Appellation: Curicó Valley
Alcohol: 14% by vol.
Total acidity: 5.0 g/L (expressed as Tartaric Acid)
Residual sugar: 3.1 g/L
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Year of Plantation: 2000
Density: 3,330 plants/hectare (1,350 plants/acre)
Trellis System: Vertical Shoot Positioning
Yield: 14 tons/hectare (5.7 metric tons/acre)
Harvest method: Hand picking, with double selection in vineyard, in the second half of April.
Warm temperate climate with a Mediterranean rainfall regime and a wide range between daytime and nighttime temperatures, resulting from the proximity of the Pacific Ocean (80 kilometers / 50 miles) and the Andes Mountains (50 kilometers / 37 miles). Vineyards receive coastal breezes during the afternoon that help to keep moderated warm summer temperatures. Annual precipitation averages about 600 millimeters (23.6 inches), concentrated mostly during winter months.
Deep, rocky soil with clay loam texture.
Maceration: 18-20 days with cold pre-fermentative maceration for four days at temperatures below 10°C (50° Fahrenheit).
Fermentation: Fermentation starts with active dry yeast (Bayanus) developing at 25°C to 28°C (77° to 82° Fahrenheit), with traditional pumping-over and punching.
Aging: 85% of the wine was aged on its lees for six months in contact with French oak and micro-oxygenation; the remaining 15% was aged for eight months in French and American oak barrels.
Appearance: Deep ruby red color.
Nose: Intense nose of dark cherry, strawberry, cedar and licorice.
In mouth: Juicy and round on the palate with firm tannins that combine well with dark fruits, prunes and roasted nuts with toasty finish.
