2013 Grand Awards: Lapostolle Residence, Chile

Photos © Matt Wilson

Just west of Santiago lies a rich agricultural region known as the Central Valley, a delightful area of fields, orchards and vineyards blessed by a benign climate. This is the heart of Chile’s burgeoning wine industry.

Among the names you will find on Chilean wine labels are the Aconcagua, Maipo, Cachapoal and Colchagua valleys. Lapostolle Residence is set in the Colchagua Valley and is the realized dream of Alexandra Marnier Lapostolle, a scion of the family that created the French liqueur Grand Marnier. Today, Lapostolle produces a range of wines, preeminent among which is Clos Apalta, a red blend of Carmenère, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. In 2008, Wine Spectator named the 2005 Clos Apalta its wine of the year.

The Lapostolle Residence is set above the winery and comprises a Main House, plus four sumptuous casitas. The latter have wood floors, accents of leather and colored silk, and woodburning fires. The baths are clad in stone tile and are equipped with soaking tubs and separate showers. The Main House is a study in contemporary elegance, with a spacious living room/library that leads out to a lovely terrace where meals are taken, weather permitting. The food is superb, and we savored dishes such as grilled shrimp with barley risotto, and filet of beef in a red-wine reduction. Different Lapostolle wines are served with each course, and we especially admired the Casa Sauvignon Blanc and the Cuvée Alexandre Pinot Noir. Activities include horseback riding and tours of neighboring wineries.

The Lapostolle Residence is a place of gracious hospitality. It should feature on the itinerary of anyone with an interest in wine, and, given its relative proximity to Santiago’s airport, it provides a perfect end to a Chilean journey.

Casita, $500 per person, per night; rates include all meals, a private tour and tasting at Clos Apalta Winery, and visits to other wineries nearby. KM 4, Camino Apalta, Colchagua Valley, Santa Cruz.