Errázuriz triumphs in Korean contest

The ageing potential of Chilean wine won high profile recognition at a blind tasting event hosted by Viña Errázuriz in South Korea earlier this month.

Errázuriz’s Eduardo Chadwick as the wines were unveiled at this month’s Korean tasting

Conceived as a development of the 2004 “Berlin tasting,” which saw two Errázuriz wines placed above Bordeaux first growths and Super Tuscans, this latest event in Seoul featured a 20 year span of vintages from both Bordeaux first growths and the Chilean producer’s own top flight wines.

Over 60 Korean wine critics, sommeliers and members of the wine trade took part in ”The World’s Icons Judgement”, which saw Don Maximiano Founder’s Reserve 2009 take first place, while Seña 1997 came second, just ahead of Château Margaux 2003, a notoriously warm vintage.

The rest of the top 10 slots were all taken by Errázuriz wines, with the exception of the Château Latour 2006 and Château Lafite 1995, which tied for ninth place. Despite the 20-year age spectrum, the Lafite and the Seña were the only wines over 10 years old to be rewarded by the tasting panel.

Reacting to the result, Viña Errázuriz president Eduardo Chadwick remarked: “It’s a fantastic result for Chilean wines, and at Viña Errázuriz we are most proud of our team’s achievements because this shows once again that Chilean wines – our 2009 Don Maximiano on this occasion – are at the top of Korean connoisseurs’ preferences, competing with the most famous wines in the world.

“Moreover,” he added, “this time we tasted vintages from the last 20 years, what demonstrated the great consistency and ageing potential of Chilean wines.”

The event marked the launch of an educational initiative from Errázuriz to strengthen international recognition for the quality and ageing potential of Chilean wines.

To commemorate the tasting, Chadwick teamed up with renowned Korean mountaineer Hong-Gil Um to climb the Seoul region’s highest point, Chunggae Mountain, taking with them a bottle of the winning Don Maximiano.

The Errázuriz icon wine collection, together with other selections from its portfolio, will be available to taste next week at Vinexpo Bordeaux, Hall 1, stand BC24.