Served from a 2 hour decant, Seriously good juice, unfortunately a few years past it’s prime, I can only imagine it in 2020. Still outstanding. Drink now thru 2026-8 latest ..IMO
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Brought by a friend to our house for dinner. Similar to last bottle. Dense dark garnet with a purple edge. This is big and rich and pretty heavily new oak influenced with tobacco, cedar, vanilla, ripe boysenberry, cassis and other dark fruit, dark chocolate and assorted sweet and savory spices. Good structure for additional aging potential. Slightly rustic with a mostly primary nature. This could evolve appreciably I’ve coming years in the cellar. Complex and long but decidedly modern in nature.
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Stunning. A huge wine with a seamless texture and flavor profile. Dark fruit on the palette. Decanted for about 90 minutes and there were still some lingering tannins. Either let it breathe for another hour or give in another year or two in the bottle. One of the better wines I've had in the past year.
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dark, saturated purple black. nose is very rich, with dark berry fruit, a strong but pleasant aroma of green pepper, spice and mint. palate is massive, full bodied and round, sweet and savoury… flavours of blackberry, cassis, spice, earth and herbs. there’s lively acidity and pronounced tannin, even after an hour+ of decanting. …years of life left in this beauty.
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Decanted at 3pm and tasted from 6-9pm. 73% Carmenere, 17% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot from mostly own rooted pre-phylloxera vines. Dense dark garnet with a purple tinge. Very fragrant and complex with lots of dark fruit, cinnamon, licorice, bitter chocolate, leather, coffee and Chinese five spice. Reasonably tannic but starting to integrate. Moderately long finish. Excellent depth and good balance. Probably best at the 3-4 hour point as I think it started to close up and get a bitter edge later. Plenty of life left such that it could easily be enjoyed for another couple decades. Great with grilled elk medallions.
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Beautiful wine, needed no time to open up. Fully expressive with rich fruit notes, balanced acid and a complex, lingering finish. Perfect pairing for a nice "TGIM" steak dinner.
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1/2 hour decant - probably would have benefited from another hour. Lush, dark fruit on the nose. Big and bright on the palate - still seemed very young to me, but tannins were in line. Maybe a little less layered since the last bottle (2018), but still very special.
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this is a big wine. massive bouquet of dark berry jam, earth, clove, mint, pepper, cola. palate is a knockout too with sweet, spicy, and tangy herbal notes. acidity shows itself nicely as all the flavours reveal themselves and a nice integrated tannin grows and holds on the finish. there is something really special about how this wine dances on the tongue while sweet and savoury flavours compete playfully without either declaring victory... they just swirl around one another from beginning through the lingering finish. highly recommended.
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Method: decanted for 1.5 hours, rebottled and consumed about 1.5 hours later; 67 degrees; Cab glass
Look: medium ruby; moderate amount of medium speed legs
Nose: paprika, red/dark fruit, bell pepper, graphite
Palate: cherry, graphite, paprika; long- finish of graphite, leather, black pepper; dry; medium+ body; high- velvety tannins, very smooth despite; medium+ acidity; maybe some low heat
Overall thoughts: For me, the best thing about this wine is the very smooth mouthfeel. I could've used a bit less tannin, but they are high quality so it's still really nice. This is great wine, but I expected a little more for some reason.
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Chinese New Year (Gen Hoe): CNY, courtesy of R&D, popped and poured. Cassis, loamy earth, herbs and dark plummy fruit. More of the same on the palate. Has some tannin to shed, but is certainly approachable now with a healthy decant.
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Not sure what it was. Maybe it was all the amazing wines I’ve had in the last couple of weeks but this bottle just didn’t impress me. Straight forward, ripe new worldly style without much development. No harsh edges. No heat. Just not wow.
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Clear deep dark purple in color. Clean nose of cassis, violet, and herbs. Dry, nice acidity, med body, smooth tannins. Nice balance. Dark chocolate, cassis, bell pepper, and violet on palate. Med+ finish. Carmenere really made this blend unique. Loved it. Drinking well right now, but will drink well for another 10 yrs.
