Clos Apalta is born in 1997 as the iconic wine of the Domaines Bournet-Lapostolle in Chile under the idea to magnify the exceptional terroir of Apalta with French expertise. Shaping the vineyard foot by foot, building a state-of-the-art gravity fed winery, the family succeeded in making Clos Apalta one of the most iconic wines in South America.
This year we had a generous production, healthy, of excellent flavor, with relatively moderate alcohol levels and more freshness. It will be remembered as one of the greatest cold vintages of the 21st century in Chile.
“It was a wonderful harvest … 2018 was everything that you could wish for to make wines that are fully ripe but have a lot of elegance and freshness. A treat from Mother Nature”. – Andrea Leon, Chief Winemaker.
Made with Organic Grapes and Biodynamic vineyard management.
As a general winemaking philosophy, Cuvée Alexandre Cabernet Sauvignon’s direction is toward elegance, balance and ageing potential. To express the terroir of Apalta is the mission of Casa Lapostolle, using very natural process with minimal intervention.
“The Cabernet Sauvignon from Colchagua has a true identity: intense red fruit and a structure to age many years. Here in Apalta, the fact that the vines are eighty years old and planted in high density gives the wine an extra layer of complexity”. Jacques Begarie, Chief Winemaker.
Made with Organic Grapes and Biodynamic vineyard management.
D’Alamel wines embody the outstanding growing conditions found in Chile, where they are born between the South Pacific ocean and the foothills of the Andes Mountains.
These wines are named in honour of Cyril D’Alamel de Bournet, who co-founded Lapostolle Wine with his wife Alexandra Marnier Lapostolle.
D’Alamel wines are the result of careful soil management, pruning, leaf pulling, and green harvests to ensure the right conditions for healthy vines that deliver their finest fruit year after year.
This D’Alamel Cabernet Sauvignon is perfectly balanced, with youthful and bright characteristics, perfect for any occasion.
D’Alamel wines use ecological bottles that are 14% lighter and made with recycled glass, and the raw ingredients used for the labels, boxes, and corks come from certified sustainable forests.
The Marnier Lapostolle family, founders and owners of the world-renowned liqueur Grand Marnier, has vineyards in three regions of Chile, the oldest plantings being 1920 in the southern Apalta Vineyard brought from France at the end of the 19th Century.
Their mission is to capture the freshness of young and expressive fruit, bright and alive.
These characteristics define the Lapostolle Grand Selection wines.
This Grand Selection Cabernet Sauvignon has flavors of red fruits, strawberries and blackberries, with a concentrated and round palate.
After years of research and selection, Lapostolle is now launching a Single Vineyard wine from Apalta: Parcelle 8.
It is a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon with extremely low yields., which ensures a lot of concentration in the wine.
First commercially released wine from old-vine cabernet sauvignon, grown on its own rootstock with the vast majority from 1910.
It’s made in a fraction of the quantity of Clos Apalta, basically a secret reserve-bottling and originally made just for the owners to drink, James Suckling was the first to taste it first and immediately gave the Parcelle 8 a great score: 98/100 points.
Complex and intense with a rare mineral quality for the hot 2020 vintage.
After years of research and selection, Lapostolle is now launching a Single Vineyard wine from Apalta: Parcelle 8.
It is a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon with extremely low yields., which ensures a lot of concentration in the wine.
First commercially released wine from old-vine cabernet sauvignon, grown on its own rootstock with the vast majority from 1910.
In 2014, Clos Apalta gave birth to its second wine, Le Petit Clos de Clos Apalta, in order to offer a different interpretation of this unique terroir, using the same grapes, but in different proportion, and offering young vines a chance to prove their worth before thay can make it into the Grand Vin.
The 2020 vintage was a challenging one due to climatic disruptions and the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the dry conditions resulted in excellent sanitary conditions for the fruit. The harvest began 10 days earlier than usual and was carried out with sector-by-sector, block-by-block harvesting due to uneven maturity. Quality control and selective harvesting led to reasonable yields of excellent quality. This season has delivered elevated levels of most compounds of the grape must: sugars, tannins, and an unexpectedly impressive acidity. The COVID-19 pandemic added to the challenge. Despite the hurdle, the team’s unfaltering commitment resulted in a successful harvest.
“Le Petit Clos is a different interpretation of the Clos Apalta Terroir, using the mastery of blending that is the heart of the winemaking philosophy from the Domaines Bournet ”. – Jacques Begarie, Chief Winemaker.
Made with Organic Grapes and Biodynamic vineyard management.
Vignobles Lassagne gather several family properties that were bought since three generations and are grown according to tradition and innovation on unique terroir located in the Libourne area.
Vignobles Lassagne encompasses these three properties: Château des Arnauds (the original estate), Château des Landes and Château Maltus, the latest addition to the Vignobles Lassagne.
Le Big Boss is a cuvée in homage to all the winegrowers who love their terroirs and are driven by the passion of their profession.
It is made exclusively from Cabernet-Sauvignon in organic conversion from 50 years old vines.
Château Bibian is a historic (and one of the oldest) property in Listrac-Médoc, located between the more famous communes of Margaux and Saint-Julien.
The château, purchased by the Meyre family in 1999 and a Cru Bourgeois Supérieur classified, is today run by the 6th generation, where Nathalie and Julien Meyre, in consultation with the famous wine consultant (Michel Rolland), carry on the family traditions and produce classic Bordeaux wines.
