2019 - Vinedo Chadwick, Maipo Valley

After a perfect 2018, 2019 seems to be a minor vintage. In the perspective of the last two decades, however, 2019 is almost as good as the previous. The main difference is some temperature spikes during January leading to early ripening that allowed for harvest in the middle of March to preserve the acidity. The 2019 Viñedo Chadwick is a good example. Contains a 3% dash of Petit Verdot in addition to the Cabernet Sauvignon from Puente Alto, the wine was aged for 22 months, three quarters in French barrels and the rest in foudres. Garnet red with purple flecks. The young, complex nose presents notes of spice and candied and ripe fruit alongside hints of tea, blackcurrant and sour cherry as well as a whiff of chamomile. On the palate, it’s intense and juicy with refined but grippy tannins. A long-lasting core reverberates with energy throughout.

Plenty of Cabernet signature, with chewy tannins and a firm frame, mint leaf, eucalyptus, dark chocolate, fairly closed in on the finish with a touch of resistance from the tannins. Needs time, and on this tasting the tannins are stubborn, but knowing the track record of this wine, I am extremely confident it will reveal further nuances over the next few years, so this is conservatively scored. There is juice on the finish, along with a hint of rosebud and hawthorn brambles. Located at 650m from the Puente Alto DO of Chile’s Maipo Valley. 80% new French oak, 20% Stockinger oak casks.