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The 08 never really took off like other vintages of this outstanding wine. The nose is round with remaining dark fruits and oak imparted spices but light or muted.
On the palate its more integrated and softer at this age but the power never emerged. Dark cherry, blueberry and subtle spices. A nice wine but not the typical Clos Apalta with good age ability.
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60 minute decant- full bodied up front pure fruit, nothing rough about this, near perfect balance. Near prime. I’d personally prefer this in about 5-10 years when it has a slightly less body. Will hold for 15 plus years.
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Double blind. Dark color. Aromas of black fruit, violets, herbs, forst floor and plum. Plush tannins. Black fruit and dried herb flavors. Adds notes of chocolate, pine tar and blue fruit with subtle vanilla notes as well. Nice depth and complexity.
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WTF Blind Tasting (Roswell, GA): Opaque, hugely extracted, tiny reddish violet rim; black, inky nose, oak, coconut, smoldering oak and char, vanilla galore, purple fruit, very dense, extracted, very big wine; good structure and fruit but the oak is overbearing; called Columbia Crest Rsv Cab.
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This wine has so much pure fruit it makes you think there is residual sugar, but it's clearly dry at 14.2%. Rich, extracted, voluptuous and unique red. Profile c/w other tasters. Absolutely outstanding.
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Super-generous and powerful, yet with fruit and tannins in great balance. On the nose it offers dark fruit and vanilla, while taste is huge and intense almost reminding of a port, although dry and more elegant. Great now, but can surely last at least 10 more years depending on taste.
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Big wine. Full, deep, and rich. Still relatively primary but drinking very well. Definitely in its drinking window. Nose was full of very ripe berries as was the palate. Good showing.
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Great, as always. Deep, rich...but with supple tannins and great balancing acidity. Typical aromas of "bourgeons de cassis" with slight notes of tar. Always one of my favorites.
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It has been a year since I last rated this vintage and it's been a good year. The Clos Apalta has moved up to 92 points on my scale.
More integrated and complete. The nose is striking of dark red fruits and vanilla although it took an hour to open up.
On the l palate the acids and tannin are much more in-sync reveling a lush mouth feel with fruit, currant, vanilla and baking spices. The finish is now what one would expect from a prime Chilean wine.
I am sure the remaining bottles will delight me down the road a way.
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Bought two bottles at $33 apiece. Drank one. Its definitely different due to carmenere and new world style. Good wine but im not as sold as others on it. I think it needs more time. Dense and thick and blueberry and oak.
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Opened this bottle at Dolce Omaha for the tasting menu and boy was this a surprise treat. Sat in a decanter for about 90 minutes and this thing was still huge. This wine has a lot of time left in it but was certainly worth a try now. Bold dark fruit on the nose and front end with a wonderful balance. Smooth full finish that left you wanting more. Great wine that is getting better. Drink now but would be better to hold at least a year then till 2020
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I did not get the green streak others have mentioned, in fact I found this ripe and balanced. Plenty of dark fruits, hints of stewed fruit, the finish was smooth, peppery and long. The Clos Apalta paired well with 2" thick porterhouse @ Quality meat in Manhattan, as this was the only bargain on their extensive wine list I could find, being it was bottled under their own label. Bottom line this is tasty vino!
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Good lord - it's amazing. Balanced, subtle start, complex and long, delicious finish. Grand Cru cut me in on such deal - at least if community average is correct. OMG. I'd pay 3 times as much for this. Very tasty. Very pleased.
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Opaque inky-dark purple disc with plum and dark fruit on the palate. Full-bodied and serious! The green streak has disappeared and allowed a chocolate finish to show through…keeps getting better the longer it rests.
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4th Saturday Group brown bagger (M/M thelostverse): Opaque inky color. Plum, dark fruit and chocolate aromas. Full-bodied with chalky tannins and flavors that mirror the bouquet. Long finish. Guessed young Napa Cab Sauv.
