Casa Lapostolle

Casa Lapostolle was founded in 1994 when Alexandra Marnier-Lapostolle and her husband Cyril de Bournet discovered an enclosed vineyard in the Apalta amphitheater of Colchagua Valley, sheltering ungrafted pre-phylloxera vines dating to around 1915. Alexandra is the great-granddaughter of Jean-Baptiste Lapostolle, co-founder of the Grand Marnier liqueur company in 1827, and Cyril de Bournet is part of the Marnier-Lapostolle family business heritage in French wine and spirits. The Marnier-Lapostolle family also owns Château de Sancerre in the Loire Valley, anchoring the project's French viticultural and oenological pedigree. Their guiding principle, 'French in essence, Chilean by birth,' reflected the ambition to apply European winemaking precision to Chile's exceptional natural terroir. The first Cuvée Alexandre wines were released in 1994, followed by the estate's flagship Clos Apalta in 1997. The Marnier-Lapostolle family controlled Grand Marnier until Campari acquired the brand in 2016, after which the Chilean wine estates continued under the family name Domaines Bournet-Lapostolle, preserving the operational independence and biodynamic philosophy that defined the project from its outset.

• Founded 1994 by Alexandra Marnier-Lapostolle (great-granddaughter of Jean-Baptiste Lapostolle, co-founder of Grand Marnier in 1827) and husband Cyril de Bournet upon discovery of ungrafted pre-phylloxera vines circa 1915 in Apalta amphitheater of Colchagua
• Marnier-Lapostolle family also owns Château de Sancerre in the Loire Valley, anchoring project's French viticultural and oenological pedigree
• Guiding principle 'French in essence, Chilean by birth': European winemaking precision applied to Chile's natural terroir; first Cuvée Alexandre wines 1994, Clos Apalta flagship 1997
• Marnier-Lapostolle family controlled Grand Marnier until Campari acquired the brand in 2016; Chilean wine estates continued under family name Domaines Bournet-Lapostolle

The Apalta vineyard sits in a horseshoe-shaped amphitheater of the Coastal Cordillera in eastern Colchagua Valley, approximately 30 kilometres from the Pacific coast and 150 kilometres south of Santiago. The amphitheater rises from the Tinguiririca River valley floor at 200 metres to surrounding hills at 400 to 600 metres, with north-facing slopes (capturing optimal Southern Hemisphere sun exposure) sitting on granitic decomposed soils derived from the Coastal Range bedrock that intrudes east into this section of Colchagua. Surrounding hills shelter the vines from extreme Pacific and Andean influences, create afternoon shade that extends the growing season, and deliver approximately two fewer hours of direct sunlight per day than the surrounding valley floor receives, enabling slow even ripening. The Tinguiririca River runs along the amphitheater's southern edge, providing natural drainage and moderating temperatures through the Pacific marine cooling system (the regional camanchaca coastal fog). The original Clos vineyard contains ungrafted pre-phylloxera vines from around 1915, planted with French massal selections and including some of the oldest Carménère and Cabernet Sauvignon plantings in Chile; vines are dry-farmed and hand-harvested. The broader estate spans 370 hectares across three Chilean properties: 57 hectares in Casablanca Valley (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir), 116 hectares in Cachapoal Valley (Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah), and the Apalta estate (Carménère, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Syrah).

• Apalta vineyard sits in horseshoe-shaped amphitheater of Coastal Cordillera in eastern Colchagua Valley, ~30 km from Pacific coast and 150 km south of Santiago; elevation 200-600 m on north-facing slopes
• Granitic decomposed soils from Coastal Range bedrock; surrounding hills shelter vines and deliver ~2 fewer hours of daily sunlight than surrounding valley floor enabling slow even ripening
• Tinguiririca River provides natural drainage and Pacific marine cooling (camanchaca coastal fog system) on amphitheater's southern edge; original Clos vines from around 1915 are ungrafted, dry-farmed, hand-harvested
• Estate spans 370 ha across three Chilean properties: 57 ha Casablanca (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir), 116 ha Cachapoal (Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah), and Apalta (Carménère, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Syrah)

Clos Apalta is a Carménère-dominant Bordeaux-style blend from the estate's oldest vines in the Apalta amphitheater. The first vintage was produced in 1997. The 2005 vintage was named Wine Spectator Wine of the Year 2008, the first Chilean wine to receive the magazine's #1 honour; James Suckling has awarded 100 points to the 2014, 2015, 2017, and 2021 vintages. Clos Apalta is the only wine to appear three times in the top three of Wine Spectator's annual Top 100, an unprecedented consistency at the magazine's highest tier. Blend proportions vary by vintage: the 2017 was 48 percent Carménère, 26 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 25 percent Merlot, and 1 percent Petit Verdot; the 2021 was 75 percent Carménère with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot completing the assemblage. The wine uses indigenous yeast fermentation over four to five weeks of maceration (primarily in large French oak vats), followed by malolactic fermentation and extended élevage of 24 to 27 months in new French oak barriques, typically with approximately 85 percent new oak. A second wine, Le Petit Clos, was introduced with the 2014 vintage from younger vines and is also produced from the Apalta estate. The Cuvée Alexandre range, named for the family ancestor Alexandre Marnier who created Grand Marnier in 1880, is produced entirely from Apalta estate fruit and spans Carménère, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Chardonnay.

