Clos Apalta: fabulous wines from Chile

Chile is a long country, the longest at 4,500km, but not wide. It has dry and sunny summers, although the cold south Pacific ocean brings freshness to many vineyards. A two-hour drive from Santiago de Chile, you arrive in the warm, sunny region of Colchagua, a wine region famous for its red wines.

Clos Apalta is the region with cooler spots, and it also has a connection with Grand Marnier. The famous orange and cognac liqueur was created by the Marnier Lapostolle family. In 1994, Alexandra Marnier Lapostolle visited and fall in love with Apalta. She decided to create a winery there and add her French touch to Chilian wines. Three years later, the first icon wine of Chile was born, the Clos Apalta.

As a region, to the south Apalta is cut off by the Tinguiririca River. The vineyards are surrounded by mountains to the other sides. Many of the top wineries in Chile find this well-defined area stunningly beautiful. Along with Lapostolle, the neighbouring wineries of Montes, Las Niñas and Neyen made the region famous around the world.

Apalta is one of the first regions in Chile that began to take advantage of altitude, and now vineyards are [planted at altitude in the foothills of the Andes. There is granite, alluvial and more or less organic material that give complexity to Apalta’s wines.

Clos Apalta uses the Bordeaux blend varieties. Carmenère plays the leading role of the blend, with 50% on average. This variety needs sunlight, however if planted at the right spot, it keeps its acidity. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and sometimes a little bit of Petit Verdot make up the rest. Clos Apalta is the top wine of Lapostolle. It was one of the first icon wines in Chile, the first vintage released in 1997.

Even the emblematic winery design is focused on this icon wine. It catches the eye with its towering beams of native red-toned Chilian rauli wood, simultaneously rising up from and digging down into its Colchagua Valley hillside. Those 24 slats represent the number of months required to make Clos Apalta’s signature cuvée.

Tasting different vintages Clos Apalta, it is easy for the connoisseur to recognise the Apalta style. They usually have good acidity and drive more towards red fruit plus they have tannins that are quite active.

This is what we discovered at a recent tasting at Minthis Hills, organised by Bottles.

2018 Clos Apalta, Colchagua Valley, Chile, ABV 15%

Deep inky colour, purple red with dark blue edges, aromatic and fresh. Intense nose, spicy with red and black fruit, dried fruit, sweet tobacco and cedar notes. Medium to full-bodied with fine tannins that are very fresh and refined opening towards a mid-palate that combines finesse and concentration, round and fresh. Exceptionally long finish. The blend is 64% Carmenere, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon and 18% Merlot. €130

2019 Clos Apalta, Colchagua Valley, Chile, ABV 15%

The Merlot offers provides fresh black cherry and blackberry. The Cabernet Sauvignon, in particular from old pre-phylloxera vines, offers up aromas of red fruit (raspberry) and black fruit (blackcurrant, blueberry) with some ripe bell pepper and black olive notes. As it matures, it develops pepper, crème de cassis, leather and charred notes. The Carmenère brings rounded tannins. There are delicate cherry aromas on the nose, subtly balanced out by spicy touches of black pepper. Freshness on the palate ensures a beautiful finish of black fruit, smoke, cocoa, leather and tobacco notes. The blend is 70% Carmenère, 18% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Petit Verdot. €130

2013 Clos Apalta, Colchagua Valley, Chile, ABV 15%

Deep ruby red colour with purple edges. Complex nose opening towards ripe and expressive fruit, such as blackberry, blueberry, cassis and dry figs. Cloves, black pepper and lavender. Blackberry and blueberry with a long and slightly smoked finish. A blend 70% Carmenère, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot. Ideal companion for wagyu beef in wine reduction, deer with Jerusalem artichoke and boeuf bourguignon. €135

2019 Clos Apalta, Le Petit Clos, Colchagua Valley, Chile, ABV 14.5%

The second wine from this notable estate has an intense dark red garnet with violet edges. On the nose, aromatic, expressive notes of ripe fruit, currants blackberries, liquorice and pomelo pith opening towards well-integrated oak, herbal notes of thyme, bay leaf and dark chocolate. Long in the finish. The blend is 49% Carmenère, 30% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Petit Verdot. €44

2019 Domaine Bournet-Lapostolle, Clos du Lican, Apalta, Chile, ABV 15.5%

The 2019 Clos du Licán is 100% Syrah, single vineyard and hails from Apalta. Purple in the glass, the nose has fresh and ripe fruit followed by herbs, mild oak and cedar aromas, followed by a whiff of rose petal. Juicy with good volume, this is a relaxing wine with finely grained tannins that channel the flow and keep things lively and light on their feet before the undergrowth flavours return at the finish. Rich and flavourful. €105

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