This Flaherty 2013 Aconcagua Red Blend composition starts with Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon which were sourced from the windy Manzur Encon vineyard next to the Putaendo River, which was planted in 2000 and has alluvial sandy loam soils with lots of river stones. The Tempranillo is from the vineyard at Ed and Jen’s home near Santa Maria, a warmer section of the Aconcagua Valley with well-drained loam soils. Following the varietal composition is of 64% Syrah, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Malbec, 6% Tempranillo, and 4% Petite Syrah. All varieties come from the Aconcagua Valley.

Elaboration: All the grapes were hand harvested and crushed directly into small one-ton open-top fermentation tank. The fermentations are punched down by hand three times per day. After macerating for a total of 19 days, on average, the wine was basket pressed and then racked to barrel. The wine was aged 18 months in barrel with one barrel-to-barrel racking. The barrel components included 18% new American, French, and Romanian oak and 82% two and three-year-old French and American oak barrels. The wine was filtered but not fined before being bottled. This wine could be drink now through 2020.