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 in 2002. It was Aurelio Montes? spirit of adventure and curiosity that led him to Argentina. He was seduced by the people and culture, as well as Argentinean viticulture and winemaking, which he felt was open to new ideas.The Kaiken vineyards are situated in the heart of Mendoza as well as further south in the Valle de Uco, where many 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. Today, winemaking is in the very capable hands of Aurelio Montes Baseden, or Aurelio Junior.