Clos Apalta 2019
(Colchagua Valley, Chile) - [JS 99 & #11 of Top 100 of '22] [DM 97] [VM 96] [JD 96] [WA 95] [WS 95]

Apalta is located at 170 Kilometers South West from Santiago in the Colchagua Valley. The Vineyard is situated on a North to South exposure, which is quite rare in Chile. This geography is responsible for the conditions that ensure balance for our vines and a slow ripening for the grapes.

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Winemaker's Notes: 

APPELLATION: Apalta

BLEND: 70% Carmenère, 18% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot

HARVEST: March 14th to May 13th.

MACERATION TIME 4-5 weeks with manual punch down.

FERMENTATION TYPE 68% in 75hL French oak vats, 33% in new French oak barrels. Malolactic in new French oak barrels.

AGEING 24 months in French oak barrels, 90% new, 10% second use. Fining and Filtering: Neither fined nor filtered. Cold stabilization

Tasting Notes:

COLOR: Intense dark purple red with violet blue edges.

NOSE: Expressive nose of ripe fruit plums and dry figs, opening towards subtle spices and elegant aromas of clover and sweet spices.

PALATE: Concentrated in the beginning opening towards a lively mid palate, with a well constructed tannic frame and a very long lasting palate.

Ratings & Reviews

99 Points, #11 Top 100 of 2022 - James Suckling:
"A generous array of ripe black and blue fruit with pink peppercorns, green olives, dried flowers, toffee and chocolate orange. It’s full-bodied with firm, creamy and velvety tannins. Long and polished. Lovely salted caramel and olives at the end. Keeps going. Unfolds on the finish. 70% carmenere, 18% merlot, 8% cabernet sauvignon and 4% petit verdot. Drink or hold." (May 2022)

97 Points- Decanter Magazine:
"A dark, brooding nose with hints of smoked meat and figs. Juicy and intense, you get power and acidity and poise. There is lots of finesse in this wine, you feel the step up from the second wine in the detail of the slightly grainy but very present tannins and the sculpting of the fruit - blackcurrants, red cherries, plums and balsamic touches. A real stylish element to this, it's generous and giving but not too overtly. It's still rich and concentrated and you do get the 15% alcohol - but feels like they've taken the foot off the pedal slightly allowing the different elements to shine in their own right. Smooth and totally seductive, the texture and the lingering slightly chalky element stays on the tongue while the fruit lasts and lasts. A lovely wine. This has one of the highest percentages of Carménère ever at 70% with 4% Petit Verdot completes the blend. Aged 24 months in French oak barrels (90% new) followed by one year in bottle. Biodynamic." - GH (Aug 2022)

96 Points - Vinous Media:
"The 2019 Clos Apalta from Apalta, Colchagua, was aged for 24 months in 90% new French barrels. Dark purple in the glass. The complex, nuanced nose offers mild notes of mint, pyrazines, ash and ripe dark fruit such as blackberry and blueberry with hints of undergrowth and tobacco, cedar and other aromas from the aging process. In the mouth, it's indulgent and compact initially with refined, slightly reactive, young tannins, an expansive flow and a rich palate that delivers herbal flavors before the sustained, fruity finish. The good year has helped to enhance the depth of an already accomplished red with a well-proven ripe style." - JH (Jun 2022)

96 Points - Jeb Dunnuck:
"Coming from the Colchagua Valley region of Chile, the 2019 Clos Apalta is based on 70% Carménère, 18% Merlot, and 4% Petit Verdot that saw an extended maceration and aging in 90% new French oak. It's a legit brilliant wine, sporting a dense purple hue as well as complex notes of ripe black fruits, ripe herbs, graphite, spice box, and perfectly integrated oak. It has a solid herbal edge and is medium to full-bodied on the palate, with silky tannins, flawless balance, and a great finish. It benefits from a short decant and I suspect will continue drinking nicely over the following 10-15 years. This is world class. 2023-2038." (2/4/23)

95 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate:
The 2019 Clos Apalta was produced with a blend of 70% Carmenere, 18% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Petit Verdot, extremely high in Carmenere and low in Cabernet Sauvignon in a ripe and warm year. It fermented with indigenous yeasts for four to five weeks, with manual punch-down of the cap, 67% in 7,500-liter French oak vats and 33% in new French oak barrels followed by malolactic in new French oak barrels. The élevage was 24 months in 90% new barrels and 10% second use. It's powerful, big and ripe, with 15% alcohol and a pH of 3.57. It's creamy and juicy, with very high ripeness and a notable absence of herbal notes; it's oaky, smoky and decadent, coming through as luxurious, round, lush and velvety. It's full-bodied and has abundant, small and powdery tannins."- LG (Aug 2022)