“One of the finest vintages of the iconic Seña…” - Wine Advocate

We couldn’t agree with them more. As they have said in the past, “this project, created in 1995 by Eduardo Chadwick and Robert Mondavi and continued by Chadwick on his own since 2005, has been going from strength to strength.”

James Suckling also continues to be a major champion of Chadwick’s efforts. The 2021 Seña sits in the #1 slot of his Top 100 Wines of Chile, the #3 slot on his Top 100 Wines of the World, and for the third time in the winery’s history he awarded it a faultless 100-points!

(Sneak preview: Appy people hit the App for the other Chilean 100 pointer of the vintage!)

There is a strong argument to be had that this is Chile’s #1 wine, year in and year out. Period. Despite the recognition of Icon status, when compared to other 100-point Bordeaux style blends of the vintage (Colgin Cariad - $760, Promontory - $1,500, Harlan Estate - $2,300, or James Suckling’s highest rated Bordeaux of 2021, the 99-point Le Pin - $4,000+), the 2021 Seña is a no-brainer. At a high $165 even, the value is there, and with this Top-Secret deal, it’s in a league of its own! Wow, just wow.

The pros agree, with many other huge scores backing it up. A rocking, rollicking good Bordeaux blend. If there is a Southern Hemisphere First Growths League this one crowns it.

We just got our small allocation in, up for the grabs while it lasts.

100 Points – James Suckling “Overwhelming nose with a cornucopia of black, red and blue berries, perfectly accented by fine toasty oak. With aeration the floral notes expand. Super-concentrated and vibrant with incredible finesse on the medium- to full-bodied palate. Such great brilliance at the finish, where the power builds very steadily. Still so young, but already dangerously delicious. It will be really hard to wait. A cuvee of 50% cabernet sauvignon, 27% malbec, 17% carmenere and 6% petit verdot. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drinkable now, but best from 2025. 20th Anniversary Berlin Tasting Event, February 2024.”

98+ Points – Wine Advocate “Seña has finished the redistribution and replanting of their vineyards after a soils study, using the new Malbecs and some Petit Verdot in the second wine, Rocas de Seña, with a base of Malbec with Cabernet and with some Mediterranean grapes (Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre). 2021 was a cooler year without high peaks in the summer, which is key, reasonable rain in winter and the good conditions for settling and cooler temperatures than the average in the summer. It’s a healthy vintage, similar to 2016, with less rain and acidity and with a little more structure and concentration but with finesse and balance and a little slimmer than the 2018s. They harvested later than in 2020 and 2019. 2021 is the last harvest from winemaker Francisco “Pancho” Baettig, who is now dedicated to his personal project in the south but still working as a consultant for the Chadwick family after 20 years of dedication. One of the finest vintages of the iconic Seña wine, the 2021 Seña comes from a cooler year, following the path of 2016 and 2018, certainly cooler than 2020 and 2019. It has a super expressive nose that is elegant, nuanced, perfumed, subtle and pure, with aromatic finesse, layered and complex. It was picked a couple of weeks later than in the previous two years and still keeping the alcohol below 14%. It was produced with a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Malbec (cooler years with more), 17% Carmenere and 6% Petit Verdot, fermented mostly in stainless steel and 10% in oak foudre. It’s fine-grained and structured but juicy, similar to 2018 but with more finesse. It has the spicy/herbal twist from the Cabernet, ultra-refined tannins that give it great elegance and with length, purity and delineation. Superb! 120,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in February 2023. Drink 2024 – 2036.”

98 Points – Decanter “Linear, elegant and beautifully structured, with fine-grained tannins that are at once firm and silky. Very nuanced aromatic profile with crunchy red plum, red cherry, cranberry, wild strawberries and blood orange, over broodier dark chocolate and tobacco. Subtle floral notes add lifting allure. In the mouth there’s an interesting tension between depth and fruit fleshiness, and the robust, vertical acid line. Drink 2024 – 2040.”