Viñedo Chadwick 2021 has earned perfect 100-point scores from leading wine critics and has been hailed as the greatest Viñedo Chadwick ever. In common with its stablemates the 2021 Seña and 2021 Rocas de Seña, the 2021 Viñedo Chadwick is a Chilean wine classic and one that lovers of fine wine will want to have in their collections.
So what makes the Viñedo Chadwick 2021 so special in 2021? In this latest blog from MWH Wine – the home of affordable fine wine – we’ll look at the conditions that have allowed this iconic Chilean wine to reach such dizzying heights.
The 2021 Chilean Wine Vintage
An exceptional vintage due to a moderately cool season that translated into a long even ripening that preserved the natural acidity of the grapes, aroma and colour. The result is an elegant wine, fresh and full of tension, with high aromatic complexity, that is complemented by the finesse of the tannins, a key characteristic of Viñedo Chadwick. The Viñedo Chadwick 2021 also has tremendous ageing potential.
The season actually got underway with warmer than usual weather, enabling an even fruit set, but returned to moderate temperatures during November and December. The summer was cooler than usual, with the total heat summation being 3% below historical levels. Some late January rain (54mm) also helped to replenish the well-drained gravel soils. The cooler conditions during summer enabled the healthy grapes to ripen gently and smoothly. The maturity of the tannins and sugar accumulation advanced together slowly until picking time. The berries, we are told, were firm, with excellent colour, ripe tannins and a fresh acidity balanced by optimal sugar levels.
So after this gentle ripening season, harvesting began in late March, with the majority of the Cabernet Sauvignon picked in early April and the final batches on April 12th.
This outstanding vintage's incredible finesse and complexity, together with an extremely long and elegant mouthfeel, showcases the generous nature of the exceptional Puente Alto terroir.
Varietals: 97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Petit Verdot
Ageing: 22 months, 80% in new French oak barrels and 20% in foudres
“This deep purple coloured Viñedo Chadwick 2021 is highly complex on the nose, with intense notes of violets, raspberries and cassis, along with hints of cocoa, coffee beans and nutmeg. On the palate is long and deep, showcasing fresh red fruit, dark chocolate and some notes of sweet spice. The mouth is complex and layered, revealing fine-grained, chalky tannins, juicy acidity, elegance and wonderful persistence. A superb example from this vintage.” Francisco Baettig, Winemaker
Viñedo Chadwick: Critic Scores
Leading critics including the Wine Advocate’s Luis Gutierrez and Tim Atkin MW have awarded the Viñedo Chadwick perfect 100-point scores. This is Guiterrez’s first 100-point wine and he said, ‘This has to be the finest vintage for Chadwick’ while Atkin commented, ‘The focus, balance and precision of this wine are remarkable… World class.’
100 points, Luis Gutierrez
'The 2021 Viñedo Chadwick fermented in stainless steel and troncoconic concrete vats, spent some 10 months in barrique, and then part of the wine (some 20%) was sent to the Stockinger foudres. The nose is reminiscent of a super elegant and sleek Bordeaux, pure and clean, less balsamic than in previous years and less herbal. It's perfumed and floral, precise, fresh and elegant, with very fine tannins, and despite the grape, it is more Pomerol than Graves, with 14% alcohol on the label but without any heat at all. It's velvety and luxurious, juicy and tasty, with fine-grained chalky tannins and the elegant stoniness that the best Maipos are capable of. It has structure and power, like the proverbial iron fist in a velvet glove. This has to be the finest vintage for Chadwick; the wine made my heart beat faster—it's a wine of emotion. This is also my first 100-point wine from Chile! The final blend contains around 3% Petit Verdot from vines planted in 2005. There are some 10,000 bottles of this, and it was all bottled all at once on January 31, 2023.'
100 points, Tim Atkin
‘After appearing as a single varietal in 2020, Chadwick has reverted to being a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon with 3% Petit Verdot in 2021. (…) The focus, balance and precision of this wine are remarkable, with acidity, brightness and what the French call “tension” at its core. Stylishly wooded in 80% new oak, it combines aromas of graphite, mocha and bay leaf with a palate of black cherry, cassis, orange zest and cranberry complemented by serious, layered tannins and a lingering, satisfying finish. World class.’
99 points, James Suckling
‘Beautiful nose with lots of currants, red cherries, flowers, roasted chili and dark chocolate. A fine hint of balsamic. More red fruit than black fruit here with bright cherries and a hint of cigar box. Really even on the palate, with a medium to full body and effortless tannins -- plentiful and silky. Extremely fine-grained and long. Very young but the superb freshness and the tannin quality of this vintage makes you think this is already drinkable. Better from 2025.’
98 points, Joaquin Hidalgo, Vinous
‘The 2021 Viñedo Chadwick is a Cabernet Sauvignon with a dash of Petit Verdot (3%) from Puente Alto, Maipo. It was aged for 22 months, 80% in new French oak barrels and 20% in foudres. The mild summer in the area helped to sculpt the vivid, nuanced aromatic profile: crystal clear blackcurrant notes with sour cherry and raspberry layers plus hints of pepper over a faint cigar box bed. Silky and dry in the mouth, the finely tuned Maipo tannins and refreshing acidity from the cool year make for a long-lasting, complex wine. A Bordeaux-inspired red that enjoyed the very Bordelaise weather in the region this year.’
Buy Vinedo Chadwick 2021
MWH Wine has secured a small allocation of Viñedo Chadwick 2021. You can buy Viñedo Chadwick here, a wine that will rank with Chile’s greatest wines.
