News

Chilean fine wine Seña releases milestone library vintage

14 March 2022 By Patrick Schmitt

One of Chile’s most celebrated fine wines, Seña, has released a historic, milestone vintage from its cellars via La Place de Bordeaux, today.

The wine, which hails from the 2009 vintage, has been priced at €90 ex-négociant, and comes in a handcrafted coffer made of lenga, which is a prized Chilean wood from Southern Patagonia.

Not only has the vintage benefitted from more than 10 years ageing in perfect conditions in Chile since bottling, but it also comes from a milestone year – it was the 2009 vintage that took first place in a comparative blind tasting in Zurich in 2012, beating a set of rival fine wines, including all five of Bordeaux’s First Growths.

Seña was launched in 1997 with the 1995 vintage, and is made by Chile’s Viñedos Familia Chadwick, which is the holding company for a set of further Chilean wine brands, including Errázuriz, Viñedo Chadwick and Arboleda.

Seña is a Cabernet blend that was born out of discussions between the late, great California-based Robert Mondavi and Viñedos Familia Chadwick president, Eduardo Chadwick, back in 1991.

Seña is modelled on the French château concept, employing grapes from its own estate – which is located in an isolated, unspoilt part of the Aconcagua Valley, which is currently farmed using biodynamic methods.

Although Seña is made using Bordeaux grapes, primarily Cabernet Sauvignon, it maintains a distinctly Chilean identity, not just due to its source, but also by employing the nation’s emblematic Carmenère grape in the grand vin.

Seña 2009 has been described by its winemaker, Francisco Baettig, as “very complex” and “showing beautifully today, after more than ten years of ageing”.

He said that “The nose unveils multiple layers of spicy notes, subtle oak, chocolate, tobacco and cigar box, while amazingly fruity as it opens up, with hints of ripe raspberry and cherry.”

Continuing, he commented, “The mouth is round but shows vivid acidity on the finish. This vintage displays excellent density and length with great structure and perfectly ripe tannins alluring with a soft and silky mouthfeel.”

While he added that the 2009 is “ready to drink now”, he also remarked that it could be cellared “for five more years.”

According to Baettig, 2009 was classed as a hot, dry and early vintage, which created dense and powerful wines, with great concentration and richness, fine-grained tannins and juicy acidity.

Seña 2009: the facts

The blend: 54% Cabernet Sauvignon 21% Carmenère 16% Merlot 6% Petit Verdot 3% Cabernet Franc
Alcohol: 14.5%
Ageing: 22 months in 100% new French oak barrels
Price: €90 ex-négociant

Building a fine wine brand: the story of Chile’s Sena

Spain 'needs to learn how to market our fine wines', producer claims

Bourgogne wine see global growth despite difficult market conditions