Doña Paula Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

WINEMAKER'S NOTES Doña Paula Estate Cabernet Sauvignon has an intense ruby red color. Aromas of black fruits, cassis, spices, graphite and red pepper. In the mouth, it is concentrated, with ample and ripe tannins. Long and persistent finish. VINEYARDS In the clay loam soils of El Alto Vineyard in Ugarteche, Luján of Cuyo, we selected the poorest profiles – resulting from the mixture of pebbles, gravel and clay – to plant our Doña Paula Estate Cabernet Sauvignon in 1998. These vines yield 7 to 9 tons per hectare and they are trained in espaliers, using drip irrigation. The climate of this estate, located at 1,050 meters (3,445 feet) above sea level, is characterized by its warm days and cool nights, with an average temperature variation of 14 °C (57.2 °F) and an average annual rainfall of 250 mm (9.8 in). At Doña Paula, our vineyards have always been managed using sustainable agricultural practices. VINIFICATION The grapes are picked between the first and second weeks of April. After a gentle destemming, the must is cold macerated before fermentation to preserve the primary aromas. The temperature during fermentation ranges between 25 and 28 °C (77 to 82.4 °F). A post-fermentation maceration is performed for 10 to 15 days, and then malolactic fermentation takes place in barrels. Ageing is carried out in first, second and third-use French oak barrels for 12 months. All grapes grown in our vineyards are under a program of sustainable production.