I was very surprised to see that this was Chilean- no loam or green, vegetal tones here.
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4th Saturday Group. Tasted blind. Opened by Rich. I'm sure others liked this much more than I did. Very dark color, showing no signs of age. Notes of oak, black fruits and brown sugar. This was tight as a drum and needs years to come around.
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Really like this wine but this bottle was rather interesting in that right after opening it tasted well but a little tight. After that initial opening shut right down and never did really open up. Even my wife commented on it. Probably should wait awhile longer on it.
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Disagree with it being disjointed. I think it's well integrated. Actually a multidemensional effort that I would like to try again, but I only had one. I don't know how much this will improve. I think it's drinking beautifully right now.
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Dark purple in color and heavy bodied. The nose if supple but showing dark fruits, cassis and hints of leather and spice.
The first attack still has the green streak that others have mentioned. The wine is still not fully integrated and slightly disjointed. The flavors of dark fruit, spice and leather are coming though, but that green streak is just enough to keep this at 90 points.
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Slight green streak that I have considered a detriment seems to have faded since last try. Tart berries, plum and ripe currant now in the forefront. Since this has been below my expectations to date, I am hopeful that the early reviewers had a crystal ball and my earlier posts will prove to show that I should have waited to open those I've already consumed. I like where this is heading...
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Fresh herbs, dark fruit, licorice and some smoke, Taste is full bodied and reflects the niose very well, perhaps tannins need a few years to mellow, but a great wine nonetheless. Will improve with age.
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The #1 Wine Spectator rating for this wine a few years ago was no fluke. The hits just keep on coming from this top notch producer from the Rapel Valley in Chile. We knew that this one probably needed more bottle age, but we couldn't resist. Even after a good 90 minutes of decanting, the power and grip of the tannins were not fully relinquished. But power, flavor and finish all come together nicely and you will be hard pressed to find a better expression of Chilean terroir. Nice leather, cedar and black currant notes throughout with a robust finish.
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Purchased from local wine merchant 2 years ago. Cellared since & PNP tonight. Big & chewy tannins, but not offensive. Deep black fruit & nice oak & vanilla notes. Coffee, olive & spice compliments on the notes & palate. Very enjoyable wine & still young...needs time. Caught some heat, which I didn't like, but overall, this is a very well made wine.
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Very good, but I did expect just a bit more when I purchased this...but it could be me, I guess. This has a slight green streak, which is not always my favorite. I expect bottle age to improve this over time.
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cassis and fig nose, quite complex palate of olive on the palate. Moderate structure so I question how well it will age but have three more bottles to determine that. A good alternative to Cab in the summer! BTW, we visited Clos Apalta in 2008. Totally worth the 8-hr RT drive. beautiful winery, gravity fed, carbon neutral and built underground in teh mountain. Amazing focus on quality -- essentially the playground of the Lapostolle (Grand Mariner) family.
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A mellow bottle with a nice balance of fruits and tannins with the tannins present at the finish. Not as sweet as I expected based on other reviews. Drinkable right now IMHO, went well with spicy lamb chops.
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Opened w 1 hour in decanter. Dark purple, only slightly lighter on the rim with a nose rich in plum, blackberry. a little black cherry and some nice spicy notes. On the palate, much more of the dark fruit, spice & a hit of anise, minerals w light earthy note and a bit of oaky vanilla... a lot of fruit really, but well structured w good tannins delivered in a well balanced rich mouthfeel - almost silky - and a medium-long finish.
The '08 reminds me of the '05 which i consistently rated 94-96 points in blind tastings - this will be an outstanding Carmenere with a little cellar time and well worth seeking out if you love great Chilean wine. A number of the Costco stores stock this wine for around US$56...check for it.
