Casa Lapostolle Merlot (75cl, 14%)

A medium-bodied Chilean red wine built on 85% Merlot, bottled at 13.5–14% ABV in a 750ml format. Casa Lapostolle was founded to marry French winemaking philosophy with Chile's diverse terroirs, with fruit drawn from vineyards spanning Colchagua's Apalta sub-region, the Cachapoal Valley and the coastal Casablanca Valley. Some of the oldest vineyard blocks date back to the 1920s. The Merlot is blended with a smaller portion of either Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah, typically around 14–15%, and Michel Rolland serves as consulting winemaker. The aroma leads with ripe berries and plum, then baked cherry and cassis, with subtle hints of sweet oak, coffee and dried herbs. On the palate there is black cherry and blackberry, with olive and herbal spice notes alongside firm but supple tannins. The finish is medium in length, with lingering dark fruit and a touch of oak spice.