Viña Lapostolle-Clos Apalta

Viña Lapostolle-Clos Apalta Review

Owned by the Marnier family of France—yes, the Grand Marnier family—Chile's Viña Lapostolle has its main facility right on the main road; you'll pass it along the way. It's attractive enough, but hold out for the new winery in Apalta. The barrel-stave-shaped beams rising impressively above the vineyards are a tip-off that this has got to be one of the most impressive wineries in the world. Built into a hillside to facilitate the gravity-flow process, the grapes are taken to the top floor, where they are separated by hand, then dropped into tanks on the floor below, then racked to barrels on the floor below, and so forth, six floors down into the hillside, where they are finally trucked out and shipped around the world. Join one of the three daily tours with tastings, or stay for lunch at Casa Parron. This winery suffered significant damage during the February 2010 earthquake and, as of this writing, was closed until further notice. Please check to see if it has opened prior to your visit.