The grapes were handpicked during the month of April. They were destemmed, crushed and cold macerated during 5 days for color extaction and fermented at 24°-28 °C (75°-82°F), 10% oak was used during fermentation to help set the color and stabilize the wines. Once the alcoholic fermentation was completed, 20% of the wine was aged in French oak for 3 months to lend sweetness and increase complexity.\n \n Leafy berry aromas feed into a juicy and raw palate that's narrow in scope. Generic black-fruit flavors are slightly green, while this Cabernet finishes tough but fair.\n \n Producer Information\n Santa Rita (also referred to as Viña Santa Rita)is one of Chile's most prominent wine producers, and is based in the Alto Jahuel area of the Maipo Valley. It has vineyards in some of the country's best winegrowing regions, including Aconcagua, the Limari Valley, Apalta, the Rapel Valley and the Casablanca Valley. Cabernet Sauvignon and Carmenère are Santa Rita's most important grape varieties, but wines are also made from Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Chardonnay. Santa Rita was founded in 1880 by Domingo Fernández Concha. Considerable wealth from mining in the Atacama desert was flowing into Santiago at the time and a wine industry sprang up just south of the city. Santa Rita, along with its contempories Cousiño Macul and Concha Y Toro, introduced vines from France and began to make wine. Today, Santa Rita has five wineries across Chile with the combined capacity to produce and store nearly 90 million liters of wine. The company's diversity of vineyards means a diverse portfolio. For instance, Santa Rita's vineyards in the Limari Valley are planted on alluvial soils and there is a warm Mediterranean climate, so Chardonnay, Carmenère and Syrah do well. However, in Leyda Valley, the fine clay soils and the cooler climate are better suited to Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc. Santa Rita's flagship wine is the Casa Real, a Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from vineyards surrounding the Maipo estate. It is aged for 14 months in new French and American oak before release, and can be happily cellared for a decade or so. Another key wine is the Bougainville Petite Sirah, a premium red made from a grape variety not usually seen in Chile. Other notable wines in the Santa Rita portfolio include the Reserva range, the Medalla Real range, and the entry-level 120 range.
