The 2020 Casa Lapostolle Clos Apalta is a distinguished red wine from Chile's Colchagua Valley. This proprietary blend consists of 64% Carménère, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, and 2% Petit Verdot. It was aged for 27 months in French oak barrels, 85% of which were new, contributing to its complex profile.
James Suckling highly praises this vintage, awarding it an impressive 99 points. He describes it as "refined, expressive and layered," with distinctive notes of "olives, incense, cigar box, cocoa powder, Spanish chocolate, pencil shavings, graphite and fine spices." He notes its juicy, full-bodied palate and advises drinking it from 2024.
Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, giving it 95 points, highlights the wine's "ripe, concentrated, dense and powerful" nature, with a "creamy, smoky and spicy personality." It notes the influence of élevage, with flavors of sweet spices and ripe blackberries, recommending pairing it with powerful food.
Vinous and Decanter provided similar high praise, scoring it 96 and 97 points, respectively. Vinous describes it as having a "complex nose" with "prune and blueberry jam" and "hints of pepper, tobacco and rosemary." Decanter commends its "power, richness and tons of fruit," noting its "charisma and direction" despite the intense vintage conditions.
Jane Anson, awarding it 96 points, appreciates the "enticing layers of tobacco, cocoa bean, redcurrant, blackberry and pomegranate," and highlights the "good acidities" and "spicy core." She also notes the earliest harvest on record, emphasizing the wine's concentrated nature.
Jeb Dunnuck, with a score of 97, describes it as having "gorgeous aromatics of red and black plums, smoked tobacco, fresh flowers, and spicy oak," praising its depth, concentration, and freshness.
Wine Spectator, giving it 94 points, highlights its "wealth of ripe blueberry and blackberry flavors" and notes its "elegance and form on the lengthy finish."
Overall, the 2020 Clos Apalta stands out for its complexity, structure, and potential for aging, earning high marks across the board.
