Jane Anson - Inside Bordeaux

Wine Spectator

Falstaff

Deep dark ruby, purple reflections, opaque core, subtle brightening on the rim. Fine oak savouriness on the nose, cloves, cinnamon and ripe plums, hints of ripe figs and dried pears, notes of nougat underneath. Deep, very juicy with ripe cherries. Opulent texture, framed by supporting tannins, discreet fruit expression, very good length, a wine with structure, charm and a future.

Revista Adega

Wine Review Online

Clos Apalta has become one of Chile’s most acclaimed red wines, and deservedly so. The 2019 certainly merits that accolade. Despite a 15 percent stated alcohol, the 2019 Clos Apalta is balanced and suave. Intense and rich, yes, but not flamboyant or over-the-top. Instead, it is a seamless marriage of lush dark black cherry-like fruitiness intermingled with dark minerals. Refined tannins lend support without intruding. Savory, herbal nuances, add intrigue and complexity. As with all great wines, a delectable hint of bitterness accents its long finish, reminding us that wine is more than just ripe fruit. Uplifting acidity makes this energetic wine a delight to drink now, but its balance suggests a graceful evolution

Robert Parker Wine Advocate

The 2019 Clos Apalta was produced with a blend of 70% Carmenere, 18% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Petit Verdot, which is 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. The wine is 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.

I tasted the wines from Clos Apalta for their release through the Place de Bordeaux in September 2022, but I also include those notes here for context and completeness.

Jeb Dunnuck

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.

James Suckling

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.

Decanter Magazine

A dark, brooding nose with hints of smoked meat and figs. Juicy and intense, you get power and acidity and poise. There is lots of finesse in this wine, you feel the step up from the second wine in the detail of the slightly grainy but very present tannins and the sculpting of the fruit - blackcurrants, red cherries, plums and balsamic touches. A real stylish element to this, it's generous and giving but not too overtly. It's still rich and concentrated and you do get the 15% alcohol - but feels like they've taken the foot off the pedal slightly allowing the different elements to shine in their own right. Smooth and totally seductive, the texture and the lingering slightly chalky element stays on the tongue while the fruit lasts and lasts. A lovely wine. This has one of the highest percentages of Carménère ever at 70% with 4% Petit Verdot completes the blend. Aged 24 months in French oak barrels (90% new) followed by one year in bottle. Biodynamic.