Clos Apalta Vinothèque 2012 75cl

A wonderfully vivid red with complex aromas of rose petal, black currant, blackberry, black pepper and sandalwood. Full-bodied, yet ultra-refined. Silky textured tannins. Gorgeous finish. So much intense fruit with spice, currant and chocolate. A blend of carmenere, cabernet sauvignon, and merlot. All grapes are biodynamically grown. Better in 2019.

Dense, ripe and powerful style, with concentrated flavors of dark plum, blackberry and chocolate. Very plush and creamy midpalate, with a rich finish loaded with espresso notes, along with medium-grained tannins. Carmenère, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.  - Kim Marcus

The 2012 Clos Apalta started off a little closed, but with air, the spicy aromas seemed to dominate (cloves, black pepper); there are also lots of smoky notes over a core of ripe black fruit with a volatile hint. It feels young and greatly marked by its two years in new French oak barrels. The palate is still young and tannic, and the finish is a little dry. There's not a lot of fruit in there and it somehow feels like it lacks a bit in the mid palate. For fans of the style, but even though, you should wait to pull the cork. 61,000 bottles produced. 91+ - Luis Gutierrez<br/>