Clos Apalta 2019

Clos Apalta is a dream realized.  This fantastic expression of terroir from Chile’s prestigious Colchagua Valley area is a world-class wine.  The property belongs to the Marnier family, famously associated with Grand Marnier – the most exported liqueur from France.  Alexandra Marnier was captivated by this breathtaking place at the base of the snow-capped Andes Mountains and saw its potential for crafting excellent, terroir-driven wine.  There was quite a bit of work to be done, but Alexandra was fully committed to shaping the vineyards, parcel by parcel.  The result today is a benchmark wine and a stunning state-of-the-art winery.  Undoubtably, Clos Apalta is the perfect mixture of French know-how coupled with extraordinary Chillean terroir.

 In 1994, Alexandra Marnier purchased the property, pioneering viticulture in this region.  She brought with her French know-how coupled with many technological innovations to the estate.  The property is sustainably farmed and heavily influenced by biodynamic viticulture.  The somewhat Mediterranean climate at the estate hosts plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Chile’s star varietal – Carménère.  It sits in a 60-hectare amphitheater with a South-western exposure, which is perfect for cultivating the choicest vines.  Some of areas planted in the vineyard are almost a century old, with original parcels from French rootstock dating back to 1920.  The soil here is a mixture of granite, quartz, and clay, which create a natural water supply the vines are able to receive water from during drought-heavy years. 

Construction for the gravity-flow winery was started in 1999 and completed in 2005.  It is an architectural marvel.  Though the initial winery appears to be nothing more than a series of stave-like structures jutting out from the earth, underground it is a completely different story.  Clos Apalta hosts a stunning, modern and minimalist seven layer facility carved beneath granite rock, with the most advanced technology entirely dedicated to producing wine.  The seven layer facility is the perfect mixture of both substance and beauty, as the wine starts at the first floor in the fermentation vats and makes its descent through the barrel room one floor below until it ultimately ends up on the bottom floor resting in bottle.

Alexandra Marnier had an eye for talent and made sure to bring on some of the top consultants in the world.  Her choice would be none other than the legendary Michel Rolland. Clos Apalta is the only property in Chile that Michel Rolland works on, and he calls the Marnier family every day to discuss the progress of the vintage each year.  It is very apparent that Clos Apalta is a special treasure to him, and he enjoys the challenge of navigating this unique terroir every year and producing some of the most exciting wines from the region. The 2005 vintage cemented Clos Apalta's legacy when it was crowned Wine Spectator's #1 Most Interesting Wine in 2008; a triumph for the estate.

The final blend is a beguiling mixture of Carménère, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot.  On occasional vintages, a pinch of Petit Verdot is thrown into the blend for some added flair.  An elegant, seductive and poetic wine – Clos Apalta continues to be a tastemaker for Chillean Wines.

"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. 103,944 bottles produced. It was bottled in June 2021." - Luis Gutiérrez, The Wine Advocate (8/31/2022, Issue 262), Ratings: 95, Drink: 2023-2032

"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." - James Suckling, Ratings: 99

''This is more sculpted and cerebral than the Petit Clos, so if you are looking for exuberance and punch, go for the 2nd wine, but this takes things up a level. Star bright blueberry and cassis fruits, raspberry leaf, white pepper cocoa bean and lemongrass and a ton of slate-scrape tannins. A brilliant wine from a warm and dry vintage, that they have successfully navigated. One of the highest proportions of Carménère to date, with 90% new oak for ageing, then one year in bottle before release.'' Jane Anson, Best Pomerol 2020 Wines Tasted En Primeur (7/2/2022) Ratings: 97 Drink: 2024-2040

''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.'' Jeb Dunnuck, Up From The Cellar No. 20 (2/4/2023) Ratings: 96 Drink: 2023-2038