The True Spirit of Apalta is the essence of two worlds coming together for the last 20 years
July 20th – Viña Neyen de Apalta has deep roots in the Colchagua Valley. This year, the award-winning winery celebrates its 20th vintage of its flagship wine, Neyen, a culmination of love, labor and time. The wine honors the essence of two worlds coming together: the tradition of Old World wine varietals being born again in the New World of Chile; this is a wine that reflects its history and origin while acknowledging its heritage.
The winery walls were first built in 1890, and the previous year, winegrowers came to Apalta to find a new land and planted Cabernet Sauvignon vines from France, escaping phylloxera and beginning anew. It wasn’t until 1936 that winemakers took a chance on Carménère, and planted the vines that would soon become the country’s top varietal. And, in 2003, the warm Chilean summer provided strong results in the vineyards, and Viña Neyen de Apalta blended their hallmark reds that came to reflect the true spirit of Apalta.
Viña Neyen de Apalta, which includes the Neyen and Primus wines, is one of the top 100% organic and sustainable wineries in Chile and the only one that is 100% biodynamic in Apalta. As a sub-region of the Colchagua Valley in the O’Higgins region of Chile, Apalta is an exclusive appellation that gained Denomination of Origin (D.O.) status in 2018 and the source of some of Chile’s most internationally renowned and award-winning wines. The D.O, which only has seven wineries total, is a small, horseshoe-shaped valley with a unique microclimate due to the by hills from three exposures and winds from the Pacific Ocean and the Coastal and Andes Mountain Ranges. The Tinguiririca River forms the southern boundary, regulating the temperatures and providing irrigation water. The Neyen de Apalta estate is located in the easternmost part of the appellation with varying soil types ranging from granitic, volcanic and stony material to clay and sandy soils that provide natural drainage and are rich in organic matter.
Year after year, the centennial vines, which have a system of deep roots and need minimal intervention, provide exceptional grapes, showcasing how the vines have adapted to this singular terroir.
“We celebrate not just the spirit of Apalta, but the spirit of Chile at Viña Neyen,” says Gonzalo Bertelsen, Head Winemaker of Viña Neyen de Apalta and Viñedos Veramonte in Casablanca. “This region is magical and the wine that stems from these vines truly encapsulates what this country can produce – we can experience the Old World, yet produce New World wines that rival so many others.”
Since 2016, Viña Neyen de Apalta and Viñedos Veramonte have been part of the 5+5 Caring for the Planet Program, a long-term sustainability initiative. This program represents the five generations of the González family, from parent company González Byass in Spain, who have brought the organization into the 21st century and the next five generations who will continue to build upon the work that has already been done to help the planet succeed. Both Viña Neyen de Apalta and Viñedos Veramonte are part of Sustainability 360° which includes organic and biodynamic agriculture and fair-trade commitment.
Viña Neyen de Apalta, along with Viñedos Veramonte, continues the dedicated organic and biodynamic management in the vineyards, including the Regenerative Agriculture, creating authentic wines that reflect their origin and the spirit of the region.
About Viñedos Veramonte and Viña Neyen de Apalta
Viñedos Veramonte and Viña Neyen de Apalta follow organic practices in all of their estates to ensure the best conditions for the development of the vine, thus achieving vineyards that are sustainable over time. Through cultivating healthy, living soils and maintaining a natural balance in the vineyards and winemaking process, the wines obtain quality grapes that express the full potential of the terroir, leading to wines with character, authentic and expressive. Within the Viñedos Veramonte umbrella are Ritual and Veramonte in the Casablanca Valley and in Viña Neyen de Apalta are Neyen and Primus in the Colchagua Valley.
For further information, please visit: www.vinedosveramonte.cl/home or www.neyendeapalta.cl and follow @veramontewines.
About González Byass USA
González Byass USA is a Chicago based importer for a strategically selected portfolio of fine wine and spirit brands from around the world including Spain, Chile, Italy and Austria. González Byass USA is the US subsidiary of González Byass headquartered in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain. González Byass is a family-owned, collection of wineries founded in 1835 which spans across Spain’s most important wine producing regions.
Today the fifth generation of the family are the custodians of many exceptional brands having built the company into a family of wineries which produces wine in some of Spain’s most famous regions; Bodegas Beronia (Rioja and Rueda), Dominio Fournier (Ribera del Duero), Cavas Vilarnau (Cava), Finca Constancia (Vino de la Tierra de Castilla), Finca Moncloa (Vino de la Tierra de Cádiz), Viñas del Vero (Somontano) and Pazos de Lusco (Rías Baixas). In each of these regions the family strives to make the best possible quality wines respecting the local terroir and the environment. At the same time the company has also expanded its interests further in the premium spirits business and has created pioneering brands such as The London No.1 and Nomad Outland Whisky to complement the Spanish brandies in the portfolio Soberano and Lepanto. In recent years, the family have expanded outside of Spain purchasing the quality vineyards of Viñedos Veramonte in Chile. Organically farmed vineyards producing cool climate wines from Casablanca and complex reds from Apalta.
González Byass USA also represents a number of international wineries in the US market including from Austria Domäne Wachau, and from Italy Pranza, Caldora, Cantine Cellaro, Vesevo, Vigneti Del Salento and Tenute Rossetti. In addition, Harveys Bristol Cream and Fundador Brandy de Jerez and El Recuerdo and Señorio mezcals were recently added to the portfolio, as well as Mexican brandies from Pedro Domecq: Presidente and Don Pedro.
