New York : Family-owned, world-renowned Lapostolle announces the launch of La Parcelle 8 – a single-vineyard varietal wine honoring Chile’s Apalta Valley and Cabernet Sauvignon. One of the oldest Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards in Chile, if not in the world, is at the origin of this story which began more than one hundred years ago.

Alexandra Marnier Lapostolle, whose family legacy of fine wines and spirits dates back to 1827, and husband and partner, Cyril de Bournet, were searching for perfection, for an exceptional terroir to embark on a new winemaking chapter outside of France. Upon visiting Chile’s Apalta Valley, they discovered the breathtaking parcelle 8, an incredibly unique vineyard block of un-grafted Cabernet Sauvignon vines coming from original pre-phylloxera rootstock. These vines had not only survived, but were thriving with little to no human intervention. This plot ignited the family’s passion to establish a winery in Chile, convinced of its potential.   

Protected by a horseshoe-shaped mountain, the Lapostolle estate, founded in 1994, is sheltered from the extreme influences of the Andes and Pacific. The location, and its granite and clay soils, wide diurnal shifts and good drainage, produce elegant, complex wines with great structure, depth, color, and aging potential. Since its discovery, the family has remained dedicated to preserving the legacy of this land, and to magnifying the terroir of the Apalta DO. This is shown through wines that are estate designated,   and the winery’s recent certification under the Wines of Chile Sustainability Code. 

Today, Lapostolle is helmed by seventh generation Charles de Bournet, CEO, who shares, “we merge a deep appreciation for the pristine nature of Apalta with our French know-how in a quest for excellence. Our goal is to express terroir in the wine, we want you to know that you are a drinking a wine from a very special place.”

This newest cuvée from Lapostolle is named after the eponymous vineyard block and fully expresses this desire. “La Parcelle 8 showcases what the finest Apalta Cabernet Sauvignon can be,” comments de Bournet. “It represents a deep Chilean heritage but also my parent’s pioneering spirit. It is an honor to usher in the next era of Lapostolle with the launch of La Parcelle 8.” 

The inaugural vintage, 2015, is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and has spent twenty-six months in new French oak with additional time in bottle before release, which creates velvety tannins along with freshness and elegance, characteristic of the finest Apalta wines. “La Parcelle 8 has a distinctive ability to age and will continue to develop beautifully during the next decade and more in the bottle,” says Andrea Leon, Technical Director and Winemaker. “The Apalta terroir in general, and our very old vines in particular, deliver year after year very solid Cabernet Sauvignons that will evolve towards complexity and elegance. At Lapostolle we have the privilege to care for these vines, and making this wine is honoring all the vinicultural history that they represent.”

La Parcelle 8 2015 is available nationally through Winebow Imports at a suggested retail price of $125.