10 Chilean wine icons tasted and rated

Having just completed a major tasting of the latest releases from Chile, we pick out 10 of the country’s ‘icon’ wines, with scores and tasting notes by Patrick Schmitt MW.

The following top labels from South America take in a mix of great Cabernet blends from the Andean foothills in the Maipo Valley as well as Apalta in Colchagua, along with a fine pure Carmenere from the latter region, and a few Bordeaux blends dominated by this emblematic Chilean grape.

There’s also a delicious new wine that’s dominated by Cabernet Franc, a grape variety that seems to be on song in Chile, as I write about in my report on this year’s Chile tasting, which features in full in the September edition of db.

If, having scrolled through my 10-strong selection of Chilean wine icons below, you are wondering why certain top-end labels aren’t featured, it’s because they weren’t submitted by the producers for the tasting this year, which was done at the start of August (too early for some of the releases destined for autumn this year).

However, if you want to see our thoughts on the great Chilean wines that are Almaviva, Vinedo Chadwick, Sena, and the exciting new and mature releases from Maquis, then click here, where our Bordeaux correspondent Colin Hay has given his thoughts and scores.

His extensive tasting notes are part of a report on the wines of Chile and Argentina that are being released over the next few weeks via France’s négociants, as part of the ‘autumn campaign’ of ‘hors Bordeaux’ by La Place.

My notes below follow a tasting of this year’s releases from a range of Chile’s top producers, in which all the bottles were sampled ‘blind’, so I knew nothing about the wines, other than the fact that they hailed from Chile.

The majority of these icon wines are from the 2021 vintage, which was, by Chilean standards, a relatively cooler year, as well as a wetter one, with summer rains extending the ripening season, and favouring the production of wines with a good balance between mature phenolics and ripe berry flavours as well as sugar levels.

PEWËN DE APALTA

• • Producer: Santa Rita
  • Region: Apalta
  • Vintage: 2022
  • Grape varieties: 100% Carmenere
  • ABV: 13.5%

• Approx. retail price: £50
• Score: 94

One of the world’s great varietal Carmeneres, Santa Rita’s Pewën de Apalta shows the possibilities of this somewhat misunderstood grape, which, until fairly recently, was thought to have disappeared from the world’s vineyards, and even today, is a relative rarity, particularly when made without other varieties. This pure Carmenere has clearly been built to last. Firm but fine, it’s structured, fresh, even taut, with notes of rosehip and red berry, plums and black cherry, white pepper and wild strawberry, cedar and toast, then dried herbs and bitter orange. Spicy, bright and layered, it shows the serious side of Carmenere – a grape that can easily yield jammy flavours, even when exhibiting green aromas. Well done Santa Rita for making such a fine expression from this tricky variety.

LA PIU BELLE

• Producer: VIK
• Region: Millahue -Cachapoal
• Vintage: 2021
• Grape varieties: 76% Carmenere, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc
• ABV: 14%
• Approx. retail price: £80
• Score: 95

With an intensely aromatic nose featuring enticing scents of black fruits, ripe plums, red cherry and fine oak, La Piu Belle is, before being drunk, clearly a top-end drop. Once in the mouth, there’s more to experience, with black pepper and currants, dark chocolate and cedar, toast and caramel. In terms of the structure, it is concentrated, but not sweet and heavy, with a finely grippy, mouth-watering finish, and a medium-weight feel, that fills the palate, but doesn’t sit heavy on the tongue. Still youthful, this layered and balanced red could certainly be cellared for five to 10 years.

DON MAXIMIANO FOUNDER’S RESERVE

• Producer: Errazuriz
• Region: Aconcagua
• Vintage: 2020
• Grape varieties: 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Malbec, 9% Carmenere and 4% Petit Verdot
• ABV: 13.5%
• Approx. retail price: £70
• Score: 95

Clearly an expertly-crafted wine, this Cabernet-dominant red blend from Aconcagua is lively and precise, while ripe and pure, with a structure that will keep it in pristine form for many years to come. Indeed, the Don Maximiano Founder’s Reserve by Errazuriz is one of those top-end red blends that has benefitted from many years of thoughtful refinement, so it ends up as the complete wine it is today. What does that mean in terms of taste and structure? Well, there’s a lovely mix of red berry and sweet cherry, juicy plums and black pepper, vanilla and toast. And while fully ripe, there’s also this subtle bitter orange bite, bringing a bright edge, which, along with the fine dry taut tannins, makes this red refreshing, as well as age-worthy.

FÉLIX

• Producer: Santa Ema
• Region: Maipo Alto
• Vintage: 2021
• Grape varieties: 70% Cabernet Franc, 10% Carignan, 10% Carmenere, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon
• ABV: 13.5%
• Approx. retail price: £40
• Score: 95

Highlighting the quality of Cabernet Franc in the Maipo Alto is this wonderful red from Santa Ema which, although featuring Cabernet Sauvignon and Carmenere, along with a touch of Carignan, is, unusually, dominated by Cabernet Franc – it makes up 70% of the blend. The resulting wine is not heavy, although ripe, structured and layered, even complete. Layers of flavour are evident, with almost jammy red fruits dominating the nose, while the palate sees them mixed with plums and black cherry, then barrel-sourced notes such as cream, chocolate and cedar. Neither hot, nor sweet, the finish shows the serious side to this red, with fine, dry and mouth-coating tannins, and then a lingering and lovely toastiness.

