Viñedo Chadwick has firmly inscribed itself in the fine wine firmament by creating a benchmark expression of Cabernet Sauvignon, now placed on the world stage alongside its most renowned counterparts.
More than two decades ago, in the heart of Puente Alto in the Maipo Valley, Eduardo Chadwick set out to make a unique wine to honour the memory of his father – one that would make Chile the equal of any wine producer in the world. And hence Viñedo Chadwick was born.
Twenty vintages on, the Chadwick family is opening its private collection for the first time for the creation of Viñedo Chadwick Vertical Library Edition (2009, 2010 & 2011), a limited release which will be officially launched worldwide at end of March. The three bottles are packaged in numbered, hand-crafted cases made from Lenga, Chilean Patagonia’s most precious wood. ‘This Vertical Case is an exclusive piece of wine history, evolving inside these three bottles; wines to be treasured and enjoyed,’ says Magui Chadwick, daughter of Eduardo and a member of the winery’s board of directors.
Viñedo Chadwick, a Chilean treasure
Viñedo Chadwick’s history began in 1945, when Alfonso Chadwick (Eduardo’s father) bought Viña San José de Tocornal. Located at the heart of Chile’s most famous terroir for Cabernet Sauvignon – Puente Alto, in the Maipo Alto Valley – the estate was then a 300-hectare property, famous for its Fond-de-Cave wine.
Don Alfonso set up the family home on the property before planting more vineyards in the Andean foothills at an altitude of 670 metres. Being one of Chile’s most famous polo players, he also built a polo field where he played every day.
In 1967, following agricultural reforms in Chile, Alfonso was forced to sell most of the property to other companies. He held on, nevertheless, to 25 hectares surrounding the family home, a park sheltered by century-old trees, and his beloved polo field.
Foreseeing the potential of this unique terroir, Eduardo Chadwick, Don Alfonso’s son, convinced his father to convert his much beloved polo field into a vineyard in 1992. It was set on top of the Maipo River’s third alluvial terrace, where the stony, gravel-rich soils drain extremely well – perfect conditions for the production of high quality Cabernet Sauvignon. He planted 15.5 hectares of Cabernet, with the goal of making an exceptional wine that would establish Puente Alto’s reputation as one of the world’s best terroirs. The 1999 vintage saw the birth of Viñedo Chadwick, the first ever wine from Chile to receive a perfect score of 100 points awarded to the 2014 vintage. The 2000 Viñedo Chadwick, on the other hand, came in first at the legendary Berlin Tasting in 2004, ranking above Super Tuscans and Bordeaux First Growths from the same vintage.
Viñedo Chadwick Vertical Library Edition
The release of this exclusive vertical collection of Viñedo Chadwick 2009, 2010 and 2011 is an unprecedented opportunity to savour the graceful ageing that comes naturally to this unique wine. It showcases three vintages, all bearing the world-class Puente Alto D.O. seal, offering different expressions of the same terroir.
Speaking of the 2009 Viñedo Chadwick, Magui Chadwick says: ‘it’s a magnificent example of a wine from a warm year with complex aromatic layers. It’s concentrated and well-balanced with beautifully structured tannins, an enveloping texture and a very long finish.’ The 2010, meanwhile, ‘is a distinguished and expressive wine with the finesse brought by the long, slow ageing process and extraordinary depth.’ Finally, the 2011, ‘is an example of the wine from a cool year, that offers elegance and a touch of sweetness from the oak. A delicate, svelte red with excellent concentration, tension and juiciness, it rolls over the tongue with silky grace.’
Three jewels to discover a world class terroir.
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