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Decanter Fine Wine Encounter; 11/13/2010-11/14/2010 (Landmark Hotel, London): (Decanter Fine Wine Encounter) This wine is a blend of 73% Carmenere, 10% Merlot and 17% Cabernet Sauvignon and has spent 22 months in new oak. Deep purple/inky color. The nose is full with fruits and spices. Dense and complex palate, firm but not overpowering tannins, nice acidity which gives excellent balance apart from the oak that is a bit too apparent (but then again its way too young), ends in a long fruity aftertaste. It is a wine to keep in the cellar for some time
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11/9/2023 - IndyTom Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted for about an hour. Still a monster. Quite modern, but paired really well with braised lamb ribs. Good fruit, full-bodied and luscious.
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8/21/2023 - wino121 wrote: 92 Points
Served from a 2 hour decant,
Seriously good juice, unfortunately a few years past it’s prime, I can only imagine it in 2020.
Still outstanding.
Drink now thru 2026-8 latest ..IMO
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3/12/2023 - oldwines Likes this wine: 94 Points
Brought by a friend to our house for dinner. Similar to last bottle. Dense dark garnet with a purple edge. This is big and rich and pretty heavily new oak influenced with tobacco, cedar, vanilla, ripe boysenberry, cassis and other dark fruit, dark chocolate and assorted sweet and savory spices. Good structure for additional aging potential. Slightly rustic with a mostly primary nature. This could evolve appreciably I’ve coming years in the cellar. Complex and long but decidedly modern in nature.
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2/25/2023 - IndyTom Likes this wine: 95 Points
Stunning. A huge wine with a seamless texture and flavor profile. Dark fruit on the palette. Decanted for about 90 minutes and there were still some lingering tannins. Either let it breathe for another hour or give in another year or two in the bottle. One of the better wines I've had in the past year.
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8/17/2022 - #1 or #2? Likes this wine: 94 Points
dark, saturated purple black. nose is very rich, with dark berry fruit, a strong but pleasant aroma of green pepper, spice and mint. palate is massive, full bodied and round, sweet and savoury… flavours of blackberry, cassis, spice, earth and herbs. there’s lively acidity and pronounced tannin, even after an hour+ of decanting. …years of life left in this beauty.
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1/22/2022 - oldwines Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted at 3pm and tasted from 6-9pm. 73% Carmenere, 17% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot from mostly own rooted pre-phylloxera vines. Dense dark garnet with a purple tinge. Very fragrant and complex with lots of dark fruit, cinnamon, licorice, bitter chocolate, leather, coffee and Chinese five spice. Reasonably tannic but starting to integrate. Moderately long finish. Excellent depth and good balance. Probably best at the 3-4 hour point as I think it started to close up and get a bitter edge later. Plenty of life left such that it could easily be enjoyed for another couple decades. Great with grilled elk medallions.
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12/13/2021 - SeattlePaul Likes this wine: 92 Points
Beautiful wine, needed no time to open up. Fully expressive with rich fruit notes, balanced acid and a complex, lingering finish. Perfect pairing for a nice "TGIM" steak dinner.
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11/26/2021 - Intellectual Sasquatch Likes this wine: 92 Points
1/2 hour decant - probably would have benefited from another hour. Lush, dark fruit on the nose. Big and bright on the palate - still seemed very young to me, but tannins were in line. Maybe a little less layered since the last bottle (2018), but still very special.
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10/10/2021 - #1 or #2? Likes this wine: 94 Points
this is a big wine. massive bouquet of dark berry jam, earth, clove, mint, pepper, cola. palate is a knockout too with sweet, spicy, and tangy herbal notes. acidity shows itself nicely as all the flavours reveal themselves and a nice integrated tannin grows and holds on the finish. there is something really special about how this wine dances on the tongue while sweet and savoury flavours compete playfully without either declaring victory... they just swirl around one another from beginning through the lingering finish. highly recommended.
