![]() ![]() Currently, only the second bottling to be released into the US, the 2018 vintage, has finally hit the market. This unique section of old Cabernet Sauvignon vines typically go into the icon Clos Apalta bottling, but for vintages considered outstanding for this precious plot, a separate bottling within the Lapostolle line, under the name ‘la Parcelle 8,’ is released. But no matter the technical requirements, whether it is expressed in the wine is all that matters. And so, each plant is an extension of one that was planted in 1909, and so, to some, that may count as a vineyard over a century old, and to others, it may not officially qualify. This way, it helps to keep these extremely old plants going, as they lose about 3% of these old vines every year. Marcottage is a very time-consuming practice where a cane coming from a grapevine is buried into the ground, where it will sprout roots and grow another plant. Another reason is that they employ the practice called marcottage in France, yet known as layering in other parts of the world. One such, is located in Barossa Valley, Australia: Penfolds Cabernet Sauvignon Kalimna Block 42, which comes from vines believed to be around 130 years old. Still, she would never call their old vines the oldest of that grape variety, as there are possibly other plots around the world that might be older. Andrea has always had a deep love for the land, and that, combined with being raised in an artistic family, naturally led her to create something very artistically beautiful from nature – wine.Īnd she is undoubtedly thankful to work with such excellent vineyards, especially such rare old Cabernet Sauvignon. However, her homeland, Chile, ultimately called her back. That is where head winemaker and viticulturist Andrea León completes the puzzle with her extensive winemaking experiences in France, Italy, the US and New Zealand. The next piece of the puzzle was finding the ideal person to oversee their treasured vineyards as well as make excellent wines. And so, those low-yielding Cabernet Sauvignon vines planted in poor soil – encouraging low yields of concentrated grapes within an area with a wonderful balance between enough sunlight and moderated temperatures, sat safely in obscurity until a well-known French family discovered them. Most of the 20th century in Chile involved instability within their government with excessive taxes and a tremendous amount of regulation that created insurmountable barriers, ultimately preventing the wine industry in Chile from taking off. ![]() But that would never come to pass, as the winegrowers in Argentina, many immigrants from Europe, fiercely fought the agreement, and in the end, it never came to fruition. It was the turn of the 20th century in the country of Chile, where the Pactos de Mayo agreement, combined with the opening of the Transandine Railway, would deter a war between Chile and Argentina as well as normalizing business relations that would include a free trade agreement between the two countries. It wasn’t ideal as their yields would be low, but at least they could sell grapes to make wine that would be exported to Argentina, and a whole new opportunity would open up for the next generation, as they would have enough money to send their kids to school.Ĭirca 1940: An electric train on the Transandine Railway between Argentina and Chile Getty Images In the local dialect, apalta means “bad soil,” – referring to the low fertility of the land, so, very little in the way of crops could grow, except wine grape vines. Apalta is shaped like a horseshoe with mountains and rivers surrounding it, moderating temperatures. These hardworking and newly hopeful people lived in a sub-region called Apalta Valley within the region of Colchagua in central Chile. The isolation that was like an iron-clad cage around their desolate town would be destroyed, and they would be free to connect to a wider world while also losing the safety of only being among the close-knit community of multi-generational neighbors. ![]() For the first time in a long time, the locals felt excited as they were on the edge of a precipice that was at once terrifying yet thrilling. ![]()
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