Expert’s Choice: South America’s premium red blends

Since Gerald Gabillet's arrival in Mendoza in 2018, Cheval des Andes wines have gained in elegance and precision. In a great vintage like 2021, the results are spellbinding. Near-equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec, with 3% Petit Verdot; the fruit comes from an old vineyard in Las Compuertas and a newer property in the Uco Valley. A fruity, floral wine, with minty hints and a subtle layer of oak that contributes spice and cedar notes. The palate is silky and energetic, with a vibrant freshness and polished, grippy tannins that channel it nicely into the long, perfumed finish.

Crafted by Michel Friou from a legendary vineyard in Puente Alto, this is a precise red blend that balances opulence with elegance. The nose delivers blackcurrant, cherry, redcurrant and liquorice aromas with hints of violets, eucalyptus, spice, and pencil shavings. Fleshy, with a juicy, energetic core and polished tannins that promise ageing potential. A classy, harmonious wine. A blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon and 22% Carmenère, with dashes of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, it was aged for 20 months in new French barrels.

Finesse is Seña's trademark and the 2022 is no exception – this new vintage is intense, vibrant and persistent. A rich ruby red, with aromas of fresh red and black fruit combined with intense floral notes, hints of graphite, wild herbs and spice. It's full-bodied with a tense, refreshing character. The tannins are delicate and fine but provide enough grip, sustaining the palate at length before the fragrant finish. A standout addition to the cellar. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Carmenère and Petit Verdot; matured 18 months in barrels and foudres.

Trapiche’s blend of 70% Malbec and 30% Cabernet Franc never disappoints. Sergio Casé and Marcelo Belmonte painstakingly choose the best fruit, hand-harvesting selected bunches, then selecting the best berries from the destemmed fruit. Smooth and perfumed with aromas of blackcurrants, violets blackberry, and thyme. The palate is taut and velvety, with a chalky liveliness at the core. Sumptuous tannins bode well for an excellent future.

Floral, perfumed, and beautifully balanced, this offers layers of red fruits with precise French oak spice. The palate is voluminous and tense, before the chalky freshness, fine-grained tannins, and mineral backbone come into play. A wine intended for bottle ageing. Made from massal selections of ungrafted, pre-phylloxera Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec; with 25% Cabernet Franc. A nod to 18th-century Bordeaux, when Malbec was widely planted in the Médoc.

VIK is the grand vin crafted by Cristian Vallejo from specially selected grapes in the Millahue vineyard in Alto Cachapoal. The style has become more elegant over the years, this vintage particularly so. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, this is an intense red with excellent ageing potential. The nose combines spicy hints from the ageing process with ripe red fruits, blackcurrant jam, eucalyptus, rosemary and thyme. There are also notes of graphite, sandalwood and rose pepper. An ideal choice for those who enjoy vigorous wines, with a solid palate of accomplished freshness and firm, chalky tannins. Juicy and long-lasting.

The 2020 vintage of Balasto is one of the most exciting since its inception in 2015. Original and complex, it’s a rich, vivid ruby red with purple flecks in the glass. The nose presents fresh berries, graphite, liquorice, cassis, and pencil shavings. The palate is savoury, with a velvety feel and fine tannins before the long, floral, balsamic finish. A summer of significant temperature variations provided Germán Bruzzone with high-quality fruit for this blend of 42% Tannat, 39% Cabernet Franc, and 19% Petit Verdot; matured 20 months in untoasted barrels.

A fruity, floral red with balsamic tones that fill the palate, it has a tense but fluid feel with rounded tannins and a fragrant finish. Crafted by Pablo and Héctor Durigutti with grapes from their vineyard in Las Compuertas, Luján de Cuyo, this is one of the new Mendozan red blends to look out for. A blend of 38% Cabernet Franc, 35% Malbec, 17% Petit Verdot, and 8% Charbono (Bonarda) and 2% Cordisco (Montepulciano), it is fermented with native yeasts in 600L barrels before ageing in concrete for almost two years.

