2021 Clos Apalta Le Petit Clos Valle De Apalta

2021 Clos Apalta Le Petit Clos Valle De Apalta

with No Comment $50-$60ChileKevin VogtProprietary Red

Clos Apalta

Le Petit Clos 2021
Valle De Apalta

2021 Clos Apalta Le Petit Clos Valle De Apalta

When Alexandra Marnier-Lapostolle, heiress to the Grand Marnier legacy, rooted her family’s vision in Chile’s Apalta Valley, she sought to craft a wine that could stand among the world’s finest, blending Bordeaux’s artistry with the wild elegance of Apalta. Guided by the renowned Michel Rolland from the inaugural vintage, these wines bear a hallmark of sophistication and depth, each bottle reflecting the family’s French lineage.

The vineyard is a marvel of nature, a steep amphitheater etched into the Apalta hills, where granitic soils, sunlit slopes, and cooling river breezes converge to yield fruit of extraordinary balance. Here, Carmenère, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc ripen gradually under the valley’s distinctive conditions, capturing a purity of flavor and vibrancy unique to this terroir.

The final impression is one of poise and drama: Carmenère’s velvet depths intertwined with Cabernet Sauvignon’s structure, Merlot’s gentle charm, and Cabernet Franc’s aromatic lift. Together they create a blend that resonates with power and harmony, a vivid portrait of one of Chile’s most iconic vineyards.

Clos Apalta
Le Petit Clos 2021
Valle De Apalta
Retails at: $65

Your Price: $55

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“A nice touch of baked cherries and dark chocolate to the deep blackberry fruit. Ink and a touch of graphite and dried herbs. Full-bodied and pretty powerful with fine-grained tannins and a long, extensive finish. 68% carmenere, 16% cabernet sauvignon,15% merlot and 1% cabernet franc. Give it two more years to let the fruit settle more. Drink or hold.”

96 Points

2022 Maquis Revela Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon Colchagua Valley

2022 Maquis Revela Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon Colchagua Valley

with No Comment $30 and underCabernet SauvignonChileKevin Vogt

Maquis

Revela Gran Reserva
Cabernet Sauvignon
Colchagua Valley 2022

2022 Maquis Revela Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon Colchagua Valley

The 2022 Maquis Revela Colchagua Valley Cabernet Sauvignon captivates with its bold, intricate, and elegantly crafted profile. Viña Maquis, rooted in one of Chile’s oldest estates, traces its origins to the 18th century, when Jesuit priests produced sacramental wine on this storied land. Since 1916, the Hurtado family has upheld this heritage, refining the vineyards and embracing a meticulous, hands-on approach to winemaking that vividly captures the essence of the terroir.

In 2022, a cool growing season followed a dry winter, yielding fruit of remarkable balance—crisp acidity, vibrant aromatics, and rich concentration. Sourced primarily from a rare 1997 block planted on ungrafted European rootstock, the Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes in Chile’s phylloxera-free soils, safeguarded by the Andes’ natural barrier. The result is a wine of exceptional purity and character, rarely matched elsewhere.

Blended with Cabernet Franc, Carménère, and Petit Verdot, this wine evokes a Left Bank Bordeaux spirit while distinctly reflecting its Chilean roots. Lively spice, refined structure, and elegance unite in a wine that narrates a compelling story of heritage, resilience, and place—far surpassing its price.

Maquis
Revela Gran Reserva
Cabernet Sauvignon
Colchagua Valley 2022

Your Price: $24

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“I like the restraint of this cabernet sauvignon, which almost delivers a Bordelais touch with its lead-pencil and graphite character. Structured and medium-bodied with firm, creamy tannins and a tight finish. Sustainable. Better from 2025.”

92 Points

2021 VIK Milla Cala Red Blend Millahue Valley Chile

2021 VIK Milla Cala Red Blend Millahue Valley Chile

with No Comment $40-$50ChileKevin VogtProprietary Red

VIK

Milla Cala Red Blend
Millahue Valley, Chile 2021

2021 VIK Milla Cala Red Blend Millahue Valley Chile

Vik’s 2021 Milla Cala embodies the pinnacle of Chilean winemaking, confidently ranking among the world’s finest wines under $50. Its profound character has earned prestigious recognition, securing #36 on Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines of 2024 and a remarkable 95-point endorsement from James Suckling, affirming its captivating expression.

Milla Cala hails from the Millahue Valley, known as “Lugar de Oro,” or “Golden Place,” by the indigenous Mapuche. Nestled in the Andean foothills, its vines flourish across a mosaic of valleys shaped by cooling Pacific breezes and crisp mountain air, yielding grapes of exceptional purity and intensity.