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8/22/2020 - JRockEsq Likes this wine: 91 Points
Method: decanted for 1.5 hours, rebottled and consumed about 1.5 hours later; 67 degrees; Cab glass
Look: medium ruby; moderate amount of medium speed legs
Nose: paprika, red/dark fruit, bell pepper, graphite
Palate: cherry, graphite, paprika; long- finish of graphite, leather, black pepper; dry; medium+ body; high- velvety tannins, very smooth despite; medium+ acidity; maybe some low heat
Overall thoughts: For me, the best thing about this wine is the very smooth mouthfeel. I could've used a bit less tannin, but they are high quality so it's still really nice. This is great wine, but I expected a little more for some reason.
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5/22/2020 - Gwsmith65 wrote: 93 Points
Sampled Apr 2019, finished May 2020
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5/19/2020 - Sonoma-W Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very surprising. Fresher and more intense than expected. Very modern Bordeaux like
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7/28/2019 - Rickets Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very nicely done. No formal notes. Drank with Wagyu tenderloin and paired perfectly.
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2/10/2019 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points
Chinese New Year (Gen Hoe): CNY, courtesy of R&D, popped and poured. Cassis, loamy earth, herbs and dark plummy fruit. More of the same on the palate. Has some tannin to shed, but is certainly approachable now with a healthy decant.
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12/14/2018 - Intellectual Sasquatch Likes this wine: 93 Points
1 hour decant. Open for business. Just delicious.
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11/18/2018 - texaswinelover wrote:
Not sure what it was. Maybe it was all the amazing wines I’ve had in the last couple of weeks but this bottle just didn’t impress me. Straight forward, ripe new worldly style without much development. No harsh edges. No heat. Just not wow.
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7/22/2018 - nrad6949 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Cherries, dark berries, chocolate, vanilla, leather, plum, very velvet nose.
Nice palate with a great finish. Love it! Couldn’t ask for more!
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5/22/2018 - rexmerlot wrote: 92 Points
Clear deep dark purple in color. Clean nose of cassis, violet, and herbs. Dry, nice acidity, med body, smooth tannins. Nice balance. Dark chocolate, cassis, bell pepper, and violet on palate. Med+ finish. Carmenere really made this blend unique. Loved it. Drinking well right now, but will drink well for another 10 yrs.
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3/19/2018 - brouigu1 wrote: 90 Points
The last of the 2008 and just in time IMHO.
The 08 never really took off like other vintages of this outstanding wine. The nose is round with remaining dark fruits and oak imparted spices but light or muted.
On the palate its more integrated and softer at this age but the power never emerged. Dark cherry, blueberry and subtle spices. A nice wine but not the typical Clos Apalta with good age ability.
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12/23/2017 - Naso wrote: 93 Points
Subtle nose, great balance smooth long finish.
Awesome wine
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12/10/2017 - N.Bonaparte wrote: 93 Points
60 minute decant- full bodied up front pure fruit, nothing rough about this, near perfect balance. Near prime. I’d personally prefer this in about 5-10 years when it has a slightly less body. Will hold for 15 plus years.
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12/4/2017 - dchain Likes this wine: 90 Points
Better than the 2009 with more freshness and acidity. Very fruity and not enough complexity. Too sweet for me but generally enjoyed by the swim party.
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6/16/2017 - AllRed wrote: 94 Points
Double blind. Dark color. Aromas of black fruit, violets, herbs, forst floor and plum. Plush tannins. Black fruit and dried herb flavors. Adds notes of chocolate, pine tar and blue fruit with subtle vanilla notes as well. Nice depth and complexity.
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3/10/2017 - texaswinelover wrote:
Rich full with ripe fruit and smoothing slightly chunky tannins. Enjoyable. Long lingering finish. Etoh 14.2%. No heat.
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9/20/2016 - Rezy13 wrote:
WTF Blind Tasting (Roswell, GA): Opaque, hugely extracted, tiny reddish violet rim; black, inky nose, oak, coconut, smoldering oak and char, vanilla galore, purple fruit, very dense, extracted, very big wine; good structure and fruit but the oak is overbearing; called Columbia Crest Rsv Cab.