• Clos Apalta first vintage 1997; 2005 vintage named Wine Spectator Wine of the Year 2008, first Chilean wine to receive the magazine's #1 honour
• 100 points from James Suckling for the 2014, 2015, 2017, and 2021 vintages; the only wine to appear three times in the top three of Wine Spectator's annual Top 100
• 2017 blend: 48% Carménère, 26% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot; 2021 blend: 75% Carménère with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot
• Indigenous yeast fermentation, 4-5 weeks maceration in large French oak vats; 24-27 months in ~85% new French oak; second wine Le Petit Clos from younger Apalta vines introduced with 2014 vintage

The Clos Apalta winery, completed in 2004 and designed by Chilean architect Roberto Benavente Riquelme, is a six-level gravity-fed structure built into the granite hillside of the Apalta amphitheater, with four levels underground for natural thermal stability. The 24 external beams on the winery's facade represent the 24 months required to produce Clos Apalta from harvest through bottling. Every stage of production, from sorting to bottling, relies on gravity rather than pumps, minimising mechanical stress on the wine throughout the long élevage and bottling cycle. Fruit arrives by hand-picked 14-kilogram cases, hand-sorted on the upper level, then moved by gravity to fermentation tanks below; after fermentation, malolactic, and barrel aging, the wine continues to flow downward to bottling at the lowest underground level. The underground positioning provides naturally stable cool temperatures across the four-season cycle without mechanical climate control. The winery has become an architectural and viticultural pilgrimage destination, exemplifying the integration of design philosophy, sustainability principles, and gravity-flow winemaking that defines the Casa Lapostolle approach.

• Clos Apalta winery completed 2004 (architect Roberto Benavente Riquelme): gravity-fed six-level structure built into Apalta granite hillside; four levels underground for natural thermal stability
• 24 external beams on facade represent 24 months required to produce Clos Apalta from harvest through bottling
• Every stage from sorting to bottling relies on gravity rather than pumps; fruit hand-picked in 14-kg cases, hand-sorted on upper level, moved by gravity to fermentation tanks below
• Underground positioning provides naturally stable cool temperatures across four-season cycle without mechanical climate control; architectural and viticultural pilgrimage destination

Casa Lapostolle's sustainability commitment is woven throughout the estate's viticulture and winemaking philosophy. Estate vineyards are certified organic and biodynamic under Demeter, the international biodynamic certification body, with conversion completed in the early 2000s. Old vines are dry-farmed (relying on natural rainfall plus deep root systems accessing groundwater) and hand-harvested in small 14-kilogram cases to preserve fruit integrity. The estate manages cover crop systems for soil biology, on-site composting for nutrient cycling, natural pest control through beneficial insect and plant relationships, and minimal mechanical intervention throughout the growing season. Native flora conservation across hundreds of hectares of estate land preserves Chilean biodiversity adjacent to the planted vineyards. Natural water treatment processes manage cellar effluent without chemical inputs. Bottling involves minimal filtration and chill stabilisation, preserving wine character. Casa Lapostolle received the Wines of Chile Sustainability certification in 2022, recognising the comprehensive approach across environmental, social, and economic dimensions of the operation. The biodynamic approach was adopted at large scale earlier than most of the Chilean industry, setting an early sustainability benchmark for premium Chilean viticulture.

• Estate vineyards certified organic and biodynamic under Demeter (international biodynamic certification body); conversion completed early 2000s, set early sustainability benchmark for premium Chilean viticulture
• Old vines dry-farmed (natural rainfall plus deep root systems accessing groundwater); hand-harvested in 14-kg cases; cover crops, on-site composting, natural pest control through beneficial insect and plant relationships
• Native flora conservation across hundreds of hectares of estate land preserves Chilean biodiversity adjacent to planted vineyards; natural water treatment processes manage cellar effluent
• Minimal filtration and chill stabilisation at bottling preserves wine character; Wines of Chile Sustainability certification awarded 2022

Casa Lapostolle's portfolio operates on clearly defined tiers from accessible value to ultra-premium flagship. Casa Grand Selection is the entry-level tier (Cabernet Sauvignon, Carménère, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay) drawing on fruit from all three Lapostolle estates and designed for immediate accessibility. The Borobo and Apalta Vineyard ranges occupy a mid-tier focused on single-variety expressions. Cuvée Alexandre, named to honour Alexandre Marnier who created Grand Marnier in 1880, is produced exclusively from Apalta estate fruit and spans Cuvée Alexandre Carménère, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Chardonnay at the premium mid-tier. Le Petit Clos, the second wine of Clos Apalta introduced with the 2014 vintage, is sourced from younger vines in the Apalta amphitheater and offers a more accessible expression of the flagship's Carménère-dominant Bordeaux blend style. Clos Apalta, the Carménère-dominant Bordeaux blend from the estate's oldest pre-phylloxera vines (around 1915), anchors the ultra-premium tier and is widely considered Chile's most internationally celebrated Carménère-led wine. Current leadership: Charles de Bournet (seventh generation) as President and CEO; Andrea León as Technical Director and Winemaker; Michel Rolland was the consulting oenologist from 1993.

• Entry tier: Casa Grand Selection (Cabernet Sauvignon, Carménère, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay) drawing on fruit from all three Lapostolle estates; designed for immediate accessibility
• Mid-tier: Borobo and Apalta Vineyard ranges; Cuvée Alexandre (Carménère, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay), named for Alexandre Marnier who created Grand Marnier 1880, produced exclusively from Apalta estate fruit
• Le Petit Clos (second wine of Clos Apalta, introduced 2014 vintage from younger Apalta vines): more accessible expression of flagship's Carménère-dominant Bordeaux style
• Clos Apalta (Carménère-dominant Bordeaux blend from estate's oldest pre-phylloxera vines circa 1915): ultra-premium flagship widely considered Chile's most internationally celebrated Carménère-led wine; Charles de Bournet (seventh generation) CEO with winemaker Andrea León; Michel Rolland was the consulting oenologist from 1993