{"product_id":"lapostolle-clos-apalta-red-rapel-valley-chile-2020","title":"Lapostolle, Clos Apalta Red, Rapel Valley, Chile, 2020","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eOverview of the Wine\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEverything starts in 1994 when Alexandra Marnier Lapostolle and her husband Cyril de Bournet first arrived in Chile’s Colchagua Valley. They quickly realized its potential for producing world-class wines. This ideal setting, which was revitalized in 1995, was home to vines originating from pre-phylloxera rootstock brought from Bordeaux in the middle of XIX century. Member of a renowned family that has been dedicated for several generations to the production of high-quality spirits and wines, Alexandra with legendary wine expertise, brought exceptional French winemaking practices to Chile and pioneered the development of fine quality wines from the region. Today it is Charles de Bournet Marnier Lapostolle, seventh generation of the family, who holds the reins of the Winery. Together with him is Jacques Begarie, Technical Director \u0026amp; Winemaker, under the advice of the famous winemaker Michel Rolland, who is personally involved in the whole production of Clos Apalta. In its short history, Clos Apalta wines have consistently ranked highly (90+ points) among reputable wine trade publications, a testament of the rigorous standards implemented at the winery to produce outstanding wines. Clos Apalta's philosophy is as simple as it is ambitious: to express terrois in the wines, looking for excellence, elegance and character in a handcrafted wine that can talk about the amazing place that is the Apalta Valley.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOrganic and Natural.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWinemaker\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e Charles de Bournet Marnier Lapostolle\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eGrape \/ Blend\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e64% Carmenère, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eOrigin\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eRapel Valley, Chile\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eWinemaker's Tasting Notes\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003eDark rich red with purples hues. \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eExpressive nose with red fruit such as black and red cherry, figs and plums. with a spicy and black pepper notes. \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eComplex and concentrated with broad tanins that open up the palate, with intense structure that bring more fruit and spices towards a very long finish.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"panelContainer whitePanel\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"anchor\" name=\"3\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e99 Points - James Suckling\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA really refined, expressive and layered Clos Apalta with fine olives, incense, cigar box, cocoa powder, Spanish chocolate, pencil shavings, graphite and fine spices. Juicy, bright and full-bodied palate with a fine saline, savory twist. Very long and juicy. 64% carmenere, 19% cabernet sauvignon, 15% merlot and 2% petit verdot. Real finesse from 2020.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e97 Points - Vinous\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA great effort in the hot and dry 2020, COVID-19 vintage with the earliest harvest ever. The grand vin shows power, richness and tons of fruit but retains a sense of charisma and direction that is so compelling. Bright, forward, sleek and silky, tannins enrobe the palate creating a cushion for the ripe blackcurrants and blueberries, bright acidity and underlying spice to meld together. A large percentage of Carmenere at 64% gives the fragrance and backbone while 19% Cabernet Sauvignon adds texture and depth, 13% Merlot bringing freshness and acidity and 2% Petit Verdot adding spice, colour and richness. Only just beginning to really express itself with liquorice, eucalyptus, figs, plums and a salty-wet stone minerality that comes in on the finish. Despite the intensity, this is layered and well sculpted with tons of pleasure to be had with a few more years ageing. Ageing 27 months in 225L French oak barrels, 85% new, 15% two years old. 3.7pH. Winemaker and viticulturist Andrea Leon kept more leaf coverage, a thicker and higher trellis and natural cover crops during the vintage to moderate the high temperatures. Bottles for this, and the second wine, are now made in Chile as of this vintage and have reduced in weight by 10% in a bid to increase sustainability. Clos Apalta now also featuring its name embossed in the glass at the bottom of the bottle\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e97 Points - Jeb Dunnuck\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe flagship 2020 Clos Apalta is based on 64% Carménère, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, and 2% Petit Verdot and it was aged for 27 months in 85% new barrels. It takes the second wine and turns the dial up, offering a dense purple hue as well as gorgeous aromatics of red and black plums, smoked tobacco, fresh flowers, and spicy oak. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has beautiful depth and concentration, yet it stays light on its feet, has a beautiful sense of freshness, and ultra-fine, polished tannins.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e96 Points - Wine Advocate\u003cbr\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe grand vin 2020 Clos Apalta was produced with a blend of 64% Carmenere, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot from a ripe and warm year. It's ripe, concentrated, dense and powerful, reflecting the house style and the conditions of the year, with more influence from the élevage than in the second wine, Le Petit Clos. It fermented with indigenous yeasts for five to six weeks, with manual punch-down of the cap in 7,500-liter French oak vats, followed by malolactic in new French oak barrels. The élevage was 27 months in 85% new barrels and 15% second use barrels. It has a creamy, smoky and spicy personality, with notes of sweet spices, such as cinnamon and vanilla and ripe blackberries, and it is quite forward, ripe and showy, with generous oak and 15% alcohol. It's lush with abundant, fine-grained tannins and a persistent finish. Give it a little more time in bottle, and enjoy with powerful food.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e94 Points - Tim Atkin\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003eThe sort of thing that one admires first and wants to drink second, this is a glossy, full-throttle number that’s made to a winning formula. Whether you enjoy it depends on your predilection for the riper style of Chilean red. Pairing Carmenere, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot, aged in 85% new wood, it had flavours of kirsch, blackberry and fig jam, a spine of tannin, top notes of lavender and potpourri and plenty of alcohol.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e94 Points - Wine Spectator\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOffers a wealth of ripe blueberry and blackberry flavors, as well as notes of black currant, with good concentration but also a touch of grace, as the midpalate acidity reveals a sublayer of herbs de Provence and white pepper. This flexes a bit on the finish around persistent yet well-integrated tannins that have a slight chalky tinge, but maintains its elegance and form on the length finish.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e94 Points - Wine Enthusiast\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003eA Carmenere-focused blend, with a fair percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon and smaller amounts of Merlot and Petit Verdot, this is the winery’s top wine. The nose is very expressive, with rich notes of baking spice and dark fruit. It’s full-bodied, displaying delicate vanilla bean and chocolate-covered plums and dark cherries. A satin texture and optimal freshness lengthen its fruit flavors through the finish.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProduct size: 750ml\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"WINEBOW","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50577108074801,"sku":null,"price":156.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0275\/0441\/0666\/files\/Lapostolle_Clos_Apalta_Red_Rapel_Valley_Chile_2020.jpg?v=1736867967","url":"https:\/\/marchantofwine.com\/products\/lapostolle-clos-apalta-red-rapel-valley-chile-2020","provider":"Merchant of Wine","version":"1.0","type":"link"}