PETIT CLOS

• Producer: Domaines Bournet Lapostolle
• Region: Apalta -Colchagua
• Vintage: 2021
• Grape varieties: 68% Carmenere, 16% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc
• ABV: 14.5%
• Approx. retail price: £39
• Score: 96

This is such a good red that when revealed after the blind tasting, I was surprised to see it is only the ‘second wine’ of Colchagua’s Domaines Bournet Lapostolle – Le Petit Clos, as opposed to the ‘grand vin’: Clos Apalta. Super ripe, but beautifully made, with balancing acid, and a fine structure, Le Petit Clos is a lot of wine for sub £40. Flavourwise, it is loaded with juicy, fleshy ripe black berry and cherry fruit, complemented by some crushed strawberry, then clotted cream, toast, cracked pepper and cedarwood, all of which linger long after you swallow it – indeed, they mingle in the mouth with dry, chalky tannins that make you salivate. Delicious now, but age-worthy too.

MONTES ALPHA M

• Producer: Montes
• Region: Apalta-Colchagua
• Vintage: 2021
• Grape varieties: 80% Cabernet Sauvignon,10% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot
• ABV: 14.5%
• Approx. retail price: £70
• Score: 96

A special selection of the finest and most concentrated fruit from Apalta, it should come as no surprise that Montes Alpha M is pricy, powerful and delectable. Although it’s now a few years old, such is the concentration of this wine, it tastes as though it’s only recently been bottled, with intense flavours of cherry, raspberry and blackcurrant, then peppery spice, toast, cedar and cigar box. And, while the ripe fruit at the core is almost sweet, the finish is super dry, such is the force of tannin that hits the tongue and the rest of your mouth as you swallow this serious and cellar-worthy red.

CASA REAL RESERVA ESPECIAL

• Producer: Santa Rita
• Region: Maipo
• Vintage: 2021
• Grape varieties: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
• ABV: 14%
• ‘Approx. retail price: £95
• Score: 96

One of the world’s great, age-worthy varietal Cabernet Sauvignons, Casa Real is reliably good, finely-structured, and always-appealing, with the results from the wetter fresher 2021 vintage suiting the refined nature of this longstanding icon red wine. With that in mind, this expression is peppery, with a hint of leafiness, and a mouth-watering edge, while remaining intense, with ripe, pure blackcurrant and red berry fruit, even a touch of prune. Following these flavours are a delicious complementary range of barrel-sourced characters, from roasted coffee to toast, along with dark chocolate and a touch of caramel. Still in a youthful state, but offering great appeal now, this 2021 Casa Real could be enjoyed in its current condition or cellared to gain greater complexity over the next 10 to 20 years.

MUSE

• Producer: Montes
• Region: Maipo
• Vintage: 2020
• Grape varieties: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
• ABV: 15%
• Approx. retail price: £86
• Score: 97

Montes’s ultimate expression of Cabernet, hailing from Maipo – as opposed to Colchagua where the producer is headquartered – is outstanding. Expensive, and now sold via La Place de Bordeaux, it is an exciting, relatively-new addition to the world of great, varietal Cabernets. What gives it such appeal is the combination of structure, fruit concentration, and refreshment, all of which are big, but as a result, in balance. That means intense flavours of pure blackberry, dark cherry, raspberry and blackcurrant, allied to notes of prunes, cedar, toast and then creamy vanilla, followed by roasted coffee. The finish is mouth-watering, featuring dense, firm, tannins, that are dry, but, importantly for such a powerful wine, not drying. In short, it’s delicious now, but could certainly benefit from cellaring.

DON MELCHOR

• Producer: Don Melchor
• Region: Puente Alto -Maipo
• Vintage: 2021
• Grape varieties: 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc, 3%, Merlot
• ABV: 14.8%
• Approx. retail price: £120
• Score: 97

The icon wine of Concha y Toro, Don Melchor is a longstanding and remarkable red, that may have gradually got pricier, but also better – ensuring it is now one of the world’s great Cabernet blends. This 2021 release is wonderful, with density and power, but a bright edge too, ensuring there’s a lively character to the mouthfeel. At the core is red and dark berry fruit, even a touch of blackcurrant jam and cherry compote, supported by notes of vanilla cream, roasted coffee bean, and charred bread. Then comes a hint of pink peppercorn, and dried herbs, before the wine’s flavours slowly fade, leaving a finegrained tannic texture, ensuring this intense red is chalky, dry, and refreshing. Drink now or lay down for a decade or more.

CLOS APALTA

• Producer: Domaines Bournet Lapostolle
• Region: Apalta -Colchagua
• Vintage: 2021 Grape varieties: 75% Carmenere, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot
• ABV: 15%
• Approx. retail price: £100
• Score: 98

If you want to taste the high point of a Carmenere-dominant blend, then drink this – Clos Apalta. The ultimate expression of Lapostolle, crafted using old vines in Apalta – for many the best home for this grape – and blended with the support of the world’s most famous wine consultant, Michel Rolland, it is a no holds barred Carmenere, boosted by a bit of Cab and a smattering of Merlot. The wine starts with ripe, almost jammy fruit, with raspberry and red cherry, then intense pure blackcurrant too, which is followed by subtle pink peppercorn spice, some chilli flakes, then sweet tobacco, roasted coffee and creamy chocolate. As for the finish, that’s both warming, as well as finely tannic and dry, with a delicious lingering note of cedar and toast. Generous, but firmly framed, it’s been powerfully structured to contain a mass of powerful fruit, which it holds tight, until you swill it and swallow, releasing all the indulgent characters in a flood of flavours.

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