The grapes for our 2007 Single Vineyard Carmenère were sourced from our Max V vineyard at the Don Maximiano Estate in the Aconcagua Valley. This vineyard was planted in 1992 and is trellised to vertical shoot position. The area features an extended dry season with moderately warm summer days cooled by gentle afternoon breezes that blow in from the Pacific Ocean. Given Carmenère’s with high vigour potential, it is particularly important to achieve good balance between plant vigour and crop load. It is a late-ripening variety with a high concentration of pyrazines that produce green pepper aromas when the grapes do not fully mature. Canopy management is essential to ensure good maturity and includes pulling selected leaves 5 or 6 weeks prior to harvest to allow the autumn sunlight to penetrate the foliage and reach the fruit zone to aid in ripening, eliminate herbaceous aromas, and maximize the flavours and aromas of the fruit. CLIMATE: Mediterranean climate with a long, dry season and winter rainfall. ALTITUDE: Max V (560 meters /1,837 feet above sea level).). SOIL: Deep, of alluvial origin, with a loam to sandy-loam texture and 50% stone compound. Picking Date: 3rd to 9th of May HISTORIC AVERAGES: HEAT SUMMATION (Oct-Apr): 1,727 degree days (19ºC/66.2°F cut-off). MEAN TEMPERATURE (Oct-Apr): 18.9ºC (66ºF) TEMPERATURE OSCSCILLATION (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, although the October through December heat summation in the Aconcagua Valley was slightly lower than usual, which did not affect vineyard growth. In October, 50 mm of rain fell in Aconcagua, which affect flowering and thus decreased the final production. Temperatures during the January through April ripening period were lower than the historic average and as a result, the maturation process was slower than usual in the area. The low yields and cool conditions helped the grapes reach good levels of maturity, with rich flavours, sweet and very high quality tannins, and maintain excellent acidity.   The hand-picked grapes were transported to the winery in 12 kg-boxes and then carefully selected on a sorting table. The fruit was deposited into stainless steel tanks for fermentation at 26º to 30°C (79º-86ºF), depending on the desired level of extraction and seasonal conditions (microbiological load, potential alcohol). Regular aereative pumpovers were conducted during fermentation to keep the cap moist, thereby achieving complete extraction of the anthocyanins, tannins, and aromas from the skins, and providing the wine with the desired structure, backbone, and aromas. These aereative pumpovers are especially important in Carmenère to polymerize reactive tannins, eliminate herbaceous traces, and encourage colour set. Total skin contact was approximately 25 days. The new wine was then racked directly to 100% new oak barrels (43% French and 57% American) and aged for 12 months. Fining occurred naturally as the wine decanted over the course of the year. Deep violet-ruby red, with a nose that starts with notes of sweet spice and chocolate and leads into black fruit that builds along with characteristic black pepper notes. Full of rich flavour and excellent typicity on the palate, with notes of roasted red peppers, soy sauce, cinnamon, and blackberries, complemented by tobacco and pencil lead. This is a lush, mouthfilling wine with soft, ripe and very sweet tannins and a firm acidity that refreshes and guarantees longevity in the bottle. Aconcagua Valley Don Maximiano Estate 97% Carmenère 3% Shiraz 14.5% by vol. 3.48 5.90 g/l (tartaric acid) 2.60 g/l