Sena 2019 (750ML)

98 WA / 98 JS / 98 FS / 97 DE / 96 VM / 96 JA / 17.5 JR

#9 James Suckling's Top 100 Wines of Chile 2021

The 2019 Seña was produced with a Bordeaux blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Malbec, 15% Carmenere and 4% Petit Verdot with the Chilean character of the high percentage of Carmenere. Most of the volume fermented in stainless steel with some 10% in concrete vats, and the final blend matured for 22 months in French oak barrels, 80% of them new, and 10% in Stockinger vats. It's 13.5% alcohol and has good acidity and freshness, coming through as medium-bodied, elegant and balanced. This is incredibly elegant, subtle and harmonious even at this early stage. It has floral aromas, notes of orange peel, a touch of creamy sweet spices and great freshness. The palate is medium-bodied, seamless and pure, with pungent flavors and a soft texture. It's long, clean, defined and super tasty. I feel this wine is getting better and better by the vintage. The grapes were picked quite early, and that helped to contain the ripeness and seems to have been a great decision. There was also an exception in the Panquehue zone where the Seña vines are, where the summer was cooler than the average, so quite different to many other regions in Chile. 100,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in February 2021. - Luis Gutiérrez, Wine Advocate

Such beautiful aromas of crushed berries, currants, walnuts, allspice and nutmeg follow through to a full body with tight, ultra fine tannins that provide length and intensity. A finish of slightly dried cherries with wet earth, slate and stone. Chewy and fine-grained. A wine with soul and length. Give it time. Drink after 2025. - James Suckling

Dark ruby, with a deeply coloured core and purple reflections, subtly lighter at the rim. Multi-layered bouquet, characterized by floral and fruity nuances reflecting the cooler summer, fresh berries, zest, subtle nutty oak notes and a mineral touch. It is complex, with fine nuances of cherry and fruits of the forest, and silky tannins. Overall the wine has finesse and precision with a tight and persistent finish. It will only benefit from further bottle aging; a successful anniversary wine.-Peter Moser, Falstaff

The twenty-fifth vintage of a wine first made in 1995 by the Mondavi and Chadwick families is one of Francisco Baettig’s best editions yet: 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Malbec, 15% Carmenere and Petit Verdot aged for 22 months in French oak (10% in foudres). The nose offers redcurrant, blackberry, and cherry over a bed of sweet spices, cedar and peppers. Dense core and firm grip, it needs to be decanted or left in the bottle for a while longer. Drinking Window 2022 - 2032 - Alejandro Iglesias, Decanter

The twenty-fifth vintage of a wine first made in 1995 by the Mondavi and Chadwick families is one of Francisco Baettig’s best editions yet: 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Malbec, 15% Carmenere and Petit Verdot aged for 22 months in French oak (10% in foudres). The nose offers redcurrant, blackberry, and cherry over a bed of sweet spices, cedar and peppers. Dense core and firm grip, it needs to be decanted or left in the bottle for a while longer. Drinking Window 2022 - 2032

The 2019 Seña 25 Años is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Malbec, 15% Carménère and 4% Petit Verdot from Aconcagua Costa. The wine was aged for 22 months, 10% in foudres and the rest in French barrels. A vivid purple in hue, the complex, subtle nose opens up gradually, delivering layer after layer of blackcurrants. Touches of sweet and sour cherry, a twist of raspberry, sweet spices and notes from the aging process, such as nutmeg and cedar, fill the palate. Relaxed in the mouth, the 2019 Seña begins with a juicy, well-integrated freshness that feels light as silk, accompanied by extremely finely grained yet young tannins that sculpt the flow, promising excellent aging potential. The finish lingers long, repeating aromas of blackcurrant and sour cherry. - Joaquín Hidalgo, Vinous Media

The 25th anniversary vintage, and an excellent showcase of the supple, nuanced fruits of this wine. Plenty of black cherry and bilberry puree, pure but layered. It has the rich depths that always delivers, where things are almost too much and yet not quite enough, still leaving you wanting more. Fragrant raspberry leaf becomes clearer as it opens in the glass, as does the saline minerality and a smoky finish, with the tannins becoming more delicate by the minute, highlighting freshness and juice. Located in the Aconguacgua foothills, following biodynamic farming. Tasted twice. - Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux