The 2021 Viñedo Chadwick, a proprietary red blend from the Maipo Valley in Chile, has garnered significant acclaim from wine reviewers, reflecting its exceptional quality and character.
James Suckling awarded this wine an impressive score of 99, praising its "beautiful nose with lots of currants, red cherries, flowers, roasted chili, and dark chocolate." He noted the presence of bright cherries and a hint of cigar box, characterizing the palate as "really even" with "effortless tannins -- plentiful and silky." Suckling concluded that despite its youth, the wine's "superb freshness and the tannin quality of this vintage makes you think this is already drinkable," though he suggests it will be even better from 2025.
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate awarded the wine a perfect score of 100, describing it as "super elegant and sleek Bordeaux," with a nose that is "pure and clean, less balsamic than in previous years and less herbal." The review highlighted its "fine tannins" and "elegant stoniness," likening it more to Pomerol than Graves. The wine is described as "velvety and luxurious, juicy and tasty," with "fine-grained chalky tannins" and a structure likened to "the proverbial iron fist in a velvet glove." Parker's Wine Advocate labeled this vintage as the finest for Chadwick, making it their first 100-point wine from Chile.
Decanter also praised the wine, giving it a score of 98. They noted the influence of the "moderately cool 2021 growing season," which preserved acidity and lent the wine "elegance and finesse." The tasting notes described it as "full of chocolate, salted caramel, vanilla, fragrant blackcurrants, roses, and raspberries," with a "crunchy and chewy" texture and "mouthwatering acidity." Decanter found it "utterly sublime" and highlighted its "persistent finish" with nuances of "cool refreshing mint, tobacco, and liquorice spice."
Vinous also rated the wine at 98, describing it as a Cabernet Sauvignon with 3% Petit Verdot from Puente Alto, Maipo. The review noted the wine's "vivid, nuanced aromatic profile" with "crystal clear blackcurrant notes," and a palate that is "silky and dry" with "finely tuned Maipo tannins and refreshing acidity."
Wine Spectator offered a slightly more reserved score of 93, describing the wine as "a rich, slightly muscular red" with "espresso, pepper, and baking spice nuances," and concentrated "blackberry and cassis flavors."
The Wine Independent scored the wine 96, highlighting its "bright, energetic scents of blackcurrant jelly, redcurrant preserves, and wild blueberries," and a palate with "intense black and red fruit layers" and "beautifully ripe, fine-grained tannins."
Overall, the 2021 Viñedo Chadwick has been highly praised for its elegance, complexity, and balance, making it a standout vintage from the Maipo Valley.