2010 Casa Lapostolle Cuvee Alexandre Syrah

Casa Lapostolle is a French-Chilean enterprise, founded in 1994 by the French Lapostolle family and the Rabat family of Chile. The Lapostolle family established the Grand Marnier brand, and they have also been involved in winemaking for many generations. Located in Colchagua, Chile, the 900-acre estate produces a total of 200,000 cases of wine annually. Though it makes several varietals, including Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Syrah, its signature wine is its Clos Apalta, which is generally a blend of about 43% Carmenere, 30% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Petit Verdot. The famed French consulting winemaker Michel Rolland is part of the winemaking team at the estate.

Chile has produced wine since the 16th century, when Spanish conquistadores brought grape vines and established vineyards. Sweet wines were favored until well into the 19th century, when French immigrants began making dry wines with a decidedly French character. Chile’s long, narrow, coastal geography has made the transportation of wines challenging over the centuries, though today it is a major exporter. To the west is the Pacific Ocean, to the east are the Andes. But the isolation has also meant that Chile vineyards have so far never been attacked by phylloxera, meaning that unlike viticulturalists in many other part of the world, Chilean vineyards can be planted with original rootstock, saving producers the laborious job of grafting vines onto phylloxera-resistant rootstocks. Chile started an appellation system in 1994, and there are five regions each with numerous sub-regions. Chile has attracted investment from European and American producers, including Robert Mondavi Winery, Kendall-Jackson, Lafite-Rothschild and Miguel Torres.

This grape is grown in milder climates and produces a medium-to full-bodied wine. It is also known as Shiraz, but should not be confused with Petit Sirah, which was developed by crossing Syrah with Peloursin.