This wine is a rigorous selection of young plots of vines from Château Bibian and it comes from the best terroirs of Listrac.
Le Fleurs de Bibian can be enjoyed in its youth, to savor all its roundness and fruitiness.
The estate’s Second Wine offers a different interpretation of the Calon terroir. Le Marquis de Calon Ségur is totally distinct from the First Wine, Château Calon Ségur Grand Cru Classé. “It benefits from a true expression of its own”, underlines Vincent Millet. “The plots are separated out from the beginning.”
Le Marquis de Calon Ségur provides immediate enjoyment, warmth and a velvety texture. It is carefully aged generally for 17 months in oak barrels, a third of which are new. Deliciously easy-drinking, silky and expressive, its charm comes to the fore, while at the same time bringing to our minds the elegance of the Grand Vin.
For more info, visit Château Calon Ségurwebsite.
VARIETALS
57% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc
Family owned since 1810, the Château Cap Léon Veyrin originates from the meeting of Château Cap Léon and the Veyrin estate. Cape comes from the word “head”. In fact, the vineyards of Cap Léon are located on the highest points of Listrac-Médoc, favoring natural drainage and ideal sunshine. Nathalie and Julien Meyre, are the 6th generation of the family running this property, perpetuate the tradition: predominance of Merlot, collage with egg white, aging of 12 months in barrels, manual harvesting for young parcels and for old vines, while bringing their dynamism to this renowned Cru Bourgeois du Médoc.
Le Petit Leon is de-facto the second wine of Château Cap Leon Veyrin, even though some grapes are bought in for this wine. The quality is outstanding and the presentation top drawer. Certainly one to look out for if you are on the hunt for quality at a great price.
For more info, visit Château Cap Léon Veyrinwebsite.
Located in the heart of the Pessac-Léognan appellation and dating back to 1365, Château Smith Haut Lafitte is one of the oldest châteaux in Bordeaux. This magnificent property entered a new era in its history following its acquisition by Daniel and Florence Cathiard in 1990. Driven with passion and ambition by the Cathiards, Château Smith Haut Lafitte has established itself as one of the finest properties in the Graves region, with wines world-renowned for their elegance and style, both red and white.
The Petit Smith Haut Lafitte is is the second wine of Château Smith Haut Lafitte but produced and cared for with the same attention reserved for the château’s first wine. The 2019 is made from vines averaging 11 years old. The château uses its own vines, thanks to a mother vine preserved in the nursery on Lalande Island.
The history of Montrose, written in two centuries by three families of owners, is depositary of their spirit, marked by their quest of excellence and legendary vintages. Pioneers in the Médoc, visionary builders and wise managers, all these families knew how to work and valorise this unique terroir. The estate owes them the foundation on which Montrose builds its image today and its unique place in the world of exceptional wines.
Produced on the exceptional terroir of Château Montrose and made in the château’s winery, Saint Estèphe de Montrose is the estate’s third wine and a traditional blend of classic Bordeaux grape varieties. Previously available only to the estate’s owners and employees, it uses wines from younger vines and lees wines.
It was in 1981 that the Marquis Lodovico Antinori, cousin of Piero Antinori, founded the Ornellaia Estate, in the heart of the Bolgheri area, a few kilometers from the Mediterranean coast. Thus, with the first harvest of 1985, what would become an icon among the SuperTuscans was born: the “Ornellaia”. With the inauguration of the company, the world-famous enologist, Michel Rolland, begins to deal with the technical part of the cellar. Subsequently, in the 90s the other two labels were born: “Le Volte” and “Le Serre Nuove”.
Crafted from the same varieties, under the same sky, from the same philosophy: Le Serre Nuove dell’Ornellaia is a proud second vin, which has the ability to foretell the personality of the estate’s flagship wine. Together, the two wines provide their own distinctive points of view. The pleasure of sipping Le Serre Nuove dell’Ornellaia evolves over time, adding the charm of maturity to the vigour of youth.
“Aromatic complexity is the hallmark of this vintage, with fruits of the forest aromas (blackberries, raspberries and red cherries), accompanied by wild rose, pink pepper and liquorice notes. Nice tannins with a savoury and crunchy finish.” – Olga Fusari – Winemaker
It was in 1981 that the Marquis Lodovico Antinori, cousin of Piero Antinori, founded the Ornellaia Estate, in the heart of the Bolgheri area, a few kilometers from the Mediterranean coast. Thus, with the first harvest of 1985, what would become an icon among the SuperTuscans was born: the “Ornellaia”. With the inauguration of the company, the world-famous enologist, Michel Rolland, begins to deal with the technical part of the cellar. Subsequently, in the 90s the other two labels were born: “Le Volte” and “Le Serre Nuove”.
Crafted from the same varieties, under the same sky, from the same philosophy: Le Serre Nuove dell’Ornellaia is a proud second vin, which has the ability to foretell the personality of the estate’s flagship wine. Together, the two wines provide their own distinctive points of view. The pleasure of sipping Le Serre Nuove dell’Ornellaia evolves over time, adding the charm of maturity to the vigour of youth.
“Le Serre Nuove dell’Ornellaia 2020 unabashedly reveals generous aromas of ripe red fruit. Soft and enticing on the palate, showing phenomenal balance between body, fullness and elegance.” – Olga Fusari – Winemaker
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