2020 Clos Apalta, Colchagua Valley, Chile

Winemaker Notes
Dark rich red with purples hues. Expressive nose with red fruit such as black and red cherry, figs and plums. with a spicy and black pepper notes. Complex and concentrated with broad tannins that open up the palate, with intense structure that bring more fruit and spices towards a very long finish.

Blend: 64% Carménère, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot

Press
Rated 99 Points James Suckling
A 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.

Rated 97 Points Decanter
A 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.

Rated 97 Points Jeb Dunnuck
The 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.