The  ideal  2013  growing  season  was  classic Alto  Maipo  conditions,  presenting  overall  moderate temperatures with cool spring months. Warm and dry conditions during bud break through flowering got things off to a great start followed by a warm summer days and cool nights. A nice warmer stretch from mid January through February helped ripen the crop, and we enjoyed a long, even ripening phase during March that gave the fruit the extended hang time we were aiming for. Total heat summation during the growing season reached 1,589 degree days (DD), 36 DD more than the previous year, and 10 DD higher than the average of five last seasons. Total rainfall reached 55 mm, 85% more than the average of the past five growing seasons. Harvest arrived as expected in beginning of April delivering a remarkable crop of beautifully rich, ripe and intense fruit.

To avoid exposing grapes to temperatures, they were handpicked in the morning and transported in small 12-kg boxes. We followed the progress of ripeness through aerial pictures, which allowed us to identify homogeneous lots and differentiate harvest moments according to each case. On arrival at the winery, the grapes were carefully inspected on a double selection board to remove vegetal remains and damaged berries to ensure the quality of the wine. Fermentation took place at 24º-28ºC in in small-volume stainless steel tanks to help increase the percentage of contact between skins and juice. The wine undergoes three daily pump operations depending on the level of extraction desired in each case. To enhance aromas and colours, the total maceration time was of 23 to 40 days, depending on the individual development of each lot. The wine was racked to French oak barrels, 90% of them new, where it underwent malolactic fermentation and was kept for 22 months. Clarification and stabilization occurred in a natural way during this period.