Milla Cala elegantly blends Old World tradition with New World innovation, balancing nature’s influence with a refined human touch. Hand-harvested grapes undergo spontaneous fermentation with native yeasts, showcasing an authentic style that vividly reflects its origins. Comprising nearly 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, skillfully blended with Carménère, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, and Merlot, the 2021 vintage offers seamless complexity and purity—a vibrant reflection of its remarkable terroir, lingering gracefully after each sip.

VIK
Milla Cala Red Blend
Millahue Valley, Chile 2021
Retails at: $49

Your Price: $42

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“Dark chocolate, black olives and a touch of sweet tobacco to the sweet blackberries. Rich and deep but very fresh at the same time. Firm, full and pretty seamless. Very long finish. 68% cabernet sauvignon, 16% carmenere, 4% cabernet franc, 7% syrah and 5% merlot. Drink or hold.”

95 Points

2020 VIK Omega Cabernet Sauvignon Millahue Valley Chile

2020 VIK Omega Cabernet Sauvignon Millahue Valley Chile

with No Comment $30 and underCabernet SauvignonChileKevin Vogt

VIK

Omega 2020
Cabernet Sauvignon
Millahue Valley, Chile

2020 VIK Omega Cabernet Sauvignon Millahue Valley Chile

Chile has long been a land of untamed beauty, where nature’s extremes converge to shape wines of breathtaking precision. At the forefront of this movement is VIK, a winery that has rewritten the script for South American excellence. 

With a relentless pursuit of perfection, VIK has captured global attention, earning a flawless 100-point score on its flagship release. Within this legacy of greatness lies the 2020 Omega—a hidden treasure in its own right. A blend led by 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, elegantly intertwined with Carménère and a touch of Syrah, Omega is a wine that offers an opulent yet finely chiseled expression of its extraordinary terroir.

The 2020 Omega is a masterclass in balance, having spent 18 months in French oak barrels to refine its complexity. It is a wine that offers immediacy in its plush textures yet rewards patience with the promise of deepening complexity.

Omega embodies the relentless ambition of VIK—a winery that continues to push the limits of what Chilean wine can be.

VIK
Omega 2020
Cabernet Sauvignon
Millahue Valley, Chile
Retails at: $35

Your Price: $29.99

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“This wonderfully balanced, approachable, French oak-aged red way overdelivers.”

92 Points

2020 Domus Aurea Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo Valley

2020 Domus Aurea Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo Valley

with No Comment $70-$80Cabernet SauvignonChileKevin VogtMaipo Valley

DOMUS AUREA

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
MAIPO VALLEY 2020

2020 Domus Aurea Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo Valley

Clos Quebrada de Macul, a venerable Chilean vineyard founded in 1970, is nestled upon a rugged, low-yielding hillside that demands meticulous cultivation. Isabelle and Ricardo Peña established the estate, primarily planting Cabernet Sauvignon alongside smaller parcels of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot, which flourish in this elevated, distinctive terroir. Initially, their coveted grapes were highly sought after by Chile’s premier wineries, commanding premium market prices. This success inspired the Peñas to embark on a new venture, founding their own winery.

In 1996, the Peñas introduced their inaugural vintage of Domus Aurea, which has since become the vineyard’s flagship wine and a celebrated Cabernet Sauvignon. Year after year, Domus Aurea garners international acclaim for its exceptional quality.

The 2020 vintage perpetuates this legacy, offering a wine of extraordinary power and depth. Featuring seamlessly integrated tannins, captivating complexity, and a remarkably enduring finish, it is a testament to the vineyard’s unique terroir and the expert craftsmanship of the Peña team.

DOMUS AUREA
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
MAIPO VALLEY 2020
Retails at: $90

Your Price: $75

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“Domus Aurea comes from the historic Parcela 10 at the Clos Quebrada de Macul property, near the foot of the Andes, in Maipo Alto. That 16-hectare parcel was planted in 1970, and this wine corresponds to a selection of vines that produced a warm, generous, succulent, and voluptuous wine in 2020. The nose maintains the area’s classic notes of menthol, herbs, and eucalyptus. The palate is generous in everything: in tannins, in alcohol, in tones of candied red fruits, and in herbs. This is a big and powerful mouth-filling wine.”

96 Points

2017 Vik Milla Cala Proprietary Red

2017 Vik Milla Cala Proprietary Red

with No Comment $30-$40ChileKevin VogtProprietary Red

VIK

2017 MILLA CALA
PROPRIETARY RED

2017 Vik Milla Cala Proprietary Red
Alex and Carrie Vik spent two years seeking out the most exceptional vine-growing terroirs in Chile with the potential to create the world’s best wines. In the Millahue Valley near the foothills of the Andes, named “Lugar de Oro” or “Golden Place” by the native Mapuche people, the Vik’s found their prime location, planting vineyards on the rolling landscape with several microclimates offering a diverse range of complexity.
 