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7/17/2016 - jviz Likes this wine: 95 Points
This wine has so much pure fruit it makes you think there is residual sugar, but it's clearly dry at 14.2%. Rich, extracted, voluptuous and unique red. Profile c/w other tasters. Absolutely outstanding.
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1/26/2016 - Tchumphrey65 wrote: 94 Points
Absolutely spectacular wine, deep dark color, rich dark red fruit and earthyness on the nose, plums, cherries, blackberries
Let it open up and bit and you are hit with a smooth balanced and wonderful wine. It drinks well, complex and wonderfully rich
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12/27/2015 - Woodway Mike wrote:
big ripe fruit, well integrated tannin
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12/3/2015 - Brownvino wrote: 92 Points
Opened for one hour. Vary dark color. Very pleasurable perfumy long aftertaste.
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11/22/2015 - Jointsrme wrote: 92 Points
Delicious. 3 hours of air and a filet I was in heaven.
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10/13/2015 - Indicator wrote: 94 Points
Super-generous and powerful, yet with fruit and tannins in great balance. On the nose it offers dark fruit and vanilla, while taste is huge and intense almost reminding of a port, although dry and more elegant. Great now, but can surely last at least 10 more years depending on taste.
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7/4/2015 - jonanator wrote: 91 Points
Big wine. Full, deep, and rich. Still relatively primary but drinking very well. Definitely in its drinking window. Nose was full of very ripe berries as was the palate. Good showing.
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6/17/2015 - Francois Le Mouel Likes this wine: 94 Points
Great, as always. Deep, rich...but with supple tannins and great balancing acidity. Typical aromas of "bourgeons de cassis" with slight notes of tar. Always one of my favorites.
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12/31/2014 - jmcmchi wrote: 92 Points
Rich marzipan nose. On palate balanced with rich dusty tannins subtly interspersed with dark fruit
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8/9/2014 - brouigu1 Likes this wine: 92 Points
It has been a year since I last rated this vintage and it's been a good year. The Clos Apalta has moved up to 92 points on my scale.
More integrated and complete. The nose is striking of dark red fruits and vanilla although it took an hour to open up.
On the l palate the acids and tannin are much more in-sync reveling a lush mouth feel with fruit, currant, vanilla and baking spices. The finish is now what one would expect from a prime Chilean wine.
I am sure the remaining bottles will delight me down the road a way.
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6/4/2014 - jonanator wrote: 91 Points
Good depth and balance. Thoroughly enjoyed this. Drinking well now but will still improve with age
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5/27/2014 - jeffreylubowski Likes this wine: 90 Points
Bought two bottles at $33 apiece. Drank one. Its definitely different due to carmenere and new world style. Good wine but im not as sold as others on it. I think it needs more time. Dense and thick and blueberry and oak.
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5/15/2014 - NEwino wrote: 95 Points
Opened this bottle at Dolce Omaha for the tasting menu and boy was this a surprise treat. Sat in a decanter for about 90 minutes and this thing was still huge. This wine has a lot of time left in it but was certainly worth a try now. Bold dark fruit on the nose and front end with a wonderful balance. Smooth full finish that left you wanting more. Great wine that is getting better. Drink now but would be better to hold at least a year then till 2020
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4/2/2014 - Boom Baby! wrote: 92 Points
This is a really big wine. Still young, able to last 10 years plus. Will buy more @ $48 a bottle
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2/23/2014 - wineshaman wrote: 92 Points
I did not get the green streak others have mentioned, in fact I found this ripe and balanced. Plenty of dark fruits, hints of stewed fruit, the finish was smooth, peppery and long. The Clos Apalta paired well with 2" thick porterhouse @ Quality meat in Manhattan, as this was the only bargain on their extensive wine list I could find, being it was bottled under their own label. Bottom line this is tasty vino!
