BigHammerWines.com

Clos Apalta is one of Chile's most celebrated estates, and the only winery in the world whose grand vin has appeared three times in the top three of Wine Spectator's Top 100. Le Petit Clos is its second wine — not a declassification, but a different interpretation of the same extraordinary terroir in the Apalta Valley of Colchagua.

The estate was founded in 1994 by Alexandra Marnier Lapostolle, heir to the Grand Marnier family, (the same family behind the famous French liqueur Grand Marnier) after she discovered the valley's horseshoe-shaped amphitheater of granite hills sheltering century-old vines. Today it's led by her son Charles-Henri de Bournet and winemaker Andrea León, with Michel Rolland consulting.

The 2021 blend is 68% Carménère, 16% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, and 1% Cabernet Franc — all from the estate's organically and biodynamically farmed vineyards on decomposed granite soils. Some of the Carménère and Cabernet vines date back to 1920, planted on their own rootstock. The cooler 2021 vintage brought uncommon freshness and precision, producing wines with less opulence than warmer years but more lift, detail, and elegance.

Carménère is Chile's signature red grape — a variety that once thrived in Bordeaux before being wiped out by phylloxera in the 19th century. It survived undetected in Chilean vineyards for over a century, often mistaken for Merlot, until it was officially rediscovered in 1994. What makes it so compelling is a flavor profile that sits somewhere between Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot — the dark fruit richness and structure of Cabernet with the plush, round texture of Merlot, plus a distinctive spice and herbal character all its own.

If you love bold Napa reds but want something with a different personality, Carménère delivers that same depth and satisfaction with an added layer of intrigue.

Ageing: 19 months in French oak barrels. 37% in new French oak barrels and 63% in second use French oak barrels.