Casa Lapostolle was founded in Chile in 1994 by the great grand-daughter of the creator of Grand Marnier, and has established a reputation for producing some of Chile's finest wines. Their premier brand is Clos Apalta, but the Classic and Cuvee Alexandre quite nice as well. The Classic 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon was produced under relatively dry and cool conditions in the Rapel Valley, with a hot summer ripening period which allowed the grapes to catch up on their ripening to produce a lovely low yielding harvest. Half the grapes saw French oak and half saw stainless steel, which would explain the lovely blueberry and strawberry fruit present on the nose and palate. Cedar and black pepper is accompanied by hints of smoke, violets and truffles, but the wine is still quite young, and the tannins rather stringy - would be better to lay down for a few, as the acid/tannic backbone is there and the fruit can only open out with time. Wine Spectator gave 85, Wine Enthusiast gave 89. Raving Maenad gives it an 80, if only because it retails at a reasonable $17.99, at least in Crested Butte Colorado. Palate could be much better balanced and more rounded/full - but definitely a food wine, and would go very nicely with some thick juicy steak or lamb roast.