Lapostolle Cuvée Alexandre Syrah Las Kuras Vineyard

Wine information: Lapostolle was founded by Alexandra Marnier Lapostolle and her husband Cyril de Bournet in 1994. The Marnier Lapostolle family, founders and owners of the world-renowned liqueur Grand Marnier, is famous for producing spirits and liqueurs, but the family has also been involved in winemaking for generations. In creating Lapostolle, the family has pursued the same uncompromising approach to quality that made Grand Marnier a global success. Its objective is as simple as it is ambitious: to create world-class wines using French expertise and the superb terroirs of Chile Today, Lapostolle owns 370 hectares in three different vineyards and produce a total of 200.000 cases spread over Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Carmenère, and Syrah. Lapostolle winery is located in the town of Cunaco, right next to Santa Cruz. It is the original winery, where Lapostolle was founded in 1994 and today it is here where both the Casa and Cuvée Alexandre wines are produced. With a traditional Chilean old hacienda style, it has a production capacity of 3,300,000 litres in stainless steel and French oak tanks, and more than 3.500 French Oak Barrels. After many years of hard work at Lapostolle, they finally completed the organic certification process for all our three vineyard properties. On September 30, 2011, the registered and accredited German-based environmental certification company CERES – Certification of Environmental Standards – authorized all Lapostolle estates in compliance with Chilean, North American, and European required standard. Today all three of Lapostolle's estates – Atalayas, Las Kuras and Apalta – do not use any artificial fertilizers, chemical pesticides, herbicides, plant growth regulators or genetically modified organisms. Instead they have integrated animals, bees, organic compost, recycling and the proper treatment of water, among many other tactics, to fulfill our vineyard management and winemaking duties. Lapostolle have just releasde the Cuvée Alexandre Syrah Los Kuras 2009, the inaugural wine from the portfolio to be officially certified “Made with Organic Grapes".

100% Syrah from Las Kuras Vineyard, Requinoa, Cachapoal Valley, Las Kuras Vineyard is located only 5 kilometers from the base of the Andes Mountains, on an old river bed. Under a semi-arid Mediterranean climate, the Las Kuras Vineyard in Cachapoal Valley appears to have a unique and suitable climate for grape growing. Most of the rain usually occurs in winter, between May to September, with an average annual rainfall around 510 mm. Between November and April, the vines grow normally under dry conditions. Although the days are moderately hot in summer (82-86° F), the nights are pleasantly cool (54-58° F), as a result of cool breezes blowing off the mountains of the Andes. The vineyard consists of alluvial terraces are areas of shallow soils, with an abundance of round river rocks and gravel, similar to the Graves of Bordeaux. The high percentage of pebbles provides excellent drainage, great aeration and low fertility. Also, the stones trap the heat during the day to deliver it by night, creating a unique microclimate. Las “Kuras” means “stones” in the native language. All the wine was aged 21 months in new French oak barrels.

Tasting Notes: Lapostolle Cuvée Alexandre Syrah is intense and dark, inky purple with deep purple shades. The nose has powerful, rich aromas of jammy red and black fruits & berries. Meaty qualities of bacon fat balanced against spice & floral qualities towards the end with framing notes of nutmeg and vanilla from the well integrated oak. Overall, very complex and attractive. Concentrated & very well balanced on the palate with soft, velvety tannins lingering in the mouth. Very rich mid-palate and a long finish.

Food & drink match: Goes very well with rich red meat such as lamb, beef and wild boar. Serve at 16°C.

 
     

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