Top-end Chilean Cabernet-dominant blend Altair has been repackaged with the release of its 2018 vintage expression.

The wine, which hails from Viña San Pedro’s Cachapoal Andes Winery, is being launched now with a new label featuring a deep blue background and golden stars to represent the night sky above the winery in the foothills of the Andes, while referencing the brand: Altair is the brightest star in the Aquila constellation.

The 2018 release is the first vintage to be overseen by the head winemaker for San Pedro Fine Wines Gabriel Mustakis, who joined the group in February of that year from Viña Cousiño Macul.

Commenting on Altair 2018, he said that represented a unique expression based on a special site in the Cachapoal Andes with a diverse mix of ancient soils.

“This wine originates from these deeply rooted and ancient soils formed from millions of years of volcanic eruptions and violent earthquakes,” he said.

Continuing, he commented, “Fractured yellow parent rock and minerals intermingled with sand and clay. There are also signicant deposits of alluvial gravel ranging from large, through irregular and medium sized gravel with sand and others with decomposed volcanic rock in clay.”

Altair 2018

Red blend:

• 95% Cabernet Sauvignon
• 2% Cabernet Franc
• 2% Carmenere
• 1% Syrah

Ageing:

16 months French oak barrels, 50% new and 35% second-use and 15% aged in foudres. Then 6 further months in 2,000 litre foundres.

Abv: 14.1%