Clos Apalta - Apalta 2018

Clos Apalta - Apalta 2018

The Marnier Lapostolle family, founders of the liqueur Grand Marnier, created Casa Lapostolle in 1994 with the ambition to create world-class wines by combining the superb terroir of Chile with their French winemaking philosophy. With the help of Michel Rolland, they decided to create Clos Apalta, the flagship of the winery, which debuted with the vintage 1997.

Within just a few years, this wine achieved remarkable international recognition, including being the only Latin American wine to be #1 Wine of the Year by Wine Spectator, and was soon considered as being part of the world’s greatest wines. It has now become a standalone wine, with its own specific vineyard in Apalta, and a dedicated winery.

This perfect location ensures perfect vine-growing conditions:
• Warm days and cool nights thanks to the location between the Mountains and the Ocean
• Moderated temperature and no extreme variation thanks to the River
• Limited vines exposure to intense sunshine thanks to the foothills which block the sun’s rays at the sunrise and at the sunset.

In addition to its ideal location, Clos Apalta vineyard benefits from several strengths which make the wine unique, with a real personality:
• High density vineyard planted on a low fertility granitic soils
• South-oriented horseshoe of non-irrigated foothills
• Organic and Biodynamic vineyard management
• Carmenere and Cabernet Sauvignon Pre-filoxeric old vines planted in 1920, not grafted.

In 2006, an incredible cellar 100% dedicated to Clos Apalta has been inaugurated: 6 levels which allows to work completely through gravity… 4 of which are buried into the granite of the Apalta hillside to provide a natural cool temperature environment for cellaring and ageing.

You will find below a video presenting the wine and the winery :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtXpG46uMWw

WEATHER CONDITIONS
The season began with a cold and rainy winter 2017, which allowed for sufficient accumulation of water in the soil and an adequate sum of cold hours. Spring 2017 did not register significant frosts and continued with good temperature and luminosity conditions, allowing excellent shooting and flowering. From December 2017 and
until mid-February 2018, the maximum temperatures were moderate throughout the central zone and in particular in Apalta, which determined a prolonged fruit setting and maturation. After the second fortnight of February 2018 there was a temperature rise, with temperatures above 35°C, accelerating the processes of maturation on early varieties. March was fresh, which allowed for a slow accumulation of sugars without a great loss of acidity, which
are both key in wines of great balance. Autumn did not bring any rain allowing later varieties to be harvested at optimal maturation. This year Clos Apalta had a generous production, healthy, of excellent flavor, with relatively moderate alcohol levels and more freshness.

TASTING NOTE
Clos Apalta 2018 presents a deep and inky purple red robe with dark blue edges. The nose is intense, spicy overlapping with layers of red and black fruit, and cedar notes.
On the palate, elegant tannins open towards a mid-palate that combines finesse and concentration, round and fresh.
Exceptionally long finish.