2021 Clos Apalta, Apalta Valley, Chile
Critics reviews
Hillside granitic vineyards, alongside older vines dating back to 1907 on the flatlands. A kick of spice greets you on the opening, this is reserved at first with carefully constructed dense blackcurrant and black cherry fruits, deeply coloured, cocoa dusted, opening to show rose bud and lilac, with an edge of capsicum and cayenne pepper. Exceptionally good quality. 78% new oak for ageing, 3.79ph. Andrea Léon technical director, organically farmed.
Drink 2026 - 2042
Jane Anson, JaneAnson.com (July 2024)
Extremely aromatic with red currants, blackcurrants, spices, iodine, paprika and subtle hints of white pepper. Fresh flowers, fresh sage, lavender and some pine needles and sandalwood. Medium-bodied with perfectly integrated tannins that go on for minutes with refined and harmonious fruit that integrates beautifully into the wine, giving it a weightless structure that shows class and verve. Endless balance and length. It’s so balanced that you could drink it now but it will age for decades. A blend of 75% Carmenere, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Merlot.
Drink 2028+
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com (March 2024)
The 2021 Clos Apalta comprises 75% Carménère, with the remainder filled out by Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, sourced from the eponymous Apalta Vineyard. It was aged for 24 months in oak barrels, two-thirds of which were new. This dark purple wine reveals nuanced aromas of graphite, herbs, dried plums and blackberry marmalade, complemented by mint, boldo and garrigue-like notes over a green bell pepper layer. Plush and ample on the palate, it is lifted by a mild refreshing quality that adds a rare nimbleness to its flow.
This long-lasting red is a serious wine, less influenced by Michel Rolland's style than in other years, as the fresh vintage imparted a lighter, less ripe and more expressive character. Clos Apalta is one of those rare Chilean wines that reliably showcases the characteristics of each vintage while maintaining a consistent house style. That steadiness is a boon for consumers, as it allows them to appreciate the impact of different vintages, which is a significant part of the allure of high-quality wines.
Drink 2028 - 2040
Joaquín Hidalgo, Vinous.com (July 2024)
About this WINE
Clos Apalta
Clos Apalta is a wine estate in the Apalta Valley, a sub-region of Colchagua, Chile. It was founded in 1994 by the Bournet Lapostolle family; their first vintage was 1997. Charles-Henri de Bournet Marnier Lapostolle has led the property as CEO since 2013. Michel Rolland has been the winemaking consultant here since the beginning.
The 60-hectare vineyard is laid out in an amphitheatre, largely facing southeast. There are a lot of old vines here, with an average age of 80 years old. The oldest vines date back to 1915-1920. The vineyard has been certified organic since 2009.
The wines here are red Bordeaux blends. Carménère is the signature grape variety here, along with Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot. There are two wines produced: Clos Apalta and a second wine called Le Petit Clos.
Colchagua Valley
The Colchagua Valley is one of Chile’s most renowned wine regions for producing high-quality red wines. The winemaking is deeply rooted in tradition and innovation, making it a dynamic and exciting region for wine enthusiasts.
The Mediterranean climate has warm, dry summers and cooling influences from the Pacific Ocean and the Andes Mountains. This climate and well-drained soils provide excellent conditions for growing grape varieties, with a particular focus on red grapes.
The valley is famous for its red Bordeaux varietals, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Carménère. These grapes thrive in the region’s terroir and result in wines with rich flavours, ripe fruit characteristics, and well-integrated tannins. Carménère, in particular, has found a unique home in Colchagua Valley, as it was rediscovered here after being thought extinct for a long time.
Colchagua Valley Winemakers follow traditional and modern winemaking techniques. Many vineyards are hand-harvested to ensure the selection of only the best grapes. Using stainless steel tanks and oak barrels for ageing allows winemakers to craft wines with complexity and balance.
The region’s wineries range from small family-owned estates to large and well-known producers. Each winery strives to showcase the unique terroir of Colchagua Valley in its wines, resulting in a diverse range of styles and expressions.
Cab.Sauvignon & Carmenère
Carménère is considered as an ideal blending partner with Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as with other Bordeaux varieties (Merlot and Cab. Franc)
Carmenère
Chile is the bastion of the Carmenère grape today but during the early19th century it was one of the most widely cultivated grape varieties in the Médoc and Graves regions of Bordeaux where it dominated as blending partner of Cabernet Franc. However its susceptibility to the twin evils of phylloxera and oidium led to growers uprooting it in the 1860s and replacing it with better yielding grape varieties such as Merlot.
It was first introduced in Chile (where it is also known as Grand Vidure) in the 19th-Century where it thrived on the country’s phylloxera-free vineyards, as most of its vines are planted on native rootstock. For a long time it stayed in obscurity, as it was mixed with Merlot plantings in the vineyards but now is being identified, vinified and labelled separately.
In Chile it is typically blended with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, imparting succulent and luxurious fuitness. Many of the country’s flagship wines incorporate judicious proportions of Carmenère in blends; Almaviva, Neyen, Sena. It is increasingly being bottled as a single varietal wine. Carmen and De Martino were two of the first wineries to champion the grape as the signature varietal of Chile.
Carmenère wines are deeply coloured and are usually well structured with smooth, well-rounded tannins, and ripe berry fruit flavours. Cooler climate regions, like the coastal Limari in Chile, produce an earthy, leaner, more elegant style with crunch red fruit and green pepper flavours. Warmer climates, like in Maipo, give concentrated, heady wines, inky-coloured and with opulent notes of dark chocolate, soy sauce and black pepper.
Cabernet Sauvignon
It is the most famous red wine grape in the world and one of the most widely planted.
It is adaptable to a wide range of soils, although it performs particularly well on well-drained, low-fertile soils. It has small, dusty, black-blue berries with thick skins that produce deeply coloured, full-bodied wines with notable tannins. Its spiritual home is the Médoc and Graves regions of Bordeaux where it thrives on the well-drained gravel-rich soils producing tannic wines with piercing blackcurrant fruits that develop complex cedarwood and cigar box nuances when fully mature.
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Description
This 75% Carmenère offers aromas which to my senses are almost close to perfection. Beautiful blackberry fruit, herbs and spice alongside subtle hints of dark chocolate, graphite, and violets all add to the superb aromatic complexity. Initially, the palate is medium-full bodied with precise and polished tannins and there is pleasingly refreshing acidity. Flavours lean more towards a red and blue fruit profile this year with bundles of red cherries and blueberries on show. The finish is seriously long with a slight hint of green bell pepper and a plethora of savoury notes. The texture is simply mindboggling. An incredible Chilean red which sits proudly next to some of the greats of the vinous world. You should absolutely experience this vintage for yourself!
Drink 2025 - 2035+
Daniel Martin, Private Client Manager, Berry Bros. & Rudd (August 2024)
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