2019 Clos Apalta Le Petit Clos (750ml)

Carmenere from Apalta Vineyard, Colchagua Valley, Chile

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Crafted in the Bordelaise tradition of a "second" wine, Clos Apalta’s powerful 95 pt. 2019 Let Petit Clos is worthy of center stage, its juicy lush fruit and soft, textured finish described as “impressive and polished” by James Suckling and over delivering at a fraction of the price of its flagship “big brother” in a range of formats for cellaring.

Inspired to craft a world class wine in Chile’s Colchagua Valley, French Grand Marnier heiress Alexandra Marnier Lapostolle and her husband Cyril de Bournet established Clos Apalta in 1997 under the leadership of renowned French oenologist Michel Rolland, seeking to apply French wine making expertise to the exceptional Chilean terroir. Sourced from a mix of younger plantings and old vines up to 100 years, the grapes for Le Petit Clos come from Clos Apalta’s sustainably farmed El Condor vineyard, its unique microclimate in the shadow of the towering Cordillera Mountains creating optimal conditions for ripening Carmenere while maintaining its freshness and acidity. Blending mostly Carmenere with Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and a little Petit Verdot, winemaker Jacques Begarie aged the elegant 2019 Le Petit Clos for 8 months in new French oak, then a further 14 months in 50% new and 50% second use oak, yielding richly concentrated fruit hinting of pepper and spice that “transports you to South America” according to Inside Bordeaux’s Jane Anson, with uplifting bright acidity that promises graceful aging over the next decade.

Describing it as “balanced but by no means a wallflower of a wine,” Decanter’s Georgina Hindle sums up the impressive 95 pt. 2019 Le Petit Clos in a word - “Wow” - a tribute to the exceptional skills of the Clos Apalta team to produce a rich and boldly structured second wine that reflects the quality of its Grand Cuvee and rivals Chile’s top blends, the only ‘petite” part about it being its terrific value price.

95JS

94V

94WS #40 Top 100

93WA

Aromatic and herbal nose of thyme, bay leaves, currants, blackberries, licorice and pomelo pith. Medium-bodied with a fleshy, delicious and open palate. Ripe tannins. Plush and caressing finish. 49% carmenere, 30% merlot, 18% cabernet sauvignon and 3% petit verdot. Drink now or hold.

95 points, James Suckling (Jun 2022)

The 2019 Le Petit Clos from Apalta, Colchagua, was aged for eight months in new French oak barrels, and then 14 months half new and half second used ones. Dark purple in the glass. It delivers an intricate nose of gentle pyrazine aromas such as jalapeño as well as blackberry, blueberry and other dark fruit over a mild, well-integrated bed of oak. In the mouth, it’s vigorous with a rich, expansive flow while the wood provides heft and underlines the jammy flavors. An elegant red that from an the excellent year.

94 points, Joaquín Hidalgo, Vinous (Jun 2022)

An elegant, open-textured and well-contoured blend, offering alluring balsam, cassis and dark chocolate notes that fold over onto the rich palate. Picks up crushed red currant and espresso-laced berry flavors, which have great depth and linger effortlessly around suave tannins, echoing back to the core flavors. Carmenère, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2035.

94 points, Aaron Romano, Wine Spectator (Feb 2023)

#40 - Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2023

The second wine from Clos Apalta, the 2019 Le Petit Clos was produced with a blend of 49% Carmenere, 30% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Petit Verdot from granite soils. It fermented with indigenous yeasts with four to five weeks of maceration with manual punchdowns and malolactic in French oak barrels. The élevage was eight months in new barrels and a further 14 months in 50% new oak and 50% second use. It's a ripe and powerful red with 14.5% alcohol and a pH of 3.6. It has a nose of herbs and spices, and it's creamy and lush, with a juicy texture and a full body with an herbal finish. It has mellow acidity and a soft mouthfeel through round and fine tannins. 41,988 bottles produced. It was bottled in March 2021.

93 points, Luis Gutiérrez, Wine Advocate (Issue # 262 - Aug 2022)

Alcohol By Volume: 14.5%

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$44.98

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