2021 Clos Apalta 'Le Petit Clos' Apalta Valley Chile

(94 Points)  --  (Wine Advocate)

The 2021 Le Petit Clos is composed of 68% Carménère, 16% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc, aged in 50% new oak. It features black and red fruit with a distinct floral bouquet, contrasting with the more savory and woody Clos Apalta bottling, and develops additional spice-driven notes after a brief time in the glass. The palate is smooth, creamy and seductive, culminating in a lush and drying finish framed by fine-grained, extracted tannins and a hint of mineral lift. Within the Clos Apalta range, the Le Petit Clos bottling foregrounds its origins and varietal composition a touch more than the more comparatively lavish grand vin, which, to my palate, makes for a close gap between the two. (ML)    Review Date: 03/2025