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2/10/2014 - rhialto wrote: 93 Points
Good lord - it's amazing. Balanced, subtle start, complex and long, delicious finish. Grand Cru cut me in on such deal - at least if community average is correct. OMG. I'd pay 3 times as much for this. Very tasty. Very pleased.
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12/27/2013 - robertdtwo wrote: 93 Points
Opaque inky-dark purple disc with plum and dark fruit on the palate. Full-bodied and serious! The green streak has disappeared and allowed a chocolate finish to show through…keeps getting better the longer it rests.
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10/26/2013 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points
4th Saturday Group brown bagger (M/M thelostverse): Opaque inky color. Plum, dark fruit and chocolate aromas. Full-bodied with chalky tannins and flavors that mirror the bouquet. Long finish. Guessed young Napa Cab Sauv.
I was very surprised to see that this was Chilean- no loam or green, vegetal tones here.
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10/26/2013 - thelostverse wrote: 89 Points
4th Saturday Group. Tasted blind. Opened by Rich. I'm sure others liked this much more than I did. Very dark color, showing no signs of age. Notes of oak, black fruits and brown sugar. This was tight as a drum and needs years to come around.
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9/14/2013 - mellison wrote:
Really like this wine but this bottle was rather interesting in that right after opening it tasted well but a little tight. After that initial opening shut right down and never did really open up. Even my wife commented on it. Probably should wait awhile longer on it.
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7/14/2013 - gigmoney Likes this wine: 93 Points
Disagree with it being disjointed. I think it's well integrated. Actually a multidemensional effort that I would like to try again, but I only had one. I don't know how much this will improve. I think it's drinking beautifully right now.
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6/11/2013 - brouigu1 wrote: 91 Points
Dark purple in color and heavy bodied. The nose if supple but showing dark fruits, cassis and hints of leather and spice.
The first attack still has the green streak that others have mentioned. The wine is still not fully integrated and slightly disjointed. The flavors of dark fruit, spice and leather are coming though, but that green streak is just enough to keep this at 90 points.
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4/22/2013 - Dacronboy1 wrote: 94 Points
Very dark, deep purple hue. Full bodied yet luscious and velvety. Earthy.
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4/12/2013 - robertdtwo wrote: 92 Points
Slight green streak that I have considered a detriment seems to have faded since last try. Tart berries, plum and ripe currant now in the forefront. Since this has been below my expectations to date, I am hopeful that the early reviewers had a crystal ball and my earlier posts will prove to show that I should have waited to open those I've already consumed. I like where this is heading...
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3/17/2013 - JJ Lincoln Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wow a big wine that was incredible with grilled steak. One of my new favorite wines...and a bargain at Costco for $67.99!
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3/13/2013 - Blauweiss Likes this wine: 92 Points
Fresh herbs, dark fruit, licorice and some smoke, Taste is full bodied and reflects the niose very well, perhaps tannins need a few years to mellow, but a great wine nonetheless. Will improve with age.
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3/9/2013 - unrelenting Likes this wine: 94 Points
i like this even more...strong undertones of chocolate.
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1/28/2013 - JJamba Likes this wine: 94 Points
The #1 Wine Spectator rating for this wine a few years ago was no fluke. The hits just keep on coming from this top notch producer from the Rapel Valley in Chile. We knew that this one probably needed more bottle age, but we couldn't resist. Even after a good 90 minutes of decanting, the power and grip of the tannins were not fully relinquished. But power, flavor and finish all come together nicely and you will be hard pressed to find a better expression of Chilean terroir. Nice leather, cedar and black currant notes throughout with a robust finish.
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1/26/2013 - gbbwino wrote: 91 Points
Purchased from local wine merchant 2 years ago. Cellared since & PNP tonight. Big & chewy tannins, but not offensive. Deep black fruit & nice oak & vanilla notes. Coffee, olive & spice compliments on the notes & palate. Very enjoyable wine & still young...needs time. Caught some heat, which I didn't like, but overall, this is a very well made wine.
