Aconcagua Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend

This is a very tasty, albeit very young, Cabernet sauvignon blend from Chile. Created in collaboration with Robert Mondavi.

Full-bodied with medium acidity.

Showing cedar, blackberries, sweet cherries, chocolates, coffee, cola, vanilla, licorice, spices, earth, light vegetables, tobacco leaf and herbs.

Tannic finish after 90 minutes of airtime.

Needs a few years in the bottle to mature properly. Will continue to age nicely in the next 10 years. Has good potential to become a 94+ point wine.

Already showing great complexity, and would pair nicely with a big piece of steak.

Wine Advocate 98 points.

A blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Malbec, 17% Carmenere and 6% Petit Verdot.

14% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$150.

Vintage 2011 | very comforting and complex, beautiful | paired with deerback | at Monarh Tilburg

I don’t like young Sena somehow. But this is great, no greeness at all and beautiful tertiary nose. Fully resolved tannin.

Acid driven backbone and old world feel to this new world Bordeaux blend.

Less oaky and more fruit than used to be. Excellent

While the 09 showed better than the 15, it’s not a fair race. The 15 has gorgeous fruit and amazing acidity. You would only need a time machine to take a 2015 about eight years into the future and bring it back to make the fair comparison. 2015 was a phenomenal year in Aconcagua. The fruit, tannins and acidity day it will surpass the 09 in time.

On the nose; dark currants, dark chocolate, ripe; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, plums and strawberries on the edges, light cinnamon, clove, vanilla, dark semi-sweet moist soils, soft leather, elegant Asian spice, mocha, touch of caramel, dark roses & flowers and soft violets.

The body starts lean and moves to full. The tannins are young but not overpowering. It’s still very fresh and showing more ripe elegant fruit than the 09. Ripe, fresh; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, plum, raspberries & strawberries on the edges. Light cinnamon, clove, vanilla, dark semi-sweet moist soils, soft leather, elegant Asian spice, mocha, touch of caramel, dark roses & flowers and understated violets. Waterfall acidity. The long, finish is more ripe fruit driven but less complex at this point than the 09. But, it’s not a fair race with less time in the bottle. 95 now but will improve further with another 5-8 years in bottle.

Photos of; another aspect of their Estate vineyard as shot from their hillside terrace. The organic garden they planted to grow flowers, herbs etc. to use in the vineyard to treat the soil and vines. A photo of the last time Robert Mondavi was at Seña with Owner Eduardo Chadwick. Their friendship located and set the creation of this property in motion. Their Estate vines framed in the background by the Andes Mountains.

This was one of the best visits we had. It was also the most beautiful. The best in Chile and right in there with the very best sites we’ve seen in all our wine region visits.

They have their wine program dialed in and do everything right. All their practices are organic/biodynamic. They also control every aspect of them start to finish. There is no money spared or practices skimped on.

On the nose; dark currants, smoldering ambers, elegant spice, incense, cinnamon, light clove, vanilla, blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, plum, dark cherries, some black licorice, elegant minerals, soft loamy soil and fresh dark floral with violets.

The body is beautiful and full. The tannins are velvety, round and just a touch sticky. The structure, length, tension and balance are excellent. Dark currants, smoldering ambers, elegant spice, incense, cinnamon, light clove, vanilla, ripe; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, plum, dark cherries and strawberries on the edges. Some black licorice, elegant minerals, tobacco, beautiful medium spice, underbrush, used leather, crushed rocks, soft loamy soil and fresh dark floral with violets. Beautiful round acidy. The long, elegant, ripe, beautifully balanced finish is lovely and goes on for minutes.

The Photos don’t even come close to how beautiful their property and view are. It would have helped if the fog had not be in. It’s a stunning view. Photos of; their Estate vines as seen from their hillside hosting terrace. Eduardo who handles all their vineyard practices and set up their biodynamic program. He is an amazing person to talk vineyard management..,not to mention a very nice and salt of the earth person. Examples of all the different organic products they make and use in the vineyard to keep it and the echo system in perfect balance. Last but not least, the beautiful Andes Mountains as again seen from their hillside terrace.

Vintage 2011 - wagonloads of cherries, confituren, chocolate, impressive rich smell, taste with tension, smooth taste, very long aftertaste #chili

Awesome story behind this wine...Mondavi is a part of this, and it drinks very much like Opus, but at a fraction of the cost. Late spice finish, and good mix of red and blue fruits with an emphasis on cranberries and plums.

A very linear and elegant Bordeaux blend based on Cabernet Sauvignon, with a high percentage of Carmenere. 2011 was a cool vintage which gives this wine great acidity and wonderful firm tannins. First vintage was 1995 with the vineyards going biodynamic in 2005.