Vintus

For the third year in a row, Viñedo Chadwick is the single highest rated Chilean wine in the Wine Advocate, with a huge 96 Point review for the 2008 vintage.  It’s hard to argue against Chadwick being the most highly regarded Chilean in the US press the last three years, we’ve done a little summary below.

Viñedo Chadwick 2008

Wine Advocate #199, 2/2012

96 Points: #1 Wine (with 1 other) and #1 Cabernet

“The 2008 Viñedo Chadwick is made up of 97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Merlot. It offers up a sexy perfume of exotic spices, sandalwood, incense, rose petal, black currant, and blackberry. This sets the stage for a structured, concentrated, impeccably balanced wine that deftly combines elegance and power. It mandates 5-6 years of additional cellaring and will deliver prime drinking from 2016 to 2028+.”

International Wine Cellar #156, May & Jun/2011

93 Points: #2 Wine and #1 Cabernet (tie w/ Don Max 2008)

Viñedo Chadwick 2007

Wine Advocate #192, 12/2010

97 Points: #1 Wine and #1 Cabernet

Wine Spectator Calendar Year 2010

93 Points: #1 Wine (tied with 3 others)

International Wine Cellar #149, Mar & Apr/2010

93 Points: #1 Wine and #1 Cabernet (Don Max 2007 w/7 others for #2 rating)

Viñedo Chadwick 2006

Wine Advocate #183, 6/2009

97 Points: #1 Wine and #1 Cabernet

Wine Spectator Calendar Year 2009

93 Points: #2 Rating (with 2 others)

International Wine Cellar #143, Mar & Apr/2009

92 Points: #2 Rating (with 8 others)

Errazuriz also received a number of other outstanding scores in the Wine Advocate, which as a summary of Errazuriz stated: “Errazuriz, under the direction of Eduardo Chadwick, turns out a bevy of wines of exceptional value and quality.”

Syrah Single Vineyard 2009 - 90 Points

Chardonnay Wild Ferment 2009 - 91 Points: #1 White (with 8 others)

Sauvignon Blanc Late Harvest 2008 - 90 Points

Cabernet Sauvignon Estate 2010 - 88 Points

Chardonnay Estate 2010 - 88 Points

Sauvignon Blanc Estate 2010 - 88 Points

Errazuriz has been getting top reviews from Chile for two years running, but this week’s set of  reviews by Josh Raynolds in IWC are among the best to date – namely, these reviews confirm that Errazuriz is making compelling wines across a number of varieties and appellations.  It is an extremely impressive picture when taken together.  Overall, two of the top three wines are from Errazuriz (Vinedo Chadwick 2008 and Don Max 2008), and in addition we had an astounding array of 90 Point scores across the Single Vineyard/Specialty wines you can download here a little sheet we did listing these scores.

Some extraordinary reviews for Errazuriz just out in the latest Wine Advocate.  Viñedo Chadwick is the single top-rated wine, with a 97 point review. With the #1 wine and 3 of the top 5 scores in this year’s reviews, Errazuriz is head and shoulders above the competition. This star turn confirm’s Errazuriz’s position as the premier family wine estate of Chile. Full reviews are below the jump. Congratulations to the whole team at Errazuriz!

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Still more press for the Berlin Tasting – New York, this one from Josh Raynolds of Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar. Writing on the Winophilia blog, Raynolds says, “If the point that Chadwick was trying to make is that Chilean wines are delicious and often preferable to big-name wines from long-established growing regions, he made a big impression on the group.” The full post is here.

Another tremendous piece of press today, Bloomberg has posted a piece on the Berlin Tasting – New York. The best part is her final line, the real winner is Errazuriz’ Single Vineyard Cabernet.

“As we head for lunch at Porter House in the Time Warner center after the tasting, I keep thinking of what Jean-Bernard Delmas, former manager of Chateau Haut-Brion, once said to me: ‘I don’t make my wine to go with Lafite, I make it to go with food.’

“Haut Brion is not on the table at lunch. Chadwick understandably pours his own wines, including one that wasn’t in the tasting. The juicy, vibrant 2007 Errazuriz Single Vineyard Cabernet  doesn’t have the concentration and depth of his five icon wines, but it’s vibrant and delicious with filet mignon and, hey, the price is right. Maybe that one was the real winner.“

Full article is here.

