The grapes for our 2007 Max Reserva Merlot came from Max I and Max IV Vineyards at our Max Estate in the Aconcagua Valley. This region features an extended dry season with moderately warm summers and days cooled by gentle afternoon breezes from the Pacific Ocean. Max I was planted in 1978 with French clone 181, and Max IV was grafted onto Cabernet Sauvignon rootstocks in 1993 with the French clone 346. The soils at the Max I vineyard have a thin pulverized granite profile with very low vigour potential; those at Max IV are of colluvial origin with a deeper stratum (1.2 m/3.94 ft) of a clay-loam texture with an absolute absence of stones. These soil profiles feature a low to medium vigour potential and have an excellent balance between vegetative growth and crop load. The vines are trellised in a vertical shoot position with spur or cane pruning depending on the variety and the terroir. They are planted on 5° slopes that face north and northeast. Good canopy management that ensures excellent fruit exposure and creates an appropriate microclimate in the fruit zone, along with yields that average 8 tons/ha (3.6 tons/acre) encourage the ripening of tannins and flavours. Climate: Mediterranean climate with winter rainfall and a long dry season. Altitude: Max I (550 m/1804 ft. above sea level); Max IV (520 m/1705 ft.). Picking Dates: 3rd week of March and 3rd week of April Historic Averages: Mean Temperature (Oct-Apr): 18.9ºC / 66ºF Temperature Oscillation (Oct-Apr): 18.5ºC / 33.3ºF Rainfall (Year Round): 250 mm /9.8 inches The 2006–2007 season registered overall temperatures that corresponded quite closely to those of a normal year. Restrictive water management, low yields, and delaying the harvest for 10–14 days allowed the grapes to reach good levels of maturity with ripe phenolics, rich flavours, sweet tannins, very high quality, and excellent acidity. Fifty mm (2 inches) of rain fell in Aconcagua in October, which affected flowering and ultimately decreased the final production. January temperatures were lower than the historic average, and those of February and the first two weeks of March were 18.9°C and 18.3°C respectively, which contributed to good tannin evolution and overall maturation. The temperature dropped significantly during the third week of March and remained low, which slowed the ripening process and led to a delay in harvest. In order to prevent delaying the entire process, vigour maps were used intensively to harvest early-ripening low vigour sectors within each block. The grapes were hand-picked, carefully selected on sorting tables, and gently crushed into stainless steel tanks. Fermentation was carried out using selected yeast at 26°–30°C (79°–86°F), with three pumpovers per day. The total maceration time varied from 22 to 32 days, depending on the development of the individual lots. All lots were aged for 12 months in new oak barrels, 57% French and 43% American. Deep ruby-red in colour, the nose features notes of blueberries, cherries, and strawberries accompanied by toast and sweet spices from the oak aging. The palate is fresh and lively, with plenty of personality marked by fresh red fruit and fine tannins. The oak delivered notes of cloves and caramel that lend sweetness and complexity to the blend. This is a mediumbodied wine with good structure, a persistent finish, and good aging potential. 91% Merlot 9% Shiraz Aconcagua Valley 14.0 % by vol. 3.43 6.4 g/l (tartaric acid) 2.7 g/l (tartaric acid)