Simon has tasted Seña across a number of vintages. What began as a little-known Chilean property in the late 1990s is now in competition with some of the most admired wines of Bordeaux.
There are not many wines with a better back story than Seña – it is as if it were written for a screenplay…
In 1995, Eduardo Chadwick (of Errazuriz fame) and the late, great Robert Mondavi agreed on a joint venture to craft a world-class Chilean wine. It took them four years to settle on a vineyard before finally securing a 42 hectare, hillside vineyard in Chile’s Aconcagua Valley. The location was distinctly cooler than many of Chile’s red wine vineyards which is key to the resultant style as the climate permitted a longer, slower ripening period. The diverse terroir of loam and gravel allowed for plantings of Bordeaux varieties (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Malbec), which dominate the blend, and as well as Syrah, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Carmenere.
The early stages of this new estate progressed well, if quietly, but on the 23rd January 2004, Seña received considerable commentary and was truly launched onto a global stage. At a blind tasting organised in Berlin, thirty six prominent European journalists and wine writers gathered to taste 16 wines. The range comprised six Chilean, six French and four Italian wines, all from the 2000 and 2001 vintages. The French line-up included Châteaux Margaux 2001, Lafite-Rothschild 2000 and Latour 2000. The wines were all scored individually and then the results were collated. It was staggering – there is no other word for it. The first two positions went to two Chileans: first came Vinedo Chadwick 2000 and second was Seña 2001.
This tasting in Berlin mimicked what is called the Judgement of Paris (1976) which pitted California’s leading estates against Bordeaux’s finest and is regarded as having pushed California firmly into the limelight as a fine wine producer. The 2004 Berlin Tasting did just that for the Chilean wine industry. I should add that this is not a one-off; Seña has performed incredibly well in many similar events across the world. There is no doubt that Seña is the classic giant killer, capable of vying with the world’s greatest Bordeaux blends.
Having tasted numerous back vintages of Seña over the years (a previous employer was once the UK agent for the estate), I have a distinct preference for the cooler vintages which lend the wine more finesse; 2010 is one such vintage. The 2010 offers a ripe yet cool fruit of blackberry, blackcurrant and raspberry with a spiciness that is not typical of many Bordeaux blends. There are more complex notes of cedar and tobacco leaf which will develop with time. The overall impression is of a finely-tuned, fresh-styled blend, with sleek, fine-grained tannins and good underlying structure. It is possible to broach the wine now, though it will benefit from several years of patient cellarage as it will age for up to a decade.
I have included the note from Neal Martin on Robert Parker’s website The Wine Advocate below. Neal awarded the wine 94 points which is his highest rating for the estate yet.
Vina Errazuriz, Sena 2010
£350 per six bottles in bond
The 2010 Seña is more generous on the nose than the 2009, with crisp, ripe blackberry, boysenberry and graphite notes that are tightly coiled and, at the moment, not as expressive as the 2009. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins. This is silky smooth in the mouth, harmonious and the oak is deftly interwoven into the structure. This is a sophisticated Seña. Drink 2014-2022
Neil also commented that, while ‘older vintages have their share of plaudits, I discerned more complexity and vitality as well as finer integration of oak on newer vintages, as if more thought had gone into the wines. The result can be seen in the wines themselves, in particular the outstanding 2010.’
We have secured a good parcel of the 2010 vintage, which we are able to offer at the best UK market price of £350 per 6 bts in bond.