Mission Codename Hérè we go
Michel Rolland devotees, Carménère fans, Bordeaux afficionados - everybody gather around!
When this sold out in record time a few months ago we immediately went back to source more.
Which resulted in more Baby Clos Apalta - the second-to-none Le Petit Clos. A TRIPLE 94 point treasure at the* best price anywhere, guaranteed! Over 40% OFF and under $40 gets you a taste of the famed producer at a fraction of the usual price.
James Suckling leaves “no doubt that Clos Apalta is one of the world’s greatest red wines.” Clos Apalta is a famous former winner of Wine Spectator’s #1 Wine of the Year award, emphasizing that “the wine’s price has remained relatively modest through the years, considering the investment behind it, particularly so in comparison to prices for benchmark wines from regions such as Bordeaux, Napa, and Tuscany” makes Le Petit Clos the top bargain of the Southern Hemisphere? Maybe beyond?
Antonio Galloni’s Vinous echoes that “Clos Apalta is the jewel in the crown of the Bournet family, who also own Lapostolle. From a winery hewn into the granite rock of Apalta and with winemaking overseen by the renowned oenologist Michel Rolland, they make only two wines, both in the Bordelais style: Clos Apalta and Le Petit Clos, two Carménère-based blends.”
Next to the big boy Clos Apalta ($150 average out there) this sure holds its own. A similar nose of deftly balanced new French oak against an avalanche of dark ripe berries, blackcurrant, along with a curiously delicious theme of strawberry rhubarb pie! The palate more than delivers the goods too, it’s a medium to full-bodied presence, with telltale sends to classified growths of the Médoc in essence, while with a unique Carménère-ness that needs to be tasted to be believed.
At this price, there is not much to think of - load up - before it’s gone, again.
94 Points – Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
“The 2018 Le Petit Clos, a second wine born in 2014, was produced with a blend of 53% Carménère, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot from organically and biodynamically certified vineyards even if the bottled doesn’t carry the seals. It’s ripe and powerful with the Apalta signature, earthy and stony. It fermented with indigenous yeasts in oak vats and matured in French barriques for some 22 months. It’s full-bodied with a lush texture and round tannins, a softer version of the 2016. Drink 2021-2028.”
94 Points – Antonio Galloni’s Vinous
“The 2018 Le Petit Clos is a blend of 53% Carménère, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot from Apalta, Colchagua. Dark garnet in hue. The complex nose offers plum jam, hints of smoke, herbs and pepper against a backdrop of cigar box and graphite. A ripe, broad, full-bodied red with precise acidity and a juicy, grippy flow (quite accomplished for the style), it ends with an intense, ripe finish. A red to hold on to. Drink 2024-2033.”
94 Points – James Suckling
“A medium-bodied red with blackberry, red-berry and spice aromas and flavors. It’s chewy and polished with a medium finish. Dried flowers to the fruit at the finish. Tight and reserved now. Drink in 2022 and onwards.”
What the Winery Says
2018 'Le Petit Clos' Red
- Winemaker
- Michel Rolland
- Varietals
- 53% Carménère, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot
- Vintage
- 2018
- Alcohol
- 14.5%
- Appellation
- Apalta DO, Colchagua Valley, Chile
- Total acidity
- 4.00 g/L
- pH
- 3.62
- Aging
- 22 months (6 in new oak, 16 in used)
- Barrels
- 21% new French oak