BEST VALLEY CHOICE APALTA: “This new version of Clos Apalta is 48% carménère, and 31% cabernet sauvignon, along with 21% merlot that ripened very well in the hot 2014 season. In addition to being a blend of varieties, Clos Apalta is also a blend of vineyards, some of which (especially the carménère and cabernet) are very old and date back to 1920. The wine was aged in new barrels for 26 months, but that long timespan was justified by its powerful structure—there was enough meat there to handle the new oak. Compared to the early Clos, this one is undeniably fresher and tenser, but it’s still made in the house’s almost luxuriously ripe style. The 50% carménère from young vines planted on a steep mountain slope in 2005 may be responsible for the tension. Those grapes ripen earlier than the older ones planted on the plain and lend a unique kind of balance. There’s alcohol, of course, but the faster-ripening grapes retain more acidity, and you can taste that here. Beyond these ‘conspiracy theories,’ however, Clos is still Clos, a generous, mouth-filling wine. And in that style, it’s still the best in Chile.”