2019 Clos Apalta

The vineyard, planted in the 1910s using a unique French massal selection, is located in the Apalta Valley, near the town of Santa Cruz on the western side of the Colchagua Valley. In 1994 the property was acquired by Alexandra Marnier Lapostolle and her husband Cyril de Bournet, with a vision to highlight the exceptional terroir of Apalta drawing upon their French expertise. Clos Apalta was born soon after, in 1997, as the iconic wine of the Domaines Bournet-Lapostolle in Chile. The team is currently led by Charles de Bournet, the son of the founders and 7th generation.

Other Reviews....
The 2019 Clos Apalta was produced with a blend of 70% Carmenere, 18% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Petit Verdot, 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. It's 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. Drink: 2023 - 2032.
95 points
Luis Gutiérrez - Wine Advocate

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.
99 points
James Suckling