Vinedo Chadwick, Maipo Valley 2016

The blue fruit and dark berry aromas are so attractive and catching. Black licorice and blackberry notes. Full body, chewy yet polished tannins. I like the way the wine rolls over the tongue. Beautiful finish. One of the most structured Viñedo Chadwicks ever. A great bottle. Needs four to five years to soften.

The price of the 2016 Viñedo Chadwick seems to be going through the roof, and so does the quality. This is a unique, classical Maipo Cabernet that is marketed separately and sold through the négociants in Bordeaux, the same as with Seña, rather than through the regular importers. Sourced from 15 hectares planted 26 years ago (in 1992), the grapes fermented in small stainless steel and concrete vats and matured in 2,500-liter oak vats and 225-liter barriques. It has 3% Petit Verdot and is remarkably low in alcohol at 13%, with a lot of freshness and acidity. This follows the line of change that started in 2015, with more freshness and harmony, and for the first time, it includes a small percentage of Petit Verdot that was planted around 2007. The yields are low, and the grapes ripened nicely before the rains that complicated the end of the harvest. 2016 is a cool year that resulted in a slow and perfect ripening of the grapes. This is now a very elegant wine, getting closer to the style of Seña. Complex, layered, fresh and tasty, it has very fine tannins and is nicely structured but terribly elegant at the same time. 12,000 bottles were filled in February 2018.