The grapes that go into our 2008 Max Reserva Carmenère came from the Max II, Max V, and Max VI sectors of our Max vineyards in the Valle de Aconcagua, which is known for its extended dry season and moderately warm summer days that are cooled by light afternoon breezes from the Pacific Ocean. The vines are trellised to vertical shoot position, drip-irrigated, and planted on sandy-loam soils with very good drainage. Carmenère is a very vigorous variety, and it is therefore particularly important to reach good balance between plant vigour and crop load. Because it is a late-ripening variety, canopy management is essential to ensure good ripening. Leaves are selectively pulled five to six weeks prior to harvest, which allows the autumn light to penetrate the foliage to the fruit zone and the grapes to ripen thoroughly, prevents herbaceous aromas and encourages the development of good fruit aromas and flavours. Climate: Mediterranean, with an extended dry season and a rainy winter. Soils: Deep and of alluvial origin with a loam to sandy-loam texture and 50% stones. The winter of 2007—one of the coldest and driest seasons on record in the past forty years—brought with it a series of consequences for the 2008 harvest. The springtime soil moisture levels were lower than those of prior years, which uniformly delayed budbreak by 10–14 days with respect to the previous season. This spring was colder than usual in comparison with the area’s historic averages. The Valle de Aconcagua recorded temperatures that reached 34ºC (93ºF) on some days in January, but later returned to the regional norm from February through April. Covered canopies, a non-restrictive irrigation program, and moderate yields ensured healthy grapes with good levels of acidity, freshness, and intensity. The grapes were hand picked and placed on a selection table for careful inspection prior to a gentle crush and being deposited into stainless steel tanks for fermentation at 24º–28ºC (75º–82ºF). Regular pumpovers aid in the complete extraction of anthocyanins, tannins, and aromas from the skins, which contribute structure, body, and aromatic complexity. These pumpovers are particularly important in the case of Carmenère, given that the polymerization of the reactive tannins eliminate the herbaceous notes and help set the colour. The new wine remained on its skins for a post-fermentation maceration that further ensured good tannin and colour extraction. Total maceration time fluctuated between 20 and 30 days, depending on the development of each lot, before racking the wine to French (70%) and American (30%) oak barrels, 75% of which were new. The wine was oak-aged for 12 months, during which it stabilized naturally. Deep violet in colour, this wine offers up an opulent and complex nose. Aromas that recall fresh blackberries intermingle with those of sweet spices such as cinnamon and cloves over a layer of black pepper and tobacco that lends elegance and complexity. There is plenty of volume on the palate, where the Carmenère provides the structure, spices, and black fruits, and the Syrah lends soft, well-rounded tannins. Notes of roasted red pepper and a subtle touch of toast linger long on the palate for an intense and persistent finish. 92% Carmenère 8% Syrah Aconcagua Valley 14.5 % v/v 3.42 6.37 g/l 2.4 g/l