Christian Vallejo oversees the vineyards and winemaking and insists on handpicking the harvest and using natural yeasts before fermenting in a combination of new and used French oak barrels. The 2017 Milla Cala is 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Carmenere, 11% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Syrah and was the highest-scoring Chilean wine on Wine Enthusiast’s best wines of 2021, helping the Vik’s achieve their goal of making the finest Chilean wine.
 
VIK
2017 MILLA CALA
PROPRIETARY RED
Retails at: $45
 
Your Price: $39.99
 
 
“This is really so delicious with spice, tile, light chocolate and juicy berries. Medium to full body. Wonderful intensity and brightness. Delicious with so much energy. No new wood here. All about balance and drinkability. A blend of 59% cabernet sauvignon, 15% cabernet franc, 5% syrah, 19% carmenere and 2% merlot. Drink now.”
94 Points
 
“Briary blackberry and cassis aromas include familiar Chilean notes of eucalyptus and juniper. This Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant blend is ripe and creamy in feel, with generous flavors of brown sugar, herbs, blackberry, cassis, coffee and chocolate. The finish is chewy and rich. Drink now–2025.”
93 Points, #73 Top 100 Cellar Selections 2021
2017 Ventisquero Grey [Glacier] Garnacha-Carinena-Mataro Colchagua Valley

2017 Ventisquero Grey [Glacier] Garnacha-Carinena-Mataro Colchagua Valley Chile

with No Comment $30 and underChileGrenacheKevin Vogt

VENTISQUERO

GREY [GLACIER] 2017 GARNACHA-CARINENA-MATARO 
COLCHAGUA VALLEY CHILE

2017 Ventisquero Grey [Glacier] Garnacha-Carinena-Mataro Colchagua Valley
Ventisquero winery is where Chile’s most renowned growing regions merge with creativity, drive, and honoring tradition. Global winemaker Felipe Tosso guides them to craft accessibly priced wines representative of their origins. Their Grey [Glacier] Single-Block Garnacha-Cariena-Mataro seizes the essence of the La Roblería Vineyard in Colchagua Valley and transports it to your glass with expert balance, rich flavors, and site-specific nuance. Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate notes, “concentration and power,” and at $23, the value is apparent. 
 
Carved from a single hillside Block within the La Roblería Vineyard and selected for its colluvial, rocky, nutrient-deficient soils and western exposure, which is very important for Cariñena and Mataro to reach their optimum maturity. 
 
Stretching value to the limits, Ventisquero’s avant-garde approach to winemaking emphasizes blending unique varieties. Creating an alliance of Spanish grapes Garnacha, Cariñena, and Mataro, this traditional Mediterranean blend matches New World fruit with Old World balance and complexity.
 
VENTISQUERO
GREY [GLACIER]
2017 GARNACHA-CARINENA-MATARO 
COLCHAGUA VALLEY CHILE
 
Your Price: $23
 
 
“I found ripe red fruit in the 2017 Grey GCM, a Mediterranean blend of 62% Garnacha and 19% each Cariñena and Mataró (Monastrell) with more concentration and power, still fresh for a warm year and a warm place like Apalta. It has fine-grained tannins and a soft texture, nice balance…”
92 Points
 
“A clean and fruity wine with juicy fruit, lemon rind and apple skin aromas and flavors. Medium body, light tannins and a flavorful finish. A blend of garnacha, carinena and mataro… ”
91 Points
2016 Casas Del Toqui' Barrel Series Reserve

2016 Casas Del Toqui’ Barrel Series Reserve

with No Comment $30 and underCarménèreChileKevin VogtSouth America

CASAS DEL TOQUI’

2016 CARMENERE
BARREL SERIES RESERVE

2016 Casas Del Toqui' Barrel Series Reserve
The Carménère grape originates from the Medoc region in Bordeaux and is revered for producing deep, robust red wines with striking aromatics. It’s those classic attributes that made Casas del Toqui’ Carménère stand out in a tasting of around 100 more expensive wines. At $19.99, it’s a great example Carménère from Chile’s Cachapoal Valley, and with 93 Points and the Best Buy designation from tastings .com, you really should try it…
 
Casas del Toqui is a joint partnership between the Court family and historic Bordeaux producer Chateau Larose Trintaudon. The vineyards are located in Alto Cachapoal, where alluvial soils combined with a Mediterranean climate are perfect for ripening Bordeaux grape varietals.
 
Carménère might be a member of the Cabernet Sauvignon family and now rarely found in France, it’s found a stronghold in Chile, where it reigns as king. Interestingly, Chilean growers inadvertently preserved the grape during the last 150 years, mistaking it for Merlot until a couple of decades ago.
 
