look for the refined Clos Apalta Viñedo
Apalta 2016 (94, $160), which is nearly two-
thirds Carmenère, and the ripe Viña Neyen
de Apalta Espíritu de Apalta Colchagua Val-
ley 2015 (92, $60), a 50/50 split of Carmenère
and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Another local leader is the Cabernet Sau-
vignon-dominated Vik Millahue 2014 (94,
$165), which comes from a huge estate to
the north of Apalta. There are 1,000 acres
of grapes planted at Vik, where the emphasis
is on sustainability and self-sufficiency.
Winemaker Cristián Vallejo is now pursuing
oak barrels and clay amphorae made with
native materials for added authenticity. “We
feel we know our terroir now, and we want to
accentuate it with our own clay and wood,
and take it to another level,” explains owner
Alexander Vik, who owns the 8,000-acre
ranch with his American wife, Carrie.
A relatively undiscovered red from Chile
is Syrah, which grows best in cooler terrain
near the Pacific coast. Chilean vintners have
become adept at realizing deep, intense dark
fruit and Asian spice flavors, along with char-
acteristic meaty and peppery notes. Among the best Syrahs are
the Kingston Family Casablanca Valley Bayo Oscuro 2018 (92,
$42), the Viña Polkura Marchigüe 2016 (91, $22) and the Mont-
gras Colchagua Valley Antu 2016 (90, $25).
The $20 range is a sweet spot for many Chilean reds, offering
a good entry point to explore varietal expressions. Among the
most vibrant are the Viña Bouchon Cabernet Sauvignon Maule
Valley J. Bouchon Block Series 2017 (90, $20), with crunchy
minerality to the red fruit flavors; the Viña Leyda Pinot Noir
Leyda Valley Single Vineyard Las Brisas 2018
(90, $22), delicate and well-structured; the
Viña Montes Carmenère Colchagua Valley
Alpha 2018 (90, $22), loaded with savory
richness; and the Viña Santa Ema Merlot
Maipo Valley Reserva 2018 (90, $17), with
intense red fruit and herbal flavors.
Chile makes white wines as well, but they
are small in number and limited mostly to
Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. De Mar-
tino tops the Chardonnay pack with a pair
of outstanding releases: The pure-tasting
Malleco Valley Tres Volcanes Single Vine-
yard 2017 (91, $43) offers freshly cut apple
and ripe citrus flavors, and the Limarí Valley
Legado Reserva 2018 (90, $20) has tightly
wound flavors of apple pastry and apricot tart.
The cool-climate Casablanca Valley,
which features acid-rich granitic soils, is
primed for Sauvignon Blanc; two standout
examples are Casas del Bosque’s plush
Reserva 2019 (90, $13), offering plenty of
juicy energy, and Kingston Family’s crispCariblanco 2019 (89, $22), featuring gooseberry, citrus and lem-
ongrass flavors.
The wide-ranging diversity of Chile can be counted on to de-
liver highly rated reds and values galore. As vintners forge ahead
into the future, expect more experimentation as they continue to
explore the bounty given to them across the long sweep of their
beautiful country.Senior editor Kim Marcus is Wine Spectator’s lead taster on the wines
of Chile.80 WINE SPECTATOR • MAY 31, 2020ES
TANISNUÑEZFrom left: De Martino winemaker Marcelo Retamal, along with owners Marco and Sebastián De Martino, crafted a pair
of outstanding white wines from Chardonnay grown in the Malleco and Limarí valleys.Rating Red Wine Vintages in Chile
2018 92 Slightly cooler-than-average temperatures deliver structure Drink or hold
and concentration, with precise Cabernet- and Carmenère-
based reds leading the way; yields return to normal
2017 88 Hot summer temperatures delivered ripe wines and an early Drink or hold
harvest, with low yields. Overall, reds offer silky tannins and
full flavors; whites are fruit-forward
2016 87 Untimely rains in key regions such as Colchagua, Maipo and Drink or hold
Casablanca cut yields and led to less concentrated flavors,
particularly for reds
2015 92 A warm growing season and good harvest weather delivered Drink or hold
powerful Cabernet Sauvignons and crisp, fruity Pinot Noirs;
average quality for whites
2014 88 Spring frost cut crop, yet good quality fruit was harvested, Drink or hold
leading to crisp reds and savory whites
2013 91 Cool vintage, delivering fresh, well-structured wines with good Drink
balance in terms of concentration and flavor
2012 91 Warm summer weather resulted in an early harvest, with clean, Drink
disease-free fruit and yields 15 percent above average;
late-ripening Carmenère performed well
2011 90 Markedly cool and cloudy, with low yields leading to a harvest Drink
of clean fruit; early releases show fresh, elegant profiles
A score range indicates preliminary analysis based on barrel samples and/or a limited sampling; many wines of the vintage
not yet reviewed.
Vintage ratings: 95 – 100 , classic; 90 – 94 , outstanding; 85 – 89 , very good; 80 – 84 , good; 75 – 79 , mediocre; 50 – 74 , not
recommended Drinkability: “NYR” means most of the wines of the vintage are yet to be released; “drink” means most of the
wines of the vintage are ready to drink; “hold” means most of the ageworthy wines have yet to fully mature.WS053120_chileRev.indd 80 3/18/20 10:10 AM