Casa Lapostolle 2020 Clos Apalta

The Casa Lapostolle 2020 Clos Apalta is a rich, powerful and deeply refined Chilean red that showcases exemplary terroir, structure and aging potential. It offers a compelling expression of the Apalta Valley—bold yet elegant, full-bodied but with finesse.

Origins & Craftsmanship

Produced in the Apalta sub-region of Chile’s Colchagua Valley, Clos Apalta is the flagship wine of the Domaine. The 2020 vintage is crafted predominantly from Carmenère, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, sourced from estate vineyards including some old-vine, pre-phylloxera blocks. Hand-harvested, each parcel is selected for optimal ripeness and health. The wine undergoes careful vinification in French oak vats and barrels, followed by extended maturation in new and used French oak to achieve depth, texture and complexity. Through meticulous vineyard management and blending, the estate captures both fruit intensity and structure in this premium red.

Tasting Profile

Nose: Vibrant aromas of blackberry, black cherry and cassis, layered with ripe red fruits and an undercurrent of black olive and bell pepper. Hints of smoked leather, dark chocolate and fine spice add depth.
Palate: Full-bodied and concentrated, the 2020 weight shows dark plum, cassis, licorice and dark cocoa, supported by firm yet polished tannins and a lively spine of acidity. Subtler notes of pepper, tobacco leaf and graphite emerge with aeration.
Finish: Long, intense and elegant—lingering black fruit, mocha, gentle spice and mineral echoes carry through, inviting patience in the cellar and rewarding decanting now.

Critics Reviews

• James Suckling awarded it 99 points, noting that it is “a really refined, expressive and layered Clos Apalta with fine olives, incense, cigar-box, cocoa powder, Spanish chocolate, pencil shavings, graphite and fine spices. Juicy, bright and full-bodied palate with a fine saline, savoury twist. Very long and juicy.”

• Joaquín Hidalgo (Vinous) scored it 96 points, describing it as “rich purple in hue… a clearly defined, ripe, complex nose of prune and blueberry jam with hints of pepper, tobacco and rosemary… creamy and broad on the palate with appreciable structure and polished tannins.”

• Wine Enthusiast gave it 94 points, writing: “The nose is very expressive, with rich notes of baking spice and dark fruit. It’s full-bodied, displaying delicate vanilla bean and chocolate-covered plums and dark cherries. A satin texture and optimal freshness lengthen its fruit flavours through the finish.”

Quick Overview

"A really refined, expressive and layered Clos Apalta with fine olives, incense, cigar box, cocoa powder, Spanish chocolate, pencil shavings, graphite and fine spices. Juicy, bright and full-bodied palate with a fine saline, savory twist. Very long and juicy. 64% carmenere, 19% cabernet sauvignon, 15% merlot and 2% petit verdot. Real finesse from 2020. Drink from 2024." James Suckling, 99 Points

"A great effort in the hot and dry 2020, COVID-19 vintage with the earliest harvest ever. The grand vin shows power, richness and tons of fruit but retains a sense of charisma and direction that is so compelling. Bright, forward, sleek and silky, tannins enrobe the palate creating a cushion for the ripe blackcurrants and blueberries, bright acidity and underlying spice to meld together. A large percentage of Carmenere at 64% gives the fragrance and backbone while 19% Cabernet Sauvignon adds texture and depth, 13% Merlot bringing freshness and acidity and 2% Petit Verdot adding spice, colour and richness. Only just beginning to really express itself with liquorice, eucalyptus, figs, plums and a salty-wet stone minerality that comes in on the finish. Despite the intensity, this is layered and well sculpted with tons of pleasure to be had with a few more years ageing. Ageing 27 months in 225L French oak barrels, 85% new, 15% two years old. 3.7pH. Winemaker and viticulturist Andrea Leon kept more leaf coverage, a thicker and higher trellis and natural cover crops during the vintage to moderate the high temperatures. Bottles for this, and the second wine, are now made in Chile as of this vintage and have reduced in weight by 10% in a bid to increase sustainability. Clos Apalta now also featuring its name embossed in the glass at the bottom of the bottle." Decanter, 97 Points

"Enticing layers of tobacco, cocoa bean, redcurrant, blackberry and pomegranate. There are good acidities also to support the spicy core of toasted oak, cloves, liqourice, cigar box, Provence herbs, and soft, supple tannins. Small berries in this hot vintage (around two weeks ahead of average throughout the growing season) mean clear concentration and a lot of body, and the bell pepper and eucalyptus notes of this Carmanère-dominant wine are extremely welcome. Harvest finished on March 6, the earliest on record. Ageing in a mix of new and second-use barrels, with a long light toasting (this ageing changed as of the 2017 vintage, bringing down levels of new oak to 85%), 3.71ph, unfiltered and unfined. There has been a change to the bottles also, lowering their weight and ensuring they are produced in Chile itself. Old vines dating back to 1907." Jane Anson 96 points

"The 2020 Blend Clos Apalta is 64% Carménère, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, and 2% Petit Verdot from Apalta, Colchagua. It was aged for 27 months in 85% new barrels. Rich purple in hue. The clearly defined, ripe, complex nose has a leafy character underlined by fruit such as prune and blueberry jam along with hints of pepper, tobacco and rosemary, all packaged in a cedar cigar box. Creamy and broad in the mouth with good volume. The firm flow is channeled by appreciable structure in which polished tannins set the tone for an expansive, indulgent profile. A genuine Michel Rolland interpretation of a year with a rapid ripening season." Joaquín Hidalgo for Vinous 96 Points

"The grand vin 2020 Clos Apalta was produced with a blend of 64% Carmenere, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot from a ripe and warm year. It's ripe, concentrated, dense and powerful, reflecting the house style and the conditions of the year, with more influence from the élevage than in the second wine, Le Petit Clos. It fermented with indigenous yeasts for five to six weeks, with manual punch-down of the cap in 7,500-liter French oak vats, followed by malolactic in new French oak barrels. The élevage was 27 months in 85% new barrels and 15% second use barrels. It has a creamy, smoky and spicy personality, with notes of sweet spices, such as cinnamon and vanilla and ripe blackberries, and it is quite forward, ripe and showy, with generous oak and 15% alcohol. It's lush with abundant, fine-grained tannins and a persistent finish. Give it a little more time in bottle, and enjoy with powerful food. 116,700 bottles produced. It was bottled in August 2022." Robert Parker 95 Points