Our 2008 Merlot Estate comes from vineyards in the Curicó Valley. Most have sandy-loam soils with moderate to high vigour. The local climate has cold, rainy winters and a long, dry growing season with warm to hot afternoons, cool nights, and frequent morning fogs. This combination delays ripening and helps produce intense flavours and good concentration in the grapes. The Curicó Valley has ideal conditions for developing distinctive primary flavour profiles that lend interesting fruit intensity to the blends. The vertically positioned vineyards are spur-pruned and mechanically irrigated.

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 Curicó Valley 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 manual harvest took place primarily in April and May and transported to the winery in bins, where 100% of the grapes were destemmed and gently crushed into stainless steel tanks. Alcoholic fermentation took place at 26°–30°C (79°–86°F) with 2 pumpovers per day. Post-fermentation maceration times depended upon the development of the individual lots and ranged from 12–25 days of total skin contact. Up to a third of the wine was aged in 1–3-year-old French and American oak barrels for approximately 6 to 8 months, which helped round out the wine and contributed a sweet mouthfeel. After the final blend was made, the wine was fined and lightly filtered before bottling.

Bright cherry-red in colour, our 2008 Estate Merlot offers an interesting combination of red fruit, spice, and balsamic notes on the nose. Cherry and black pepper aromas intertwine with a bit of bay leaf and cloves, as well as a light touch of smoke from the oak. The medium-bodied palate shows a predominance of firm tannins that lend grip and structure. Fruit and toasty flavours combine with well-balanced acidity for a refreshing wine with good texture and a pleasing finish.