2017 Clos Apalta ‘XX Anniversary’ Colchagua Valley

Winemaker Notes: “When I first came to Apalta, it struck me – unique geography, climate and old vines that are not grafted. The potential that lay hidden in this incredible place came to reality with the creation of Clos Apalta.” Jacques Begarie, Chief Winemaker

TASTING NOTES

COLOR: Deep garnet in appearance, the wine reflects the intense colour of carmenère grapes and typical aromas of ripe fruits.

NOSE: An abundance of aromas, including redcurrant, raspberry and wild strawberries, reflects the stunning complexity of merlot, cabernet sauvignon and carmenère.

PALATE: The initial wave of berry fruits, underpinned by soft, silky tannins, is pursued by contrasting touches of black olive, blackcurrant and liquorice. Incredibly long and taut on the finish, revealing exquisite, delicate tannins, and expressing the great elegance of the Apalta terrors.

BLEND: The blend, made up of 48% Carmenère, 26% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot.

GROWING CONDITIONS
The 2017 vintage was shaped by extreme conditions which promoted deadly, tinderbox conditions for the propagation of devastating wildfires, with a total of 600,000 hectares of forest. To our great relief, our vines were spared and suffered no smoke damage, which was soon confirmed on tasting the different parcels of grapes.
Winter was exceptionally dry at Clos Apalta, with a 35% hydric deficit compared to the longterm average. Spring was drier and cold. In November, marginally higher temperatures and marginal accumulation of rain resulted in budbreak commencing 10 days early. Summer was unbearably hot, with scorching temperatures hovering between 32°C and 35°C. After the first ten days of March, both minimum and maximum temperatures had dropped markedly. Such temperature variations allowed the grapes to complete phenolic ripening, promoting intense colour and retaining intense fruit character and freshness.
In the end, conditions for ripening were excellent and consistent with a classic year.

CRITICAL ACCLAIM

James Suckling – “What a stunning nose of crushed berries, fresh flowers, sandalwood and light vineyard dust. Black olives, too. Very complex. Full-bodied with a beautiful, dense palate of blackberries, chocolate, walnuts and cigar box. Fantastic length and composure. The tannin just rolls over the palate. Very structured. The most classically structured wine ever from here. Goes on for minutes. Outrageous and so polished. A blend of 48% carmenere, 26% cabernet sauvignon, 25% merlot and 1% petit verdot. Try after 2025.”

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate – “The 2017 Clos Apalta is the 20th vintage of this wine that was produced with a blend of 48% Carmenere, 26% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot from organic and biodynamic certified vineyards on granite soils. It fermented with indigenous yeasts for four to five weeks, with manual punch-down of the cap, mostly in 7,500-liter French oak vats and 18% in new French barrique. Malolactic was in new French oak barrels, and the élevage lasted for 27 months in 85% new barrels and 15% second use. This is always a powerful, big and ripe wine that is regularly 15% alcohol, reflecting a warm and ripe place. The 2017 is no exception, perhaps a riper and more powerful wine than the 2016. It’s still very young and marked by the élevage, with abundant balsamic aromas and notes from the wood—spice and smoke with an ashy touch. It seems quite marked by the character of the Carmenere. The tannins are quite round and polished, and the flavors are pungent and powerful. It’s a full-bodied wine to age in in bottle and enjoy in its 10th birthday with powerful food.”

Decanter – “Powerful in its concentration and focus, a deep plum colour with the same distinctive sumac and cardamon spice notes as Le Petit Clos, but here with a more serious grip, excellent balance in terms of its liquorice-laced blueberry fruits and a mouthwatering lift through the finish. 85% new oak that fits extremely well in the frame of the wine. 20th anniversary vintage. Now its own specific appellation within the Colchagua Valley. 1% Petit Verdot completes the blend. Certified biodynamic, with a number of ungrafted vines. Drinking Window 2023 – 2038”