Clos Apalta

Clos Apalta

Carmenere

Clos Apalta

Clos Apalta

Carmenere

On a quest to bring French winemaking wisdom to a rare canvas of climate and soil, a living legend was born in 1997 with the first vintage of Clos Apalta: a powerful, complex Carmenère blend with tremendous aging potential.

Recognized in the Top 3 wines of the Wine Spectator Top 100 three times within five years, Clos Apalta established a new level of international prestige for the top wines of Chile. Under the watchful eye of Charles-Henri de Bournet and winemaker Andrea Leon, Clos Apalta remains one of the most iconic producers in South America​.

Wine Production

The revolutionary six-story Clos Apalta winery is built into the granite hillside of 'The Clos' in the proportions of the Golden Ratio, representing perfect natural equilibrium. In this way, the winery itself is an element of their minimal-intervention winemaking philosophy: hand harvesting, gentle extraction, wild yeast fermentation, no fining, and no filtration.

Tasting Notes

Dark and deep red color with purple edges. The nose is intense and spicy, overlapping with layers of red and black fruit, graphite, and cedar notes. Balanced and concentrated with refined tannins that open up the palate, with a bright structure that brings more fruit and spices towards a very long finish. 

Food Pairing

Clos Apalta can be cellared for many years or enjoyed with duck, lamb and potatoes, or dark chocolate. 

On a quest to bring French winemaking wisdom to a rare canvas of climate and soil, a living legend was born in 1997 with the first vintage of Clos Apalta: a powerful, complex Carmenère blend with tremendous aging potential.

Recognized in the Top 3 wines of the Wine Spectator Top 100 three times within five years, Clos Apalta established a new level of international prestige for the top wines of Chile. Under the watchful eye of Charles-Henri de Bournet and winemaker Andrea Leon, Clos Apalta remains one of the most iconic producers in South America​.

Wine Production

The revolutionary six-story Clos Apalta winery is built into the granite hillside of 'The Clos' in the proportions of the Golden Ratio, representing perfect natural equilibrium. In this way, the winery itself is an element of their minimal-intervention winemaking philosophy: hand harvesting, gentle extraction, wild yeast fermentation, no fining, and no filtration.

Tasting Notes

Dark and deep red color with purple edges. The nose is intense and spicy, overlapping with layers of red and black fruit, graphite, and cedar notes. Balanced and concentrated with refined tannins that open up the palate, with a bright structure that brings more fruit and spices towards a very long finish. 

Food Pairing

Clos Apalta can be cellared for many years or enjoyed with duck, lamb and potatoes, or dark chocolate. 

Biodynamic Practices
Sustainable Practices
Native Yeasts
Organic Practices
Old Vines
Woman-Led

Vineyard & Production Info

Production area/appellation:
Apalta
Vineyard name:
Clos Apalta Vineyard
Vineyard size:
53 ha selected of 160 ha total acres
Soil composition:
Colluvial granitic soils
Training method:
Vertical Trellis in a Double Guyot
Elevation:
185 - 385 meters above sea level feet
Yield/acre:
40 hL/ha tons
Exposure:
North to South
Harvest time:
March 13th to April 23rd
First vintage of this wine:
1997
Bottles produced of this wine:
113,052
Certified Eco-Friendly Practices:
Biodynamic & Organic Practices
Sustainability Certification:
Certified Sustainable by Wines of Chile

Winemaking & Aging

Maceration length:
5-6 weeks
Varietal composition:
68% Carmenère, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot
Fermentation container:
90% in 75hL French oak vats and 10% in 225 Bordeaux barrels. Malolactic in new French oak barrels
Fermentation temperature:
28-30 C °F
Maceration technique:
Manual punch down
Fining agent:
Not fined, cold stabilized, or filtered
Type of aging container:
21 months in French oak barrels with 73% new and 27% second use

Analytical Data

pH level:
3.78
Acidity:
3.53 g/L g/L
Alcohol:
15% %
Residual sugar:
2.7 g/L g/L

About the Vineyard

The family’s estate – the ‘Clos’ – is protected by a horseshoe-shaped mountain that shelters vines from the extreme influences of the Andes and Pacific. The hills provide relief from the afternoon sun in summer, creating slightly cooler conditions than the rest of the valley. Below, the Tinguiririca River cuts along the valley, providing natural drainage for winter rains. Here, conditions are perfect for elegant, complex wines with great structure, depth, color, and aging potential.