Lapostolle Vineyards

Apalta El Condor – Apalta DO (Colchagua Valley)

The Apalta Vineyard is located in the wine-producing region of the Colchagua Valley, 200km south west of Santiago, 68km away from the Pacific Ocean, between the Andes mountain range and the coastal cordillera.  In 2018 the Apalta Valley was given its own DO in recognition of the amazing local conditions.

The Apalta Valley is not an enclosed valley, as it is lodged between the Tinguiririca River, a tributary of the Rapel River, and cordons of the Coastal Cordillera that ends in a "horse shoe" shape. The east and west sides of the "horse shoe" form a barrier that delays the arrival of the sun in the morning and attenuates the exposure to the sunlight in the evening. That position permits a good regulation of sunshine, allowing it to escape the excess heat that is well known in hot climates.

Thanks to the hills that surround the vineyard, the old vines located in the lowest part of the field receive underground water that provides sufficient natural water during almost the whole growing season.

The Apalta El Condor vineyard was planted with Carmenère, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc between 1907 and 2023. Some of the oldest blocks, planted in 1907, have vines that were brought from France at the end of the 19th century.

Two Vineyards One Amazing DO

Although both vineyards are only 3 miles apart, they are home to quite different grape varieties.  They are split between Bordeaux varietals and Rhone varietals, and it highlights the diversity that the Apalta DO offers to our winemakers.