March 16, 2024 - Ok - drinking again, one year later. This time with spaghetti and meatballs. I am telling you this is a great wine especially at the price. Fairly easy to get in the US but will be headed to Chile later this fall. Chilean wine not necessarily the best wines across the board but some are just outstanding including this one. Try it! If you have some drink some now but certainly has several years to go.
January 24, 2024 - Wow! Steak with chimichurri sauce for dinner and this wine. Do you like Bordeaux? You have to try this Bordeaux blend heavy on the Carmenere but includes the cab sav and Merlot. Certainly my favorite Chilean red wine. At 10 years old this was at its peak. Good value in my mind as well.
January 12, 2024 - My selection for the monthly CWG at Eddie’s V. Double Decanted for just 15 min and start consuming about 2 hours later.
The wine is big and bold with lots of tannins and dark notes, very complex and nicely integrated.
What a great wine and what a nice finish.
November 25, 2023 - 4th Saturday Group: Uptown Brown Bag (V&M's): Double blind. Deep color. Aromas of herbs, bacon and black fruit. Full-bodied. Flavors of black fruit, plum and tapenade, with balancing acidity. Very nice. Guessed syrah. 91+ pts. (J&S)
September 1, 2023 - Quick 10 minutes decanted and start consuming about 2 hours later.
It was a bit tart, tight, and acid. The body was big and full, plenty of fruit, tannins and structure. I believe the air wasn't enough and the time we drank it wasn't the best either.
March 12, 2023 - A matter of taste 2023 - Day 2: *** Brief notes from wine fair, primarily for my own memory ***
Glass: Stölzle Universal
10 years after late release from the winery. Still very young! Spicy, deep, concentrated, high acidity, ripe, high tannin. Wonderful fruit, velvet texture. Long, spicy and fruity finish. Really great and beautiful. 95-96+
November 20, 2022 - 4 hour decant. My first Carmenere. Really liked this. Had with braised short ribs during our Chilean chef Inspired special dinne. WOTN.
October 2, 2022 - Good fruit depth of mainly black fruits and a nice warmth. There is the earthiness and pleasant green notes one might expect from Carmenere. Medium plus weight. Quite a robust structure, surprisingly young for it's age (9 years). Overall the structure is like a big Bordeaux. Quite high acidity and firm tannins. Medium length. Can drink now but will improve further and drink nicely over the next 10 years. Needs a long decant right now.
August 7, 2022 - Drank from a magnum with prime churrasco and gallo pinto. Double decanted for one hour in a Riedel Amadeus decanter, placed inside the fridge during that time. After it was back in the bottle allowed to rest another 15-30 minutes before consuming.
The wine is big, long thick legs, dark red/ruby in color, spectacular nose, the palate is coated with a ton of rounded sweet tannins and all dark fruits in the dictionary. This has been the best Clos Apalta I have ever had proving the point that magnums aged better. Ohhh, did I mentioned about the finish? Well, is dry, complex, long, and gives you a sensation of hopelessness just thinking the wine is about to run out…
Drink or Hold. Solid 95.
July 30, 2022 - Quick double decanted due to lack of planing.
Firm nose, perfum, big body and nice string finish.