Espiritu de Apalta 2017

Located in the heart of the Colchagua Valley, in the Apalta region, Neyen Vineyards stretches across a natural amphitheater facing the Tinguiririca River in central Chile. The vines, planted on hillsides with alluvial and colluvial soils of sand, gravel, and clay, benefit from a Mediterranean climate tempered by coastal influence. Nestled between the Coastal Range and the Andes Mountains, this moderately high-altitude terroir offers significant temperature variations, promoting a slow and balanced ripening of the grapes.

The grapes for this cuvée are hand-harvested plot by plot in the Apalta vineyard, then carefully sorted before a cold pre-fermentation maceration. Alcoholic fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks with gentle pump-overs to delicately extract color and tannins, followed by a post-fermentation maceration tailored to each batch. The wine is then aged in French oak barrels, large casks, and concrete tanks to preserve the balance between fruit freshness, aromatic complexity, and silky texture.

This wine reveals notes of ripe black fruit , fresh red fruit , and floral touches, enhanced by spicy nuances and a delicate oakiness with hints of cedar and vanilla . On the palate, the wine is full and silky, supported by well-integrated acidity , fine and polished tannins , and a long, fresh, and harmonious finish that highlights the purity of the fruit and the elegance of the Apalta terroir.

It was Hernán Cortés who ordered the cultivation of vines upon the conquest of Mexico in 1524. It gradually spread from Mexico southward, reaching Chile in 1555. During the first three centuries of colonization, only país, a characterless and very productive black grape variety, was cultivated in Chile. It was not until the mid-19th century that noble varieties were introduced: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay, mainly. Twenty years later, winemaking was modernized under the impetus of wealthy landowners and French experts who had been forced out of work by phylloxera in Europe. Chile stretches 4,300 kilometers from north to south. It is sandwiched between the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Andes Mountains to the east, the Atacama Desert to the north, and the Patagonian plains and glaciers to the south. These natural barriers prevented phylloxera from entering the country. Although the country is only 160 kilometers wide, it enjoys ideal conditions for growing grape varieties from warm, intermediate, and cool regions, so much so that it is often described as a vineyard paradise. With nearly 300 estates producing bottled wines, Chile ranks between 6th and 8th in the world.