Le Petit Clos de Clos Apalta

Le Petit Clos de Clos Apalta

Wine Description

Le Petit Clos is a different interpretation of the Clos Apalta Terroir, using the mastery of blending that is the heart of the winemaking philosophy from the Domaines Bournet - Lapostolle.  

In 2014, Clos Apalta gave birth to its second wine, Le Petit Clos de Clos Apalta. Le Petit Clos offers a different interpretation of this unique terroir, using the same grapes, but in different proportion, and offering young vines a chance to prove their worth before they can make it into the Grand Vin.

Recognized as “Wine of the Year” when its 2005 vintage was chosen TOP # 1 by the Wine Spectator magazine, Clos Apalta is the only South American wine that has received this award. In addition, the 2000 and 2001 vintages were also positioned as TOP 3 and TOP 2 respectively in the same magazine. With the exceptional 2017 vintage, Clos Apalta is awarded for the third time 100 points by famed American journalist and wine critic James Suckling, consolidating its position in the "Legends of Chile".
 

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Acclaim
“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.”
— Vinous, Jun 2022
“Le Petit Clos is effectively the second wine of Clos Apalta made with selected lots designed to show "more fruit", according to Andrea León. Carmenère-dominated with 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot, it's rich, smooth and powerful, with stylish oak integration, granular tannins and supporting acidity. Very polished.”
— Tim Atkin, MW, Mar 2022
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Vineyard & Production Info
Production area/appellation:
Apalta Valley
Vineyard name
El Condor de Apalta
Soil composition
Colluvial granitic soils well decomposed over different layers of clay.
Harvest time:
March - April
Bottles produced of this wine:
7456
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Winemaking & Aging
Prefermentation Technique:
Native yeast
Time on its skins:
Up to 5 weeks
Varietal composition:
53 % Carmenere,32 % Cabernet Sauvignon 12% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot
Fermentation container:
Small French Oak Vats
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Analytical Data
pH level:
3.62
Acidity:
4.0 g/L
Alcohol:
14.5 %
Residual sugar:
2.30 g/L
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Wine Production

The 2017 vintage was shaped by extreme conditions which promoted deadly, tinderbox conditions for the propagation of devastating wildfires, with a total of 600,000 hectares of forest. To our great relief, our vines were spared and suffered no smoke damage, which was soon confirmed on tasting the different parcels of grapes.

Winter was exceptionally dry at Clos Apalta, with a 35% hydric deficit compared to the long term average. Spring was drier and cold. In November, marginally higher temperatures and marginal accumulation of rain resulted in budbreak commencing 10 days early. Summer was unbearably hot, with scorching temperatures hovering between 32°C and 35°C. After the first ten days of March, both minimum and maximum temperatures had dropped markedly. Such temperature variations allowed the grapes to complete phenolic ripening, promoting intense color and retaining intense fruit character and freshness

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About the Vineyard

Apalta is located at 170 Kilometers South West from Santiago in the Colchagua Valley. The Vineyard is situated on a North to South exposure, which is quite rare in Chile.