2004 Casa Lapostolle Clos Apalta - Chile, Central Valley, Rapel Valley, Colchagua Valley (7/17/2008) Dark and inky. Expressive aromatics, deep and dark with licorice and ripe, but certainly not pruned, dark fruit. Mulberry, black berry, and kirsch. It is slightly sweet, with a touch of menthol. If this wine were too warm, the menthol might come across as alcohol so serve this one at 62-67F. Thick shag carpet mouth feel (without the shag carpet smell). Drink this wine when you don't want to battle a wine for every detail. This is a voluptuous style, there's nothing wrong with enjoying a blonde bombshell every now and a again. Maybe they aren't much for conversation, but they are easy to love. (93-94 pts.)
I see this wine as an Apalta that wants to be a port, but on natural terms, and without added fortiications...Shouldn't it be allowed to do that. I love Port, I love this wine. The wine can become as big as port, but without unnatural fortification. It is delicious and would be great as an aperitif. On the other hand, if you are not eating, and just have the wine open for the drinking, this is perfect for that. Don't expect this to go well with a fabulous french meal. Each of those two are singular beauties, and you can't have two wolves in one room, without one dominating, and this wolf is an alpha.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: Roentgen Ray,
Posts: 678 | Location: SLC,UT | Registered: Jan 03, 2005
RR - I had this last week and really enjoyed it as well, but got a bit less 'port-ness' than you did (which, for me, is a good thing). I had this with grilled 'stuff', onions, and peppers and protein and it was a marvelous match, standing up to and challenging everything as far as flavors go!!
I agree completely that this would not be a wine to sit down and enjoy with a nice, delicate meal, but if you were chawing on the end of a bone, this is your wine. A very well made wine that fits a certain purpose, and fits that purpose well!
Wine makes daily living easier, less hurried, with fewer tensions and more tolerance. - Benjamin Franklin
Medieval German Saying
Posts: 714 | Location: Bloomfield Hills, MI | Registered: Apr 07, 2006
Originally posted by GlennK: Nice notes RR. I enjoyed the 04 as well. You should pick up the 05, it’s just as good, if not better IMO.
My track record has been 1 bottle of Clos Apalta a year over the past few years. The state will release the 2005 after all the 2004 sell. They have a few '04s still on the shelf, but I will certainly try teh 2005 when they do appear. It would be nice to have an '04 and '05 side by side to compare.
Posts: 678 | Location: SLC,UT | Registered: Jan 03, 2005
Number one, why didn't you save this bottle for the SLC offline?
Number two, I will buy a bottle of 2004 if there is any left by September 1.
I had the same issue with the 2003 Elderton Command. They would not put out the 2004 until the 2003 was gone, so I bought the last 2003 and a bottle of 2004.
"It's easy to grin, when your ship comes in, and you've got the stockmarket beat, but the man worth-while, is the man who can smile, when his shorts are too tight in the seat." -Judge Smails
Posts: 1207 | Location: Utah | Registered: Jan 15, 2008
We have this here for $100, which I presume is much more than you paid (given what wine costs here). Is it? And do you think that this wine has peaked?
------------------- Go Bruins!! Go Tigers!! Go Pistons!! Go Lions!!
Originally posted by bman: We have this here for $100, which I presume is much more than you paid (given what wine costs here). Is it? And do you think that this wine has peaked?
bman-
I think that it goes for about $75-80 USD here.
"It's easy to grin, when your ship comes in, and you've got the stockmarket beat, but the man worth-while, is the man who can smile, when his shorts are too tight in the seat." -Judge Smails
Posts: 1207 | Location: Utah | Registered: Jan 15, 2008
Originally posted by bman: We have this here for $100, which I presume is much more than you paid (given what wine costs here). Is it? And do you think that this wine has peaked?
The pretax retail price was $64.41, which I thought was very reasonable.
As to the wines lifespan, I think that the tannins and structure were there enough for the wine to have at least 6 more years of life left. As to whether or not the wine will improve over that time is a matter of taste. It is very open and drinking well now, and will surely change with time. The changes could be neutral, but I would not count on the wine changing dramatically for the better, because it is drinking so well now.
Posts: 678 | Location: SLC,UT | Registered: Jan 03, 2005
Number one, why didn't you save this bottle for the SLC offline?
Number two, I will buy a bottle of 2004 if there is any left by September 1.
I had the same issue with the 2003 Elderton Command. They would not put out the 2004 until the 2003 was gone, so I bought the last 2003 and a bottle of 2004.
