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A 100-Point Bordeaux Style Red from Clos Apalta!
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What is a legendary Bordeaux winemaker to do when it is winter in France? There's only one good answer, travel far south and work a second harvest in the high altitude vines of the Andes Mountains!
For the past 23 years, Michel Rolland has partnered with the famous Lapostolle family at their estate in Apalta. It is the only winery Rolland works with in Chile. In the 2017 vintage, the 20th anniversary of their partnership, they have crafted something quite special.
Today, we offer the 100-Point "Clos Apalta" and the 96-Point "Le Petit Clos" on a pre-arrival basis. Priced at $109.99 and $37.99, they compare VERY favorable to Bordeaux and Napa bottlings of similar quality. The wine is currently in transit to Chicago, and we expect to have it ready for pickup in February.
Scroll down for all the details, then quickly click on the Big Yellow Button to lock in on these polished, classic Bordeaux-style gems!
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This is a pre-arrival offer. Wine is expected to arrive in February 2021.
Your card will be charged upon order confirmation.
We will contact you next year when your wine is ready for pickup!
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 2017 Clos Apalta "Clos Apalta" Proprietary Red Apalta, Colchagua Valley, Chile
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This full-bodied, rich and utterly polished Bordeaux-inspired red is the flagship of Clos Apalta. In 2017, it has earned a perfect 100-Point rating from James Suckling who calls it their "most classically structured wine ever."
"Outrageous and so polished."
- James Suckling, April 2020
Using four of the six classic Bordeaux varietals, Rolland allowed a full month of skin contact in large French oak vats before moving the wine to primarily new French oak barrels for 27 months and eventual bottling without fining or filtration. The resulting wine is a refined, nuanced classic...
"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." - 100 Points, James Suckling (4/16/2020) "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. Drink Date: 2022 - 2030." - 95 Points, Wine Advocate (8/31/2020)
If you are a fan of the classic wines of Bordeaux, this bottling will offer tremendous appeal. Looking online we found 21 listings. Our price beats them all. Place your order on this 100-point powerhouse now for delivery in February.
Vin Chicago Price: 109.99
Also available are 1.5-liter magnums for $237.99 and 3.0-liter for $479.99
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2017 Clos Apalta "Le Petit Clos" Proprietary Red
Apalta, Colchagua Valley, Chile
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In the great tradition of Bordeaux, Clos Apalta began producing a "second label" in 2014. Produced using the same care and dedication to quality as the first wine, "Le Petit Clos" is a more immediately approachable interpretation of the land and, at under $40 a bottle, this Cabernet dominated wine is one heck of a buy.
The 2017 Le Petit Clos contains 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, blended with Carmenere, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot. It will appeal both to hardcore Bordeaux fans and those that prefer big California reds. It is the perfect wine to drink while you wait for your Clos Apalta to mature in the cellar!
Once again, the critical acclaim is outstanding, starting with James Suckling's 96-point review...
"This is so delicious with blackcurrants, spice, sweet tobacco, lavender and roses. Full-bodied, tight and very polished with gorgeous texture and finesse. Shows tannin tension at the end. A blend of mostly cabernet sauvignon, the rest cabernet franc. Better after 2022." - 96 Points, James Suckling (11/16/2020) "The second wine, in the Bordeaux sense, the 2017 Le Petit Clos has a different blend from the grand vin, in this case 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Carmenere, 9% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot and is quite different every year. It fermented in 7,500-liter oak vats with indigenous yeasts and a four- to five-week maceration followed by malolactic in new barriques. It matured in new French barriques for six months and spent the next 16 months in first, second and third use French oak barrels. I found a lot less influence from the oak here than in the "grand vin" and a more classical profile with dominance of the Cabernet Sauvignon-ripe without excess, powerful and concentrated but with very good balance. It's quite approachable even when it feels quite youthful; the tannins are round, and the wine is neat and velvety with some creaminess. It has an elegant profile within the powerful character of the vintage. It surpassed my expectations, and I find it every bit as good as the 2016. Drink Date: 2020 - 2027." - 93+ Points, Wine Advocate (8/31/2020)
At our price of $37.99, this one is a slam dunk. Sign up for a six-bottle case and start enjoying when it arrives in February. A 96-Point, Cabernet-dominant blend with this pedigree is a real treat!
Vin Chicago Price: 37.99
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This is a pre-arrival offer. The wine is expected to arrive in February 2021.
Your card will be charged upon order confirmation.
We will contact you next year when your wine is ready for pickup!
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If you cannot see a yellow button, please either click here,
or contact us at 773-791-7936 for assistance. |
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