Awards & ratings
- 92 points, Wine Enthusiast (2015 vintage)
- Editors’ Choice, Wine Enthusiast
- No. 60 in the Wine Enthusiast “Enthusiast 100” of 2020, chosen from more than 22,000 wines tasted that year
Wine Enthusiast’s critics praised its layered blackberry and blueberry fruit, chocolate and herbal notes, and a smoky, toasty finish that fades gracefully.
The name
Apogeo means “apogee”: the point where the Moon is furthest from the Earth, and figuratively the highest point of an endeavour. It’s the top wine of Dos Almas, the Chilean estate of Italy’s Zonin family, who have made wine since 1821. “Dos Almas” means “two souls”, a nod to Italian winemaking tradition meeting Chilean terroir.
Where it’s from: Apalta
Apalta is a horseshoe-shaped amphitheatre of hillside vineyards in Chile’s Colchagua Valley, home to some of the country’s most famous red wines. Its granitic clay soils, warm days and cooling breezes from the Tinguiririca River give dark, concentrated fruit that still keeps its freshness.
The 2015 vintage
2015 was a dry, rainless year in Colchagua with a hot summer: a classic Apalta vintage with ripe, concentrated fruit and good acidity. All the grapes were hand-picked into small 10 kg boxes: Cabernet Sauvignon in mid-April, Petit Verdot a week later and Carménère at the end of April.
How it’s made
- Blend: 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Petit Verdot, 15% Carménère
- Fermentation: In small 3-tonne tanks at 24–28°C, followed by at least two weeks of extended maceration for depth and structure
- Ageing: 18 months in extra-fine-grain French oak barrels (50% new, 25% one-year-old, 25% second use)
- Technical: 14.5% alcohol · pH 3.57 · 3.2 g/L residual sugar (dry)
Tasting notes
Colour: Deep, dark ruby.
Nose: Cassis, blackberry and blueberry with pepper, earth and a hint of tar.
Palate: Full and layered, with blackberry, dark chocolate and a touch of green herbs. The tannins are firm but polished and the acidity balanced, and toasty oak gives a smoky, long finish.
Food pairing
Made for big flavours: chargrilled ribeye, nyama choma, slow-cooked short ribs, BBQ lamb chops with a spiced glaze, venison, or a board of aged Cheddar, Manchego or Pecorino.
Serving & cellaring
Serve at 16–18°C. In Nairobi, give it about 20 minutes in the fridge first. Decant 45–60 minutes before serving to let it open up. Now over a decade old, it is at full maturity: the tannins have softened and the flavours have developed, so this is the time to drink it.
A standout gift for a Cabernet lover, a milestone dinner or a corporate client. Order online for same-day Nairobi delivery on orders placed before 2pm, or shipping anywhere in Kenya. Questions? WhatsApp us on 0718 003 302.