The Berlin Tastings last week were sights to see, hosted in grand settings and featuring a who’s who of the wine press and trade in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles (and points beyond). We’ve compiled all the photos from the events, have a look at the links below!

New York

Chicago

Los Angeles

The first round of press is rolling in about the stunning success of Errazuriz wines in the Berlin Tastings. Here are some of our favorites:

NEW YORK

“Kai 2006, a high-end $80 Carmenère from Chile’s Aconcagua Valley, was voted best in show at an exclusive 10-wine competition held May 10 in New York, much to the surprise of the 70 members of the wine press and trade who tasted and rated the wines.” Wine Enthusiast (PDF)

“A Chilean wine bested two of Bordeaux’s Premier crus, two California cult wines and Super Tuscan in a blind tasting by about 100 of New York’s top critics, sommeliers and retailers.” Reuters (PDF)

“The standout of these pedigree Chilean estates is Vina Errazuriz, who first threw down the gauntlet at the historical Berlin Tasting of 2004.” Hamptons.com (PDF)

“In an experiment similar to the famed “Judgment of Paris” in which California wines were blind tasted against the best of France – and won – the Chileans had a similar result.” UK Telegraph (PDF)

“As was the case in 1976, there were upsets aplenty, including the fact that one of the Errázuriz wines, Kai (a blend of 87% Carmenere with the balance being Petit Verdot and Syrah) took the top spot.” NYInsider.tv (PDF)

“Strikingly, Errázuriz Kai, which is based almost entirely on Carmenère, retails in the US for $80 a bottle. This is significantly cheaper than the wines it beat.” The Drinks Business (PDF)

“Had you asked anyone on the way in, I highly doubt he or she would have anticipated that a Carmenère-based wine from Chile would beat out heavy-hitters from around the world.” AThirstySpirit.com (PDF)

CHICAGO

“This tasting and the previous ones showed that Chile has the goods to stand up to the world’s icons.” Chicago Wine Examiner (PDF)

“10 Highly Regarded Wines, tasted blind, by Chicago’s most respected wine writers, buyers and suppliers.” InVitisVeritas.com (PDF)

“Mr. Chadwick says he’s not familiar with the “nuances of the palates” of Chicagoans vs. New Yorkers or Californians, but he’s intrigued by the Windy City’s interest in food and high-end restaurants.” Crain’s Business (PDF)

In the third and final Berlin Tasting held in Los Angeles today, Errazuriz stood shoulder-to-shoulder with global icons in a blind tasting moderated by owner Eduardo Chadwick and the legendary Steven Spurrier. The event, the conclusion of an incredible three-day run across the United States (see the note on New York and Chicago), featured 50 of the best palates in the California wine trade. The elegant Montage Beverly Hills played host to this incredible tasting, which featured Bordeaux First Growths Haut-Brion and Lafite Rothschild, Bolgheri icon Sassicaia, and Opus One and Stag’s Leap from Napa alongside Errazuriz’ Vinedo Chadwick, Don Maximiano, KAI, La Cumbre, and Sena. Congratulations to the Errazuriz team!

Set-up at the Beverly Hills Montage

Serious Tasting

In yet another success for Errazuriz, KAI was ranked above First-Growth Bordeaux, a Super Tuscan, and a Napa Cult Cabernet today at the Berlin Tasting – Chicago. Following on its victory in New York, this is an astounding result both for KAI and for Carmenère, Chile’s signature grape.

60 of the best palates from around the Midwest, including top journalists, sommeliers, and retailers, assembled at the Peninsula Hotel for a tasting led by the legendary Steven Spurrier and Errazuriz’ owner Eduardo Chadwick.

In a field of 10 wines from the 2006 vintage, KAI was ranked second, besting First Growths Haut-Brion and Lafite Rothschild, Sassicaia, and Opus One. A stunning result both for Errazuriz and Carmenère, this confirms Chile’s status as a producer of truly world-class wines. Congratulations to Errazuriz!

In the foreground, Errazuriz winemaker Francisco Baettig and owner Eduardo Chadwick after another great day

The Chicago tasters, hard at work at the Peninsula