Intense, complex nose full of different aromas: white pepper & red fruit at the start, then runes & black cherries with some hints of sweet spices. Juicy on the palate, with soft structure & balance; fresh fruit flavours on the finish. The Rapel Valley is one of the few places with ideal conditions for Carmenere. The climate is semi-arid Mediterranean with winter-only rainfall & warm, dry days during the growing season. Both the Andes Mountains & the Pacific Ocean have a cooling influence on the vineyards. The soils are of alluvial origin with a layer of clay & good drainage. The grapes for this vintage are partly from Lapostolle's own Apalta vineyard & partly from long term contract growers in the region. All grapes were harvested by hand in small cases of 14 kilos & carefully transported to the winery. Winery All grapes were macerated for upto four weeks to extract structure & colour. During maceration, fermenation in stainless steel tanks lasted for about two weeks, utilising the native yeasts. Fifty-eight percent of the wine was aged for six months in French oak, a mixture of new & used barrels.