CLOS APALTA | Prelude | 2023
carmenère | cabernet sauvignon | merlot

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Established in 1994 by Alexandra Marnier Lapostolle and her husband, Cyril de Bournet, Clos Apalta is one of Chile’s most distinguished win estates, nestled in the Apalta Valley – a prestigious area within Chile’s famous Colchagua Valley. The estate holds one of the oldest Cabernet Sauvignon and Carmenere vineyards in Chile if not the world. The winery has quickly gained recognition for its commitment to quality and excellence, with a focus on biodynamic practices. Clos Apalta seeks to express the footprint of its unique terroir through meticulous vineyard management and innovative winemaking. The estate is renowned for its small production, which results in handcrafted wines that reflect the unique character of the region.
Today we are going to review a vibrant and expressive wine from Apalta Valley, which is a sub-region of Colchagua Valley of Chile – Prelude 2023 by Clos Apalta. This wine is a harmonious blend of three grape varieties: carmenère (50%), cabernet sauvignon (40%), and merlot (10%), where carmenère forms the wine’s main body and structure, cabernet sauvignon adds structure and tannin extract, while merlot builds a more refined mid-palate and offers a leaner and a more dynamic finish. All the grapes were sourced from the estate’s vineyards located in the Valle de Apalta micro-region (a relatively cool terroir, located between the Coastal Mountain Range and the Pacific Ocean in the Colchagua Valley, with incredibly old soils which originated in the Cretaceous period), mainly from the El Condor vineyard, located at elevations between 185 and 385 meters above sea level. After careful harvesting, the grapes are vinified in temperature-controlled oak vats. In order to soften the tannins and add a layer of extra complexity to the final blend, the wine has been aged for 5 months in french oak barriques (from which 10% new oak), then the wine is transferred to used french oak barrels for a further 12 months, with additional bottle ageing time before it was deemed ready for the market release.

The Colchagua Valley is nestled between the Andes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean, therefore it benefits from cooling coastal breezes and a mediterranean climate with warm, dry summers and cool, wet winters. The valley’s varied soils range from clay and sandy loam in the lower areas to granitic and volcanic deposits in the foothills, offering ideal conditions for cultivating premium red grape varieties like cabernet sauvignon and carmenere. These elements combine to create wines with rich, ripe flavors, balanced by high natural acidity, and that distinct regional dusty character that chilean wines are famous for.

The Apalta Valley is characterized by its unique soil composition, which is composed of clay and quartz, providing excellent drainage and fostering the deep root systems of the vines. The region’s microclimate, influenced by the surrounding Andes Mountains, offers cool nights and warm days which allows the grapes to reach full phenolic ripeness while preserving vibrant acidity and developing concentrated flavours, thus producing some of Chile’s most structured and elegant wines. Apalta has a North to South exposure, which is quite rare in Chile. The Tinguiririca river flows through the southern hills, surrounding the vineyards like a horseshoe. This geography allows for the conditions that ensure a slow ripening of the grapes, while at sunrise and sunset, the Cordillera range blocks the direct sunlight, limiting the vines exposure to intense sunshine.

color: deep & opaque ruby color
clarity: hazy crimson-inky shades at the rim

In the glass, the wine unveils a deep and opaque ruby color, with bright and hazy inky-crimson shades at the rim, indicating its youthful vibrancy.

intensity: pronounced & fruity-savory
fruit character: ripe & overripe

The olfactory expression is pronounced and rich, revealing a fruity-expressive profile with a savory accent. This complex aromatic profile balances the ripe fruit with intriguing terroir-driven earthiness. In the foreground, an alluring array of black fruits immediately captures attention: notes of black cherry, blackberry, blackcurrant, dark plum, and aronia intermingle with dark fruits like cassis, bitter cherry, prune, and black mulberry. These fruit notes are beautifully complemented by pronounced earthy hints of pencil lead, crushed granite, slate, and dust, further enriched by elegant touches of iron and subtle whispers of violets, adding an extra dimension of aromatic intrigue. As the aroma unfolds, the background unveils sophisticated oaky tones of sweet tobacco, toasted oakwood, and cloves, subtly woven with vanilla. Spicy undertones of peppercorn, nutmeg, juniper, anise, and a hint of red pepper emerge, alongside delicate terroir hints of marl, loam, and clay. A nuanced suggestion of liquorice and an elegant touch of textbook chilean dustiness complete this complex and inviting aromatic tapestry.

sweetness: dry | acidity: high | alcohol: high | tannin: high | balance: good
finish: long| aftertaste: crispy-seedy

On the palate, the wine delivers a youthful, fruity-expressive mouthfeel, showcasing a pleasantly-bitter and rich character. This is a textbook example of a new-world styled Bordeaux blend, offering a nuanced fruity-expressive accent that is both concentrated and vibrant. The wine greets the palate with a dry sensation, invigorated by exuberant acidity that provides remarkable freshness and structure. A well-integrated touch of alcoholic warmth adds to its body without overpowering the fruit. The tannins are firm and fine-grained and seedy, contributing to a robust backbone and a velvety texture that expands into an ample and rounded mid-palate. All of these leads to a long, crisp, and pleasantly-seedy finish, embodying the wine’s rustic charm and distinct chilean character.

maturity: developing | needs time | age for at least 3 to 5 more years
verdict: great | a benchmark wine | a wine that has all the traits to become legendary

Overall, Prelude stands as a textbook modern-bred Bordeaux-styled wine blend from Chile – rich, firm, and bold – a tribute dedicated to Apalta’s dusty terroir. It is a wine that manages to deliver the vibrant expressiveness of fruit alongside the unmistakable footprint of its local terroir. This is a well-structured, complex, and crisp wine, boasting a pleasantly bitter-seedy palate. Its aromatic profile focuses on grape expression, oak-derived elegance, and terroir earthiness, rather than veering towards sheer fruit opulence. Though still developing, and not very restrained in its use of oak at this youthful stage, the wine promises significant evolution. While it can certainly be enjoyed today by those who appreciate its assertive, youthful character, we highly recommend aging it for another 3 to 5 years to allow its components to fully integrate and evolve, revealing even greater harmony and depth.

For an exquisite culinary experience, consider pairing this wine with dishes that can stand up to its firm structure and rich, fruity-savory profile. A prime recommendation would be a pan-seared beef tenderloin, crusted with porcini mushrooms and a hint of truffle, served alongside a rich bordelaise sauce. The wine’s exuberant acidity will cut through the richness of the beef and sauce, preventing palate fatigue, while its firm, fine-grained tannins will complement the protein, creating a harmonious textural balance. The earthy notes of porcini mushrooms will create a congruent link with the wine’s own terroir-driven earthiness and delicate spice, amplifying those nuanced layers and creating a truly memorable, multi-dimensional tasting experience. Cheers!
CLOS APALTA | Prelude | 2023
variety: carmenère | cabernet sauvignon | merlot
country: Chile
region: Colchagua Valley | Apalta
rating: 94.8

Clos Apalta holds a prestigious place in wine history, having achieved unprecedented recognition for a South American winery. It was awarded a perfect score of 100 points by several renowned wine critics for its iconic blend, showcasing the winery’s exceptional quality. The winery’s commitment to organic and biodynamic practices reflects a growing trend toward sustainable viticulture in some of the world’s finest wine regions.

© The WineStatistics ratings are based solely on our own knowledge of the world of wine and on our personal wine tastes, which may, or may not, differ from yours – the reader. Just remember that there are no absolutes of right and wrong in wine appreciation. Cheers!