We were eager to uncork Le Petit Clos 2017 recalling our tasting of Clos Apalta Valle de Apalta 2015 some time ago. Both are Bordeaux red blends made by the renowned Clos Apalta winery from Chile.
Le Petit Clos scored between 93 to 96 points by wine critics in the past four vintages. It’s not a perfect 100 like its big brother Valle de Apalta. Still, it’s a formidable score for any wine.
Clos Apalta Winery
Clos Apalta Winery was founded in 1994 by Alexandra Marnier Lapostolle and her husband in Chile’s Colchagua Valley. If you’re a fan of Grand Marnier orange-flavored liqueur, the name Marnier-Lapostolle’s might sound familiar. The Marnier was one of the families that recognized Chile’s potential and spearheaded the development of winemaking.
To learn more about the winery, check this post.
Le Petit Clos 2017
In the Bottle
Le Petit Clos is a Bordeaux blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Carmenère, 9% Cabernet Franc 5% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot. The grapes were harvested between February 23rd and April 25th.
Following the harvest, the grapes macerated on the skins for 4-5 weeks to extract flavors and color. The primary fermentation took place in large French oak vats and was followed by malolactic fermentation in new French oak barrels.
The new wine was aged for 6 months in new French oak barrels. Then another 16 months in 15% new French oak barrels, 25% in second use, and 65% in third use French oak barrels.
Why does all of that matter? Why did the winemaker decide to jump through all the hoops making this wine? We found out when we tasted the wine.
In the Glass
Balance is what defines this wine. The aromas hardly had a dominating fruit. The scents of black cherry, blackberry, plum, blueberry, black currant, sour cherry, hibiscus, and savory spice were coming through at once.
The full-bodied palate was velvety with well-incorporated tannins and flavors of chocolate-dipped cherries, ripe plum, black cherry, and a touch of black current and bittersweet chocolate.
The Aftertaste
The aftertaste is long, with notes of black cherry and chocolate nibs with a hint of vanilla.
For a Bordeaux blend, four years is a young age, and sometimes it needs time to round the corners, soften the tannin and acidity. Le Petit Clos is ready to be enjoyed already and has a great promise of ageing gracefully for a decade or two.
While it’s called Le Petite and implies that it’s a lesser brethren of the flagship wine of Clos Apalta – Valle de Apalta 2015, it’s only petite in price to latter.
Both wines are of incredible value compared to the same level Bordeaux reds and California Cabs, which can easily cost three to ten times as much. Still, Valle de Apalta is around $115, and Le Petit Clos, with a price under $50, is a fantastic wine.
What are your thoughts if you tried Clos Apalta or other above entry-level Chilean wine?
