Semillon D.O. Apalta
Location
Apalta is a horseshoe-shaped valley in the Central Region of Chile, bounded to the south by the Tinguiririca River and encircled by granite hills covered with native hualo woods. Apalta is one of the last areas in Chile where Semillon grapes are cultivated.
Terroir
Grapes are sourced from a plot called "Las 90 Hileras", dating back to 1930. The soils consist of sandy loam overlaying granitic sands resulting from the weathering of the surrounding hills. The topsoil is shallower and less clayey than elsewhere on the property, allowing the roots to penetrate up to 3 meters deep and access sufficient moisture throughout the growing season without irrigation. The proximity to the high hills limits sun exposure preserving the wine's freshness. The ungrafted vines, originating from a historical massal selection, naturally maintain balance and produce fewer but highly concentrated grapes.
Winemaking
The grapes are destemmed, cooled and placed in the press. After cold decanting, which takes place at 4 to 7°C, the clear must is separated from the sediments and transferred to cement eggs and barrels, where alcoholic fermentation takes place. Temperatures do not exceed 16°C and fermentation takes about two weeks. After this, the wine is kept on its lees, which are stirred once a day to increase volume. About 9 months later the blend is made. The base comes from the cement eggs, whilst the barrel components add some complexity.
Grapes
Sémillon
: 100 %