There will be plenty of other great wines for the Offline, when that thus far mythical day arrives. October is looking promising.
Still holding out until September 1 gigabit, you have a will of steel. You do have the kilobit on the way, date must be getting near?
This message has been edited. Last edited by: Roentgen Ray,
Posts: 678 | Location: SLC,UT | Registered: Jan 03, 2005
Number one, why didn't you save this bottle for the SLC offline?
Number two, I will buy a bottle of 2004 if there is any left by September 1.
I had the same issue with the 2003 Elderton Command. They would not put out the 2004 until the 2003 was gone, so I bought the last 2003 and a bottle of 2004.
There will be plenty of other great wines for the Offline, when that thus far mythical day arrives. October is looking promising.
Still holding out until September 1 gigabit, you have a will of steel. You do have the kilobit on the way, date must be getting near?
Yes, the newest member of the Gigabit clan will arrive mid to late August.
I turn 40 in September, so I will be making a trip to 255 S. 300 E. around the first of that month to make a few purchases for the occasion (i.e. champagne).
An October offline sounds good to me.
"It's easy to grin, when your ship comes in, and you've got the stockmarket beat, but the man worth-while, is the man who can smile, when his shorts are too tight in the seat." -Judge Smails
Posts: 1207 | Location: Utah | Registered: Jan 15, 2008
Number one, why didn't you save this bottle for the SLC offline?
Number two, I will buy a bottle of 2004 if there is any left by September 1.
I had the same issue with the 2003 Elderton Command. They would not put out the 2004 until the 2003 was gone, so I bought the last 2003 and a bottle of 2004.
There will be plenty of other great wines for the Offline, when that thus far mythical day arrives. October is looking promising.
Still holding out until September 1 gigabit, you have a will of steel. You do have the kilobit on the way, date must be getting near?
kilobit, haha, thats good!
Posts: 1252 | Location: Anaheim Hills, CA | Registered: Nov 18, 2007
Number one, why didn't you save this bottle for the SLC offline?
Number two, I will buy a bottle of 2004 if there is any left by September 1.
I had the same issue with the 2003 Elderton Command. They would not put out the 2004 until the 2003 was gone, so I bought the last 2003 and a bottle of 2004.
There will be plenty of other great wines for the Offline, when that thus far mythical day arrives. October is looking promising.
Still holding out until September 1 gigabit, you have a will of steel. You do have the kilobit on the way, date must be getting near?
kilobit, haha, thats good!
I am hopeful that he will develop into a full-grown terabit.
"It's easy to grin, when your ship comes in, and you've got the stockmarket beat, but the man worth-while, is the man who can smile, when his shorts are too tight in the seat." -Judge Smails
Posts: 1207 | Location: Utah | Registered: Jan 15, 2008
Number one, why didn't you save this bottle for the SLC offline?
Number two, I will buy a bottle of 2004 if there is any left by September 1.
I had the same issue with the 2003 Elderton Command. They would not put out the 2004 until the 2003 was gone, so I bought the last 2003 and a bottle of 2004.
There will be plenty of other great wines for the Offline, when that thus far mythical day arrives. October is looking promising.
Still holding out until September 1 gigabit, you have a will of steel. You do have the kilobit on the way, date must be getting near?
Yes, the newest member of the Gigabit clan will arrive mid to late August.
I turn 40 in September, so I will be making a trip to 255 S. 300 E. around the first of that month to make a few purchases for the occasion (i.e. champagne).
An October offline sounds good to me.
40th, that's a mile stone. You know, the Krug Brut Rosé is on sale for $368.58. Just shoot me a message, I would gladly sing happy B-Day for such an occasion.
Posts: 678 | Location: SLC,UT | Registered: Jan 03, 2005
Number one, why didn't you save this bottle for the SLC offline?
Number two, I will buy a bottle of 2004 if there is any left by September 1.
I had the same issue with the 2003 Elderton Command. They would not put out the 2004 until the 2003 was gone, so I bought the last 2003 and a bottle of 2004.
There will be plenty of other great wines for the Offline, when that thus far mythical day arrives. October is looking promising.
Still holding out until September 1 gigabit, you have a will of steel. You do have the kilobit on the way, date must be getting near?
kilobit, haha, thats good!
I am hopeful that he will develop into a full-grown terabit.
Missed this earlier, nerd humor is the best
Posts: 1252 | Location: Anaheim Hills, CA | Registered: Nov 18, 2007
Wine Spectator Online RSS Feeds
