94 Points:
"Lusty notes of coconut, charcoal, vanilla and herbs grace core blackberry and cassis aromas. This is massive and widespread on the palate, but the key to its success is impeccable balance. Toasty, minty flavors of blackberry and cassis are chocolaty and lightly herbal, while the finish blends lushness, power, heft and smoky, herbal flavors that go on and on. Drink this Carmenère-led blend through 2024." – Michael Schachner, Wine Enthusiast
(March 2016)
94 Points: "Plenty of spice and blackberry with some dried potpourri. Underlying cedar character as well. Medium-bodied with chewy tannins and a fresh finish. Slightly dry tannins at the end. Drink now." – James Suckling (April 2018)
93 Points: "A dense, ripe and powerful style, with concentrated flavors of dark plum, blackberry and chocolate. Very plush and creamy midpalate, with a rich finish loaded with espresso notes, along with medium-grained tannins. Carmenère, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon." – Kim Marcus, Wine Spectator (March 2016)
91+ Points: "The 2012 Clos Apalta started off a little closed, but with air, the spicy aromas seemed to dominate (cloves, black pepper); there are also lots of smoky notes over a core of ripe black fruit with a volatile hint. It feels young and greatly marked by its two years in new French oak barrels. The palate is still young and tannic, and the finish is a little dry. There's not a lot of fruit in there and it somehow feels like it lacks a bit in the mid palate. For fans of the
style, but even though, you should wait to pull the cork. Drink Date 2018 – 2024." – Luis Gutiérrez, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (December 2015)
More from Luis Gutiérrez:
"The Lapostolle Collection started as a project to show the terroir and the effect of the different places and climates on Syrah, from north to south, in a variety that is highly influenced by place. They then experimented with Carménère from east to west and later saw the
opportunity for Mediterranean varieties in Apalta, Mourvèdre (Monastrell), and also in Maule with Carignan (Cariñena as part of Vigno) and Grenache (Garnacha). The wines are sold in six-packs, the six Syrah together and the rest in another case, so people can understand the differences from region to region.
All of the wines from The Collection follow a similar process, they are all very artisanal and produced at a very small scale. They are all hand-destemmed and fermented in
plastic bins after a short cold soak with indigenous yeasts with hand punching down, not a lot of extraction and then put into used French oak barrels and bottled around one year after the vintage. All very simple, with the aim to show the naked wines, bottled unfiltered and unfined. They really show their origin, grape and vintage. These wines are produced by winemaker Andrea León. Unfortunately volumes are slightly limited and I hope that in the future they can produce a little more -- at least from the Vigno and some others."
WINEMAKER'S NOTES
Dark and deep inky purple red color. Complex nose opening towards ripe and expressive red and black fruit, such as plums, red cherries, dry figs and blueberries. Spices such as clover and black pepper. With a concentrated structure, this wine has a round attack followed by velvety and polished tannins filling the mid palate and a ripe and rich long lasting finish.
Open and leave to breathe for a couple of hours or carefully decant for minimum 1 hour and enjoy at 17ºC (64°F).
FOOD PAIRING
Game, lamb, and entrecote fillet. Also good with rich bitter cocoa chocolate desserts.
FROM THE IMPORTER
VINTAGE: 2012
TYPE OF WINE: Bordeaux Blend
D.O.: Apalta
VARIETIES: 66% Carmenère, 19% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon
HARVEST: February 23 to April 26th
PRODUCTION: 5.008 cases of 9L equivalent
VINOTHÈQUE: 500 cases of 9L equivalent
TASTING NOTES
COLOR: Beautiful and deep dark red cherry color, with bright crimson red hues.
NOSE: Complex and expressive nose with many different layers that open up from bright ripe fruit, moving towards spices, cedar, figs and bitter chocolate.
PALATE: Round and wide structure, with polished and elegant tannins. The
palate builds over finesse and silky tannins over the finish.
TECHNICAL DATA
ALCOHOL CONTENT: 15.0% vol.
PH: 3.70
TOTAL ACIDITY: 3.6 gr/L (SO4)
RESIDUAL SUGAR: 2.90 gr/L
AVAILABLE FORMATS: 75cL
WINEMAKING
MACERATION TIME: 4-5 weeks with manual punch down.
FERMENTATION TYPE: 100% in 75hL small French oak vats.
FERMENTATION TEMPERATURE: < 28°C
AGEING: 24 months in new French oak barrels.
BOTTLING DATE: March 25th, 2014
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