are situated in the Agrelo zone, 60 kilometres from the city of Mendoza, at an altitude of 950 metres above sea level. Soils here are derived from the erosion of the Andes Mountains and are composed of silt, clay and sand. There is also a layer of stones at a depth of about two metres. The grapes were hand picked and transported to the winery in 300 kilogram bins to avoid damaging the fruit and to keep it intact for manual selection in the cellar. Fermentation and maceration lasted approximately one month. Once fermentation was complete, 60% of the wine was aged for six months in French oak barrels, after which the wine was lightly filtered prior to bottling. This Cabernet Sauvignon is deep ruby in colour. Fresh red fruits intermingle with aromas of eucalyptus and menthol. On the palate, the wine is soft and vibrant with a long finish.