Chile does it again Operatives! First of all, they remain the ONLY top wine-producing country in the world that is so pristine that vine diseases that devastated the world’s vineyards for centuries are never seen there. Chile excels in TWO ways these days, originally for the stunning values it consistently delivers on the low end, and more recently for connoisseur quality TOP wines, organically farmed single vineyard jewels like this one. In all honesty, we are still pinching ourselves to see a 95-rated flagship Cabernet we can offer to you under $30 a bottle. From where else but Chile, and by whom else than De Martino…

Deep carnelian, with slithers of mahogany and maroon overlaid in the shadows. Ripe plum, smoke and spice hints emerge in the glass with dark chocolate tones. All-encompassing on the plate, the lush mouthfeel oozes with class, finesse, and pure pedigree. Endowed with serious depth and textural resonance, open-knit, and long-lasting on the broad finish. This classically structured Cabernet calls for a porterhouse with béarnaise sauce.

Marcelo Retamal steers the ship at De Martino, recently crowned the “#1 winemaker in South America” by Decanter, with Master of Wine Tim Atkin praising him as “arguably the most influential winemaker in Chile, a man who has had a radical impact on the way his country makes wine”, no small feat in the company of superstars and international flying consultants leading the quality drive in Maipo. What tops that however is Decanter also listing him as one of the “30 most influencing winemakers” IN THE WORLD. This one will go fast for sure, so we urge you to pile up while it lasts.

Fascinating facts:

La Cancha translates to ‘the field’ and the vineyard was indeed a local soccer team’s playing field in its previous life.

De Martino and Marcelo Retamal are also the visionaries behind the historic rediscovery of Carmenère, the lost Bordeaux grape, they were the first in the world to label a wine as such too.

Here is what the wine press has to say:

95 Points – James Suckling - “I love how the red plums, raspberries and lilacs all interact with the subtly presented notes of cloves, vanilla and bay leaf. Very pure on the palate with not even a touch of harsh edges, the medium-chewy tannins folding beautifully into the tangy core of vibrant red fruit. Drink now.”

93 Points – Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate - “De Martino is one of the quality leaders of the newer Chile. I met with Marcelo Retamal and Sebastian De Martino to taste through their exciting portfolio of fresh, gastronomy-oriented wines. All the wines are produced with indigenous yeasts and without the help of any chemicals and only minimal amounts of sulfur. The secret of the 2016 La Cancha was to be able to harvest the Cabernet Sauvignon grapes before the rains that complicated the year. Subtle aromas and still balsamic, the recurrent note of camphor is quite integrated and in the background. Drink 2018-2024.”