The grapes for our 2008 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon came from our vineyards in the Valle de Aconcagua just a few miles from our flagship Don Maximiano Estate. This region features a Mediterranean climate where moderately warm summer days and cooling afternoon breezes result in a high diurnal temperature variation (20°C/36°F) in the weeks prior to harvest. This encourages high concentrations of polyphenols (anthocyanins) and creates wines with great colour intensity. The vineyards soils are primarily alluvial origin from the Aconcagua River and generally have very good drainage conditions. This alluvial base is topped with varying depths of colluvial deposits with low to medium vigour potentials. This combination encourages balanced vine growth and good maturation in the grapes. Vineyard management includes drip irrigation and cane pruning. Vertical shoot positioning provides the vines with longer solar exposure throughout the season and encourages the development of high quality fruit.

The winter of 2007—one of Chile’s coldest and driest in 40 years—had innumerable effects on the 2008 vintage. The levels of soil moisture in the spring were significantly lower than in previous years and ultimately resulted in delaying the harvest by 10–14 days with respect to the previous season. In terms of temperatures, the spring— measured from mid-October through December—was colder than historic averages for the area. From January onward, however, the Valle de Aconcagua experienced high temperatures that reached up to 34°C / 93°F on some days in January and then dropped to normal average temperatures in February through April. Covered canopies, non-restrictive water management, and moderate fruit loads ensured healthy fruit with good acidity, freshness, and intensity.

The grapes were hand-picked from late April through the second week of May and transported to the winery in bins. The fruit was crushed into stainless steel tanks and fermented immediately at 26°C - 30°C (79°- 86°F) with 2 pumpovers per day. Because the grapes for this wine come from different vineyards, post-fermentation maceration time of the lots varied from 12 to 20 days of extended skin contact. 33% of the wine was aged in French and American oak barrels for 6 to 8 months, depending of the development of individual lots to help round out the wine and contribute to a sweet mouthfeel. After the final blend was made, the wine was cold settled and lightly filtered before bottling.

Our 2008 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is an attractive ruby-red with a nose that shows pleasing notes of sour cherries and strawberries intermingled with tobacco. The juicy palate is medium-bodied with a solid structure, a level of acidity that is very nicely balanced by its firm yet sweet tannins, and a pleasing finish.