Region /District:
Premium sites from Apalta vineyards Colchagua Valley, Rapel Valley, Chile

Grape Variety:
65% Merlot-Carmenere, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon

Harvest:
Hand-harvested in small baskets of 13-15 kg from our non-irrigated 60 year old vines between April 10th and April 19th 2000.

Conditions of the year:
In spite of unusual climatic conditions before the 2000 harvest, with a rather rainy winter in 1999, the weather in Apalta had been consistently warm and dry in March and April.
Our Carmenere, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes matured slower than in other years. The dry conditions, good vineyard management with green harvest to control the yields and leaf removal to get more exposure to the sun, led to the grapes gaining great color and reaching their complete ripeness. This has produced a great vintage of Clos Apalta with exceptional quality, balance and fine and smooth ripe
tannins.

Vinification:
• Must was fermented for 15 days at 27-29°C followed by a 15 day post-fermentation maceration.
• All the wine was aged for 21 months in new French oak barrels.
• Unfined and unfiltered
• Bottled in February 2002.

Tasting Notes:
Deep and intense red purple color.
Complex and seductive nose of red fruits, blackberries, black cherry and raspberry, mixed with toasted notes of vanilla, black chocolate and coffee.
On the pallet the Clos Apalta has density, volume, and fullness. The exceptional quality of its tannins gives the wine not only a fine and smooth texture, but also a well-structured character, with great aging potential.
The finish of this lovely wine is long, velvety and silky.

Ratings