Seña Valle de Acongua, Chili 97/100, Patricio Tapia - Descorchados 2018

Critic tasting note: "Seña has been produced since the 1995 vintage, and in 2003 they began using grapes from the Seña Vineyard, planted in 1999. Today, 75% of this blend comes from that biodynamically managed vineyard, and the remaining 25% comes from the Las Vertientes Vineyard, both on the banks of the Aconcagua River. According to winemaker Francisco Baettig, 2018 was a great year, especially because of the rainy winter that made water available in the midst of a decade-long drought in the Central Valley that lasted until 2020. It wasn’t an especially warm year, and that’s expressed in the style of the fruit in this Seña—the aromas and flavors of red fruits that are fresh but also have very good depth. The acidity is firm and supports that crunchy sensation of the very polished, very fine tannins. Seña has been turning toward greater elegance and less excess ripeness since 2016, and with this vintage, it’s at its best. This year’s blend is 55% cabernet sauvignon, 18% malbec, 15% carmenere, 7% cabernet franc, and the rest is petit verdot." - 97/100, Patricio Tapia - Descorchados