This is an exquisite blend of grapes grown in a stoney vineyard in Colchagua; 54% Syrah, 31% Carmenère and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. A rich violet colour, with complex aromas of fresh red fruits, balsamic tones, spices, cedar, and cloves. It's savoury in the mouth, with a velvety texture and polished tannins. The flavours are peppery and persistent with a pleasant fruity finish. Gê is the flagship wine from Emiliana, Chile's leading biodynamic winery.

Delivers cherry, redcurrant, and blueberry aromas, with delicate spice from the oak. The palate is harmonious, with a pleasant texture and the accomplished freshness of a cool vintage. The firm, fine-grained tannins will come to the fore as this ages. A great wine in an exquisite Bordeaux style. Cabernet Sauvignon with the classic touch of 3% Syrah and for the first time, also 3% Cabernet Franc, enhancing its Bordeaux character with finesse.

Mendoza winemaker Germán Di Cesare presents his first red blend from the Uco Valley. This is a transparent wine that expresses its sense of place with purity. It is perfumed and refined, with aromas of wild herbs and blackcurrant, framed by spicy oaky notes. The palate is energetic with good structure, balance and polished tannins that will suit bottle ageing. A blend of 70% Malbec, 20% Cabernet Franc and 10% Merlot, sourced from sites in Paraje Altamira, Gualtallary, and Los Chacayes. Matured 18 months, half in a mix of new and used oak barrels and half in foudres.

Coming from the highest-elevation vineyard in Chile, this is by all means an extreme Syrah. Deliciously ripe black-fruit notes reflect the intensity of the sun up high in the Andes, while the incredible brightness and freshness reflect the really cool nights at 2,206m elevation. Engaging, brooding and inky, with savoury aromas of bacon fat and black olives.

A flavourful wine, the aromas feature crisp red and black fruit with hints of liquorice, wild herbs and cassis. The palate is opulent, with firm but juicy tannins before the long, intense finish. Should age very well. This is a masterpiece of Uruguayan winemaking from Eduardo Boido. A blend of 45% Tannat, 30% Merlot, and 25% Tempranillo; fruit is sourced from Melilla in Montevideo as well as Las Violetas in neighbouring Canelones.

Montchenot is a long-established classic among Argentine red blends. Offers aromas of dried spice, herbal tones and hints of fig and raisin against a cedar backdrop. The palate is light and subtle, with gentle tannins and a perfumed, clove-inflected finish. A traditional Argentine wine that every wine lover should try. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Malbec, aged Rioja-style for 36 months in oak barrels, plus another 6 years in the bottle.

Corazón del Sol grows Rhône varieties in the stony, high-altitude terroir of Los Chacayes, producing distinctive Argentine wines. This co-fermentation of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre spent 12 months in neutral barrels, resulting in a bright, violet-red colour and complex aromas of ripe red fruits, wild herbs and thyme. Chewy in the mouth with an energetic core, juicy tannins and a chalky texture, this is a curiosity worthy of discovery.

Sober and elegant, this assemblage by Pablo Richardi has a graceful, Bordeaux-inflected essence. The nose presents aromas of blackcurrant, plum and blackberry, graphite, liquorice, anise, and clove. The sculpted tannins are delicate yet substantial, promising excellent ageing potential. A blend of 55% Malbec, 40% Cabernet Franc and 5% Syrah, matured 18 months in new French oak barrels.

A new release from Morandé winemaker Ricardo Baetigg, Casatinta is a blend of 72% Malbec, 24% Syrah, and 4% Cabernet Franc. The fruit is sourced from cool-climate Casablanca, a region best known for white wines. The result is an avant-garde wine for those who appreciate tension and lightness. Super-fruity, with Malbec's floral notes and some minty touches, it is vibrant on the mid-palate, with firm tannins and a delightful taste of cherries and blackberries. The finish is fragrant with balsamic hints.

Inspired by the night skies above Cachapoal Valley – in Latin sideralis means constellation – this is a nicely balanced blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Carmenère, with dashes of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Lively, inviting aromas of spicy black berries and cherries. Vibrant red fruit attack gives way to a rich, concentrated palate with fine tannins, layered with plum, sour cherry, blackberries and dusty cassis notes on the finish. Will improve with age.