Clos Apalta
Valle de Apalta Red Blend
Colchagua Valley, Rapel Valley, Central Valley, Chile
99 pts JS, 96 SA, this wine lives up to the hype.
99 pts JS, 96 SA, this wine lives up to the hype.
May 19th, 2024
Tremendous wine. When my brother served it to us blind, I initially thought Bolghieri, thinking it a weedy, rich Tuscan Cab, but then the weediness became a bit more apparent and he mentioned Carmenere and it all made sense. Lots of cassis on the nose too. To me it seems very Pauillac in the mouth, with lots of graphite/pencil lead and dry cassis extract. Long long finish. Tannins there to ensure several more years but very soft. Terrific wine.
Tremendous wine. When my brother served it to us blind, I initially thought Bolghieri, thinking it a weedy, rich Tuscan Cab, but then the weediness became a bit more apparent and he mentioned Carmenere and it all made sense. Lots of cassis on the nose too. To me it seems very Pauillac in the mouth, with lots of graphite/pencil lead and dry cassis extract. Long long finish. Tannins there to ensure several more years but very soft. Terrific wine.
Oct 29th, 2022
Honestly, after the two massive Bordeaux’s, this was hard to palate. It’s an even bigger wine! Instantly stood out as being from the new world to me due to the fruit quality, which was sort of glossy when compared to the Bordeaux’s. On the nose, ripe black fruits, liquorice, vanilla, capsicum, mint, tobacco, and a whiff of volatile acidity. For me, the flavours on the palate seemed a little one dimensional when compared to the nose (just creamy cassis from start to end), but it may well have been just closed at the time of my tasting. Again, like the other big wines of the night, I enjoyed the tannin structure the most, which was quite distinct, starting at the edge of the tongue before enveloping the inner walls of the gums. The finish was warm and undeniably long, but it doesn’t compare to the length of the 11’ Troplong Mondot. A JS 99-pointer, but a no-no for me. Probably needs heaps of cellaring to be palatable for me, that is if the fruit doesn’t dry out first.
Honestly, after the two massive Bordeaux’s, this was hard to palate. It’s an even bigger wine! Instantly stood out as being from the new world to me due to the fruit quality, which was sort of glossy when compared to the Bordeaux’s. On the nose, ripe black fruits, liquorice, vanilla, capsicum, mint, tobacco, and a whiff of volatile acidity. For me, the flavours on the palate seemed a little one dimensional when compared to the nose (just creamy cassis from start to end), but it may well have been just closed at the time of my tasting. Again, like the other big wines of the night, I enjoyed the tannin structure the most, which was quite distinct, starting at the edge of the tongue before enveloping the inner walls of the gums. The finish was warm and undeniably long, but it doesn’t compare to the length of the 11’ Troplong Mondot. A JS 99-pointer, but a no-no for me. Probably needs heaps of cellaring to be palatable for me, that is if the fruit doesn’t dry out first.
Apr 24th, 2022
The most Bordeauxy wine I’ve had not from Bordeaux. And the best I’ve had from South America. … must try more!!
The most Bordeauxy wine I’ve had not from Bordeaux. And the best I’ve had from South America. … must try more!!
Mar 1st, 2022
Red berries, perfume very elegant bu5 need to let it open for at least 2.5 hours. And served at 16 degrees
Red berries, perfume very elegant bu5 need to let it open for at least 2.5 hours. And served at 16 degrees
Nov 27th, 2021
Quite good, excellent buy for a costco!
Quite good, excellent buy for a costco!
Sep 7th, 2020