CASAS DEL TOQUI’
2016 CARMENERE
BARREL SERIES RESERVE
 
Your Price: $19.99
 
“Dull garnet black color. Aromas and flavors of toasty blueberry handpie, grilled veggies, eucalyptus, and violet with a velvety, crisp, fruity medium body and a silky, amusing, medium-length finish that presents touches of grilled watermelon and grenadine with medium, silky tannins and no oak flavor. A silky Carmenère with a touch of sweetness; perfect for spicy fare.”
93 Points, Best Buy
2017 Court Rollan Pater Cabernet Sauvignon Alto Totihue

2017 Court Rollan Pater Cabernet Sauvignon Alto Totihue

with No Comment $30-$40Cabernet SauvignonChileKevin Vogt

COURT ROLLAN

PATER CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2017 ALTO TOTIHUE

2017 Court Rollan Pater Cabernet Sauvignon Alto Totihue
Court Rollan’s roots are deep in Chile’s Cachapoal Valley, but Bordeaux heavily influences their wines. The winery is a partnership between the Court family and historic Bordeaux producer Chateau Larose Trintaudon. Together they produce the brand Court Rollan, and their wine Pater, which is Latin for father, is a pillar of their portfolio and is crafted to showcase the region’s incredible power and strength. Their 2017 vintage is a stunning example of a winery harnessing Chilean fruit’s power and delivering it with balance and elegance. 
 
Pater comes from the high elevation region of Alto Totihue in the Cachapoal Valley, where the alluvial soils and Mediterranean climate create a micro-terroir that produces wine with intense color, bright acidity, and restrained tannins. 
 
The 2017 Pater is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and spent 18 months in barrels. The wine offers a remarkable balance between power and elegance, and at $33, it delivers immense value and enjoyment.
 
COURT ROLLAN
PATER CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2017 ALTO TOTIHUE
Retails at: $45
 
Your Price: $33
 
“This small-production Cabernet is muscular on the nose, with dusty, spicy berry aromas. A full yet fresh palate is balanced and healthy, while this tastes of spicy currant and plum. A smooth finish with silky tannins isn’t overly demanding, indicating that this is more or less ready to drink; enjoy through 2025.”
93 Points
 
“Blackberry, sandalwood and light tile aromas and flavors. Medium to full body. Tangy acidity to the juicy fruit. Drink or hold.”
91 Points
2015 Vik Milla Cala Proprietary Red

2015 Vik Milla Cala Proprietary Red

with No Comment $30-$40ChileKevin VogtProprietary Red

VIK

2015 MILLA CALA
PROPRIETARY RED2015 Vik Milla Cala Proprietary Red

Picture a red wine with piercing fruit, riveting complexity, stunning power, and remarkable definition. You could be tasting a red blend from Chile. We introduced Vik’s 2012 Milla Cala Blend back in 2018, and a short time later, it went on to rank #22 on the Wine Spectator Top 100. Critics agree that this wine is extraordinary, and the 2015 vintage has high 92-94 point scores and has already earned a place on Wine Enthusiast’s 100 list. 

Vik produced their Milla Cala in their state-of-the-art winery, which is one of the preeminent wineries in the Southern Hemisphere. Milla Cala arose from an area South of Santiago that they secured after years of intense scientific research and more than 4,000 soil samples, in a relentless search for the best terroir in Chile. The final blend incorporates nearly 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, accented with Carmeñere, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Syrah.

The Vik wines are created by legendary winemaker Patrick Valette, who is responsible for crafting some of the most exceptional wines in Chile and Bordeaux, paired with Norwegian entrepreneur Alexander Vik. With literally no expense spared on this project, the grapes were meticulously sorted in the most modern grape selection line in Chile before being transported by gravity into individual fermentation tanks.

 

VIK
2015 MILLA CALA
PROPRIETARY RED

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“A rich and dense second wine of VIK. Lots of dried fruit with light prunes, plums and hints of burnt lemons. Spices, too. Full body, layered and rich. Juicy. Needs two or three years to soften. A blend of 66% cabernet sauvignon, 15% merlot, 7% cabernet franc, 7% syrah and 3% carmenere. Drink in 2020.”  94 Points

 

“Milla Cala is the most approachable of the VIK reds, made from an assemblage of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot, Carmenère, Cabernet Franc and Syrah. Fresh, bright and leafy, with undertones of aromatic Mediterranean herbs and silky, polished tannins. 2019-23.”  93 Points

 

“This Cabernet Sauvignon-led blend opens with aromas of root beer, baking spices and cocoa along with naturally spicy berry scents. A lively palate is tannic while showing a firm grip and some bumpiness. Mocha and herbal berry and plum flavors are lightly chocolaty prior to a flush finish that echoes with spice. There’s no mistaking this wine’s Chilean DNA. Drink through 2025.”  92 Points, #87 Top 100 Wines of 2019