Viña Tarapacá, Etiqueta Azul Gran Reserva, Maipo Valley 2020 (14%)

One of the most encouraging qualities of the Chilean wines that made it through to Gold and Platinum this year, our judges felt, was a new aromatic complexity and a finer understanding of aromatic maturity in the vineyard than in the past. This complex, subtle and still-youthful blend offers an excellent example of this. It’s dark blackred, with creamy plum and currant notes and a hint of fragrant, cured Havana leaf. On the palate, it is concentrated and long, with admirable freshness lending life and energy to the red and black fruits, and meaty yet supple tannins bringing ballast. It’s harmonious and accessible now, but there is enough density here to carry it effortlessly through half a decade’s maturation.

Established in 1874 and originally called Viña de Rojas after its founder, Don Francisco de Rojas y Salamanca, Viña Tarapacá acquired its present title due to the divorce settlement of a more recent owner. This awarded the estate to his wife, who renamed it in honour of her lawyer, nicknamed ‘the lion of Tarapacá’.

It sits on 2,600ha of biodiverse land, a site which the owners refer to as a ‘natural clos’, due to the mountains and the river surrounding it.

‘When it comes to terroir, we are blessed,’ says winemaker Sebastián Ruiz. ‘We have volcanic and granite soils, the diversity giving us options when working with the tannins.’

Cabernet Sauvignon (at 75%) is the wine’s backbone here, complemented by Syrah, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. ‘This blend allows us to express the full potential, quality and finesse of those Maipo Valley tannins,’ he adds.

‘In general, the aromas result from the climate, which boasts a pronounced influence from the Pacific ocean. The vines are more than 30 years old, and the vineyard is impeccably balanced with optimal conditions for producing high-end wines.’

Ruiz concludes: ‘After spending five years strengthening our ecosystem, we now have a harmonious, beautiful and healthy estate.’