Domaine Bournet-Lapostolle, Clos Apalta, Apalta 2014

This was the first 100-point wine from here with such aromas of fresh herbs and dark berry and floral undertones. Hot stone character. Full body, very linear and ultra-fine tannins. The precision and perfection here is impressive, as it has always been. A blend of carmenere, cabernet sauvignon and merlot. Drink or hold.

A 10-year-old library release - the third in a row for Clos Apalta with 'Vinothèque on the label differentiating this release (ex-estate in 2022) from the original in 2016. Black fruits on the nose, cool and fresh with dried herbs and graphite minerality - lovely complexity with lots of fragrant aromas. Thick and filling on the palate, a round wine, not heavy, juicy but concentrated and full of life. This has substance, not muscle, it’s chiselled but this carries some power. You can smell the richness in the full fruit. It has a nice frame though, settles around the mouth with good persistence from start to finish. Feels like it has more life left, but there is a sense of heat and oak around the edges, spiced and a touch imposing on the finish although great acidity keeps the lift. I like the expression, cool and fresh yet still determined. Ageing 28 months in 100% new French oak, 225 litre barrels. 3.66pH.

The 2014 Clos Apalta is composed of 48% Carmenère, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon and 21% Merlot and has lots of tannins and some astringency. It really suffers when compared with the 2015, which feels longer and has a different quality of tannins, but I prefer both to the 2013. This matured in 100% new French oak barrels for 26 months. 62,388 bottles were filled in June 2016.