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12/26/2012 - vancouvermatt wrote: 93 Points
Tannins have significantly tamed since I last drank this more than a year ago.
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12/14/2012 - robertdtwo wrote: 90 Points
Four hour Vinturi decant; slight green streak is a drawback for me.
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11/17/2012 - Tavinho wrote: 93 Points
- Brick color with medium forming legs.
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9/29/2012 - ocperu wrote: 95 Points
Drinking exceptionally right now, wish I had more of the '08. At least I have an '06 left.
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9/24/2012 - robertdtwo wrote: 91 Points
Very good, but I did expect just a bit more when I purchased this...but it could be me, I guess. This has a slight green streak, which is not always my favorite. I expect bottle age to improve this over time.
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7/22/2012 - MarcoAzevedo wrote: 93 Points
Cassis, currants and fig nose. Complex and elegant, but with good ageing potential. Olive and plums on the palate.
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6/23/2012 - unrelenting wrote: 93 Points
cassis and fig nose, quite complex palate of olive on the palate. Moderate structure so I question how well it will age but have three more bottles to determine that. A good alternative to Cab in the summer! BTW, we visited Clos Apalta in 2008. Totally worth the 8-hr RT drive. beautiful winery, gravity fed, carbon neutral and built underground in teh mountain. Amazing focus on quality -- essentially the playground of the Lapostolle (Grand Mariner) family.
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4/13/2012 - robertdtwo wrote: 91 Points
Good, but I suspect bottle age will push this higher once it gets a little bottle rest.
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2/26/2012 - TEDL wrote: 89 Points
A mellow bottle with a nice balance of fruits and tannins with the tannins present at the finish. Not as sweet as I expected based on other reviews. Drinkable right now IMHO, went well with spicy lamb chops.
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1/9/2012 - pc2006mg wrote: 95 Points
This bottle was amazing. Everything in balance and was perfect!
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10/21/2011 - cooberp wrote: 89 Points
WS NY Wine Experience 5th Floor (Marriott Marquis Times Square): Tastes like Cab Sauv, but on the sweeter side. Dark fruit and lush mouthfeel. A bit clipped.
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10/13/2011 - CMz wrote: 94 Points
Opened w 1 hour in decanter. Dark purple, only slightly lighter on the rim with a nose rich in plum, blackberry. a little black cherry and some nice spicy notes. On the palate, much more of the dark fruit, spice & a hit of anise, minerals w light earthy note and a bit of oaky vanilla... a lot of fruit really, but well structured w good tannins delivered in a well balanced rich mouthfeel - almost silky - and a medium-long finish.
The '08 reminds me of the '05 which i consistently rated 94-96 points in blind tastings - this will be an outstanding Carmenere with a little cellar time and well worth seeking out if you love great Chilean wine. A number of the Costco stores stock this wine for around US$56...check for it.
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10/10/2011 - vancouvermatt wrote: 94 Points
Rich, full bodied, with a super long finish. Still really early to be drinking this.
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10/2/2011 - slywka7 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Delicious, unique Bordeaux blend from Chile. 2005 won Wine Spectator Wine of the Year. This more open for business than 05 at this point.
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5/15/2011 - vegasoenophile wrote: 92 Points
This wine was nice and layered. Very tasty.
- WS Grand Tour 2011
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11/14/2010 - kostaslonis wrote: 93 Points
Decanter Fine Wine Encounter; 11/13/2010-11/14/2010 (Landmark Hotel, London): (Decanter Fine Wine Encounter) This wine is a blend of 73% Carmenere, 10% Merlot and 17% Cabernet Sauvignon and has spent 22 months in new oak. Deep purple/inky color. The nose is full with fruits and spices. Dense and complex palate, firm but not overpowering tannins, nice acidity which gives excellent balance apart from the oak that is a bit too apparent (but then again its way too young), ends in a long fruity aftertaste. It is a wine to keep in the cellar for some time
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