Clos Apalta 2018 is a biodynamic wine made from 64% Carmenère, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 18% Merlot. It has a deep purple-red color and an intense nose of red and black fruits, spices, and cedar. The palate is elegant with fine tannins, offering a fresh, round finish and exceptional length. This well-balanced wine, from a cool vintage, is already beautiful to drink and will continue to improve over the next decade.

Jamessuckling.com | JS 98
Published: Aug 2, 2021

So aromatic and fresh with dried flowers, sweet tobacco and hints of straw. Red fruit, cloves and green peppercorns. Medium-to full-bodied with fine tannins that are very fresh and refined. Fine, silky and beautiful. Hints of minerals and granite to the dark fruit. Such gorgeous length and beauty. 64% carmenere, 18% cabernet franc and 18% merlot. Extremely long and poised. Cooler wine. From biodynamically grown grapes. Delicious to drink already, but another three to four years will make it even better. 

Decanter | D 97
Published: Jan 3, 2022
Drink: 2022-2032

In 2019 Andrea León achieved superlative results at Clos Apalta with a blend of 64% Carmenere, Cabernet Franc and Merlot aged for 25 months in French barrels. This is a luxurious red with an aromatic profile of liquorice and black and redcurrant over layers of graphite, clove and cinnamon. In the mouth, the breadth and freshness are brought together by the silky texture which flows into an enjoyable finish with refined tannins.
Closure: Natural Cork
Alcohol: 15.00%
Body: Full
Oak: Oaked
Grapes: 18% Cabernet Sauvignon 18% Merlot 64% Carmanère

The Wine Advocate | RP 96
Published: Aug 31, 2021
Drink: 2022-2030

There is a lot of Carmenere character on the nose of the 2018 Clos Apalta, which was produced with 64% Carmenere, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon and 18% Merlot, a blend that is similar to the one used in 2016. The wine is not shy at all and hits the scale at 15% alcohol. It's showy, heady, hedonistic, aromatic, full-bodied and lush with abundant velvety tannins and a long and powerful finish where the notes of black peppercorns and tea and tobacco leaves dominate. This might not be a wine for everybody, but fans of the style will love it. 92,748 bottles produced. It was bottled in October 2020.

Closapalta.com

2018 Tasting Notes
COLOR
Deep and inky purple red robe with dark blue edges.

NOSE
The nose is intense, spicy overlapping with layers of red and black fruit, and cedar notes.

PALATE
Elegant tannins open towards a mid-palate that combines finesse and concentration, round and fresh. Exceptionally long finish.

Vintage Report
APPELATION
Apalta.

BLEND
64% Carmenère, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot.

HARVEST
March 13th to May 11th.

GROWING CONDITIONS
2018 vintage gave a generous production, healthy, of excellent flavor, with relatively moderate alcohol levels and more freshness.

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. 

It will be remembered as one of the greatest cold vintages of the 21st century in Chile.