CABALLO LOCO GRAND CRU APALTA 2021

Apalta's horseshoe-shaped valley in Colchagua sits on granitic hillside soils with quartz, silt, and clay, while the valley floor carries alluvial deposits from the Tinguiririca River — soils so lean the word "apalta" itself means poor in the local language. Significant diurnal swings, driven by Pacific breezes channeled through the coastal hills, preserve acidity and keep the fruit precise. Valdivieso winemaker Brett Jackson draws on Apalta Carmenère vines for this 70/30 Carmenère–Cabernet Sauvignon blend, aged 18 months in French oak barrels. The nose leads with violet, dark bramble, and black plum; the palate adds graphite, mocha, and mountain herb, with firm but smooth tannins and a long, spiced finish.