Lapostolle Clos Apalta 2019

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Lapostolle
Clos Apalta 2019

Vintage : 2019
Country : Chile
Region : Rapel Valley
Subregion :
Type : Red
Style : Rich and Spicy
Format : 75cl
Alcohol : 15°
Grappes : 70% Carménère, 18% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot

Clos Apalta by Lapostolle is a legendary Bordeaux-style blend, crafted from Carmenère, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot, representing the pinnacle of winemaking in Chile’s Apalta Valley.

Experts		Score	Vintage
JS	James Suckling	99	2019
VN	Vinous (Antonio Galloni)	96	2019
JD	Jeb Dunnuck	96	2019
WS	Wine Spectator	95	2019
RP	Robert Parker	95	2019

More information on wine critics and ratings

Tasting Note (PDF)

Description
Video
Reviews

Region and Vineyards

Clos Apalta is located in the Apalta Valley, part of the Colchagua Valley in Chile, near the town of Santa Cruz. This region features a unique North-to-South exposure, creating a meso-climate that is distinct from the surrounding Colchagua Valley. The vineyards are sheltered by the Coastal Cordillera hills, which form a natural horseshoe and regulate the sun's intensity, while the nearby Tinguiririca River provides a cooling influence. This combination ensures slow, even ripening of the grapes, preserving their acidity and promoting high levels of concentration.

The 48-hectare vineyard is planted on granitic soils originating from the Cretaceous period, with a mix of colluvial and alluvial materials. The terroir’s excellent drainage and varied slopes (2–15%) support biodynamic farming, certified by Demeter. Clos Apalta is an exemplar of sustainability, combining organic practices with cutting-edge precision.

Winemaking

The 2019 vintage is a blend of 70% Carmenère, 18% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 4% Petit Verdot, hand-harvested from March 14 to May 13. The wine underwent a 4–5 week maceration with manual punchdowns, followed by fermentation in 68% 75-hL French oak vats and 33% new French oak barrels. Malolactic fermentation occurred in new French oak barrels.

Clos Apalta aged for 24 months in French oak barrels (90% new, 10% second use). The wine was bottled without fining or filtration to preserve its purity, allowing for a complex and authentic expression of the Apalta terroir.

Tasting Notes

Color: Intense dark purple-red with violet-blue edges.
Aroma: A vibrant and expressive nose of ripe plums and dried figs, with layers of clove, sweet spices, and subtle balsamic hints.
Palate: Concentrated and powerful at the start, opening into a lively mid-palate with a structured tannic frame. The finish is long and persistent, marked by vibrant freshness and elegance.

Did you know?

Clos Apalta is Chile’s only wine to be awarded Wine Spectator’s "Wine of the Year", a title it earned in 2005. It remains one of South America’s most awarded wines, achieving 99 points from James Suckling and a consistent place among Chile’s finest.

Wine Pairing Ideas

Slow-cooked beef short ribs: The wine’s bold tannins and spice complement the richness of braised beef.
Lamb tagine with prunes and almonds: The wine’s ripe fruit and balsamic notes enhance the dish’s sweet and savory elements.
Grilled portobello mushrooms: The earthy flavors of mushrooms pair beautifully with the wine’s complex structure and spice.
Dark chocolate mousse: The wine’s elegant finish and fruity notes provide a luxurious contrast to bittersweet chocolate.

James Suckling (JS) : 99 Points (2019)

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.

Vinous (Antonio Galloni) (VN) : 96 Points (2019)

The 2019 Clos Apalta from Apalta, Colchagua, was aged for 24 months in 90% new French barrels. Dark purple in the glass. The complex, nuanced nose offers mild notes of mint, pyrazines, ash and ripe dark fruit such as blackberry and blueberry with hints of undergrowth and tobacco, cedar and other aromas from the aging process. In the mouth, it’s indulgent and compact initially with refined, slightly reactive, young tannins, an expansive flow and a rich palate that delivers herbal flavors before the sustained, fruity finish. The good year has helped to enhance the depth of an already accomplished red with a well-proven ripe style. (JH) (6/2022)

Jeb Dunnuck (JD) : 96 Points (2019)

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.

Wine Spectator (WS) : 95 Points (2019)

Balances muscle and grace in a complex package, with geranium and floral peppercorn-accented red currant notes up front, while the core is densely packed with blackberry and plum flavors that swirl around spiced chocolate details and swell with lively acidity. Ends with mineral twinges, firming tannins and a final wave of kirsch and chocolate. Carmenère, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2035.

Robert Parker (RP) : 95 Points (2019)

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.