2021 Clos Apalta, Colchagua Valley, Chile (750ml)

WINEMAKER’S NOTES:

Wine Spectator #6 Wine of the Year in 2025

The Merlot offers up black fruit aromas such as black cherry and blackberry, all with wonderful freshness on the palate. 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, crme de cassis, leather and charred notes (smoke, toast and chocolate). The Carmenre, brightly colored with hints of purple, is rich with 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.

Blend: 75% Carmnre, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot

TASTING NOTES:

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. Its so balanced that you could drink it now but it will age for decades.

– James Suckling, 100 pts.

The 2021 Clos Apalta comprises 75% Carmnre, 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.

– Vinous, 98 pts.

Aromatically complex and intriguing, this offers a spiced plum pastry note that melds with petrichor, pine, dried violet and cocoa powder elements. The palate is round and richly textured, with Szechuan peppercorn accents to the concentrated black cherry, plum and cassis center. Everything comes together harmoniously on the finish and lingers, with present but integrated tannins. A stunner that should develop nicely in the cellar. Carmenre, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot.

– Wine Spectator, 96 pts.