Clos Apalta Vinotheque 2014

Product info about Clos Apalta Vinotheque 2014

Clos Apalta Vinotheque 2014 is a limited cellar release from Clos Apalta in Apalta, Chile. It is a Bordeaux-style red blend of 48% Carmenère, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon and 21% Merlot, but the real interest here lies in the way this vintage has been held back and released in a much smaller Vinotheque selection. Only 150 cases of 9-litre equivalent are stated for this edition, apart from the total production of the vintage. At Drankenshop Broekmans, this is the kind of bottle we introduce for its combination of origin, maturity and scarcity, especially now that only the last bottles remain.

The wine comes from the Clos Apalta Vineyard near Santa Cruz, set in a valley shaped by the hills of the Coastal Cordillera and the Tinguiririca River to the south. Much of its identity is rooted in old Carmenère and Cabernet Sauvignon vines planted between 1915 and 1940. The vineyards are certified organic by Ceres and biodynamic by Demeter, with old granitic and granodioritic soils, angular stones, underlying clay and well-drained deposits.

In the winery, the approach is equally deliberate. The grapes were destemmed by hand, fermented with indigenous yeasts and macerated for 4 to 5 weeks with manual pigeage. The wine then spent 28 months in new 225-litre French oak barriques. It was bottled without fining, cold stabilisation or filtration, underlining a style built around concentration, structure and a direct expression of the wine.

The 2014 vintage received notable critical recognition, including 100 points from James Suckling and a number 5 position in his Top 100. Even so, this is a wine to serve with patience: around 17 °C, preferably opened several hours in advance or carefully decanted for at least an hour.

In the glass, Clos Apalta Vinotheque 2014 shows a deep ruby colour with purple edges. The aroma is led by ripe black fruit: blackcurrant, blackberry and fig, followed by nuts, cinnamon, liquorice and floral notes. Fresh and savoury herbs, warm stone, dark chocolate and spice add further depth.

The palate is full and concentrated, opening with a creamy impression before moving into firm structure. Black fruit remains at the centre, supported by velvety, very fine tannins that still give the wine a clear backbone. The finish is long, with dark chocolate, spice and ripe dark fruit lingering.