CASA LAPOSTOLLE & CLOS APALTA
CHILE
WHY BUY:
If you love Bordeaux varieties and old-vine wines, we're speaking your language with this quartet from Casa Lapostolle, which includes their extraordinary 99-point grand vin from a vineyard plot planted between 1915 and 1920 and their 98-point 'La Parcelle 8 Vieilles Vignes' Cabernet Sauvignon, from a plot that dates to 1907. This is some of the most extraordinary terroir in the world, and these wines are full of all the depth, focus, power, and length of Bordeaux at its pleasure-giving best. Little wonder that many collectors refer to them as Chilean Grand Crus.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING:
James Suckling awarded the Clos Apalta 2022 a perfect 99 points, while Jeb Dunnuck matched that enthusiasm, calling it "brilliantly balanced, seamless" with "ultra-fine tannins, integrated acidity, and a great finish" that "comes close to topping out my scale." Suckling was equally taken with the La Parcelle 8, noting how "the old-vine character comes through clearly here, with bark and mushroom undertones to the blackberries and blueberries" plus "medium-grained tannins that tell the story of these old vines, most of which were planted in 1907." Both Le Petit Clos expressions earned 96 points, with Suckling praising the Colchagua's "fine-grained tannins and long, extensive finish" and the Apalta's "really fine-grained, powdery tannins with ripe and juicy fruit.”
OUR TASTING NOTES:
The La Parcelle 8 carries itself differently than younger Cabernet; there's a gravity here that only century-old vines can deliver, like tasting the accumulated wisdom of a hundred vintages. It's dense without being heavy, powerful without being walloping, and leaves you with the lingering impression of having encountered something genuinely old-school. The two Le Petit Clos bottles show their different origins beautifully: the Colchagua has a brooding intensity that builds slowly in the glass, while the Apalta version practically bounces with energy and fruit. The grand vin Clos Apalta does that thing that great wines do, in which every sip somehow reveals something new; it starts out deceptively approachable before unfolding into layers and dimensions and colorations you simply couldn’t have predicted. Astonishing.
THE STORY:
When critics refer to Clos Apalta as "Chilean Grand Crus," they're not engaging in hyperbole. This is the vision of Grand Marnier heiress Alexandra Marnier Lapostolle, who set out with her husband Cyril de Bournet on a mission to produce Bordeaux blends that would turn heads in their native France. Mission accomplished — and how! Spread across 160 hectares in the Colchagua Valley, Clos Apalta is some of the finest terroir in the New World, with wines that again and again, in vintage after thrilling vintage, deliver mind-blowing concentration, depth, and intensity.
THE TERROIR:
Many of these vines are pre-phylloxera relics, planted as far back as 1907 for La Parcelle 8 and 1915-1920 for other plots. In winemaking, flaws can be corrected in the cellar, seasons can be balanced through technique ... but age? Age is immutable. Either you have it or you don't.
FUN FACT:
When the vines in the La Parcelle 8 vineyard were planted, the Wright Brothers had flown just four years earlier.
OUR GUARANTEE:
As always, we only buy and source directly from the estate, to ensure that your bottles arrive with pristine provenance. With old-vine wines of this caliber from one of Chile's most celebrated properties, these are sure to go early. Secure your bottles and cases today!
*Offer NOT valid in-store. This offer is made pre-arrival, with wines estimated to be delivered to your preferred store in Summer 2026. With the supply chain issues that we are seeing globally, there may be some unforeseen delays which could affect the ETA. All sale prices are the lowest available at Total Wine & More and ONLY valid through Concierge Sales. No further discounts or coupons may be applied. Offer not valid in KS, MI, NY, OK & TN. This offer will expire on Sunday, March 15th, 2026.