2017 Lapostolle Clos Apalta & 2019 Clos de Lican - Colchagua Valley - 2 Bottles (0.75L)

95/100 Wine Spectator
95/100 Parker/Wine Advocate

Clos Apalta is the flagship of the Lapostolle winery and the Chilean wine world. This flavorful wine and beautiful winery in the equally beautiful Colchagua Valley demonstrate that Chilean wines can certainly compete with top wines from around the world.

Recognition
The 2017 vintage was once again a great success for Clos Apalta, receiving an impressive 100 points from James Suckling. Lapostolle is naturally very proud of this fantastic result. The 2017 vintage is certainly no fluke; Clos Apalta 2005 was chosen as Best Wine of the Year 2008 by Wine Spectator magazine, and other vintages also scored among the highest, with 94 to 98 points. The 2014 and 2015 vintages also received perfect 100 points from James Suckling.

James Suckling on Clos Apalta 2017: 100 points
"What a stunning nose of crushed berries, fresh flowers, sandalwood, and light vineyard dust. Black olives, too. Very complex. Full-bodied with a beautiful, dense palate of blackberries, chocolate, walnuts, and cigar box. Fantastic length and composure. The tannin just rolls over the palate. Very structured. The most classically structured wine ever from here. Goes on for minutes. Outrageous and so polished. A blend of 48% Carménère, 26% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot. Try after 2025."
Only 150 cases of 6 available, plus a few large sizes.

Clos Apalta 2017
There's only one Clos Apalta like it; made from the typical Chilean Carménère grape in a blend with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot. Through careful selection of the grapes and attention to the smallest details during production, this results in a wine with an intensely rich flavor. From the first sip, you taste pure fruit, and the aroma is characterized by spices including vanilla, cloves, and white pepper. It is such an interesting wine, with so many nuances, that you will never tire of tasting it.

20th Anniversary Special Edition
In 1997, the Marnier-Lapostolle family launched the Clos Apalta project. Their goal: to produce the finest Chilean wine, rivaling the world's best. And they succeeded! To celebrate their 20th anniversary, a special '20th Anniversary' edition was created for the 2017 vintage. The gold label is printed on the bottle and looks truly stunning, not to mention highly collectible.

When to drink: 2022-2030

Lapostolle Clos du Lican 2019

Casa Lapostolle's Clos Apalta is considered by many to be one of the finest wines in Argentina, if not all of South America. Clos du Lican is their latest project, and 2019 is their inaugural release. Taylor's is one of the few places in the US to receive an allocation of this superb wine.

98 points James Suckling
Intense and heady nose of black fruit, black truffles, peppery meat, mahogany, mocha, and grilled herbs. Some burnt caramel too. Full body with a rich, plush, and creamy palate. So much to offer. Velvety, polished tannins. Warm chocolate with savory meat. Delicious finish. Big and generous. A new and exciting single-vineyard 100% Syrah. Drink or store.

96 points Jeb Dunnuck
The 2019 Clos Du Lican, aged for 23 months in new barrels, is a beautiful wine with great depth and richness, but it's the purity, finesse, and quality of the tannins that truly set it apart. It reveals a deeper ruby/purple hue and abundant blackberry and mulberry fruit, has perfectly integrated oak, a medium to full body, silky tannins, and simply a complex, incredibly impressive bouquet of peppery spice, sandalwood, violets, and baking spices. Despite its substantial maturity (the alcohol is over 15%), it has a wonderful sense of freshness, and again, the purity and balance are noteworthy.