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My Rating (circle) :
Date Printed: 1/9/2009
(search item no. 95273)
collectible wine
Wine Spectator rating: 96 points
Wine Enthusiast rating: 94 points
PRICE ON 1/9/2009: $69.99

ratings pedigree (past vintages):
2004 Wine & Spirits rating: 94 points
2004 Wine Spectator rating: 93 points
2004 The Wine Advocate rating: 91 points
2004 Wine Enthusiast rating: 91 points
2003 Wine Spectator rating: 94 points
2003 Wine Enthusiast rating: 94 points
2002 Wine & Spirits rating: 94 points
2002 Wine Spectator rating: 93 points
2001 Wine Spectator rating: 95 points
2001 Wine & Spirits rating: 94 points
2001 Wine & Spirits rating: 94 points
2000 Wine Spectator rating: 94 points
1999 Wine Enthusiast rating: 94 points
1999 Wine Enthusiast rating: 94 points
1999 Wine & Spirits rating: 94 points
1999 Wine & Spirits rating: 94 points
1999 Wine Spectator rating: 92 points
1999 Wine Spectator rating: 92 points
1999 The Wine Advocate rating: 91 points

Winemaker's Notes:

Wine of the Year
#1 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2008

COLOR: Intense inked dark red with purple hints

NOSE: Exuberant and complex, with red and black fruit such as plums, black cherries combined with currant, berries, dry figs with black cocoa and a violet touch. Sweet spices like clover and vanilla give an elegant touch towards the finish.

MOUTH: Well balanced, an elegant wine which has a bright attack followed by round, velvety and polished tannins filling the mid palate and a rich long lasting finish.

SERVICE AND PAIRING: Decant for 3 hours and enjoy at room temperature. Ideal companion for game, lamb, and entrecote fillet. Also good with rich cocoa chocolate desserts.

"Since its outstanding debut 1997 vintage, Casa Lapostolle's Clos Apalta bottling has helped to establish Chile as a premier red-wine region. Owner Alexandra Marnier-Lapostolle and her team created a blend of Chile's distinctive Carmenère variety, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from the estate's oldest vines in Colchagua's Apalta sub-valley, then kept refining: fermenting in smaller lots, hand-destemming berries and constructing a gravity-flow winery. All this came to fruition in the long, warm, dry 2005 vintage, easily Chile's modern best. Marnier and new winemaker Jacques Begarie blended in 4 percent Petit Verdot for the first time, adding aroma and color. Rich and velvety, the 2005 Clos Apalta should reward cellaring. The wine's price has remained relatively modest through the years."

96 Points,
Wine Spectator

My Notes:

Additional wines from Casa Lapostolle:

About Casa Lapostolle:

The Marnier Lapostolle family, creator of Grand Marnier, the famed French Liqueur, founded Casa Lapostolle winery in 1994. Alexandra Marnier Lapostolle, Chairwoman of Casa Lapostolle, led the design and creation. She recruited two French enologists, world-renowned winemaker Michel Rolland and on-site winemaker Michel Friou. Together they oversee all aspects of the winery from vineyard management, harvesting, vinification and blending for all the wines in the portfolio.

The goal of Casa Lapostolle is to produce world-class wines. Strict adherence to traditional French winemaking techniques, combined with state-of-the-art facilities and the superb Chilean soil and climate, have led to highly praised wines of the greatest character.