VIÑA SEÑA | Seña | 2019
cabernet sauvignon | malbec | carmenère | petit verdot

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Viña Seña was born from a shared dream between two titans of the wine world: Eduardo Chadwick and Robert Mondavi. Established in 1995 as a joint venture, their ambitious goal was to craft a wine in Chile that could stand among the world’s famous First Growths, demonstrating the country’s ultimate potential while retaining a distinct chilean identity. Grown under meticulous biodynamic principles in the unique Aconcagua Valley terroir, Seña is envisioned as a Bordeaux-style blend with a soul deeply rooted in its chilean origins. The 2019 vintage marks the wine’s 25th Anniversary for the consistent pursuit of excellence.
The wine we are going to review today hardly requires any introduction, as it is Chile‘s first iconic wine – a true legend that is considered among the best wine ever made worldwide – Seña 2019 by Viña Seña. This wine is a harmonious blend of four grape varieties: cabernet sauvignon (60%), malbec (21%), carmenère (15%) and petit verdot (4%), where cabernet sauvignon forms the wine’s main body and structure, malbec builds a more refined mid-palate and adds up-front richness, carmenère offers the delicate footprint of the local terroir, whereas petit verdot enhances the wine’s color depth and offers a leaner and a more dynamic finish.

The grapes for this wine were sourced from the estate’s best vineyards, planted on deep and porous decomposed granitic soils in the Ocoa microregion of the Aconcagua Valley. The 2019 vintage was shaped by a mild winter and a warm, dry spring that led to healthy bud break and efficient flowering. While generally considered a warm vintage in Chile, the Ocoa vineyard benefited from cooler summer temperatures influenced by coastal winds, allowing for a prolonged ripening period that balanced sugar development with phenolic maturity. In order to soften the tannins and enhance its structure, complexity, and longevity, the wine has been aged for 22 months in a combination of French oak barriques (from which 80% new oak) and foudres, followed by additional bottle ageing time before its release.

The Aconcagua Valley, located about 100 km north of Santiago, between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes, has a mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers, cool winters, and around 250 mm of annual rainfall, moderated by Pacific breezes and diurnal shifts from altitude and oceanic flow. The Vineyards enjoy elevations between 50m on the valley floors and 1000m at the foothills of the Andes, benefiting from river-fed alluvial and granitic-clay soils with rocky, well-drained surfaces that concentrate fruit flavours. This unique terroir is well suited for Bordeaux grape varieties such as cabernet sauvignon, syrah, malbec, carménère, merlot and petit verdot, yielding ripe and concentrated grapes that are perfect for creating well structured and bold wines, while the cooler coastal pockets allow for sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, and pinot noir to express their natural freshness and unmatched elegance.

The Ocoa microregion lies on the valley’s coastal flank at around 300 m elevation, and is characterized by a mediterranean climate with frequent summer drought and abundant winter rainfall, fed by the Rabuco stream flowing into the Aconcagua River. Its hilly terrain benefits from cooling ocean breezes that temper the warm inland climate, which creates ideal conditions for crafting world-class Bordeaux-style blends, preserving natural acidity in the grapes and resulting in wines that are fresh, complex and balanced.

color: deep & opaque ruby color
clarity: hazygarnet shades at the rim

In the glass, the wine presents a deep and opaque ruby color, which transitions into noble garnet shades at the rim – a visual testament to the wine’s concentration and depth.

intensity: pronounced & earthy
fruit character: ripe & dehydrated

The aromatic profile is pronounced and immediately captivating, revealing a blueprint chilean dusty character, with a ripe to slightly dehydrated fruit expression. The foreground is dominated by a complex medley of black fruits such as dark cherry, black plum, blackberry, and blackcurrant, intertwined with earthy notes of pencil lead, granite, and black soil, all underscored by a nuanced, unmistakable chilean dusty accent. As the wine breathes, the background reveals inviting spicy notes of peppercorn, cloves, and nutmeg, seamlessly integrated with oak-derived aromas of tobacco and cloves. Subtle savory hints of iron, brown olive, and leather add further layers of aromatic sophistication and complexity.

sweetness: dry | acidity: high | alcohol: medium+ | tannin: high | balance: fine
finish: lasting | aftertaste: velvety-crisp

On the palate, this wine is a revelation – savory-rich, velvety-crisp, and elegantly earthy – this is the epitome of a modern Bordeaux blend. It boasts a harmonious and well-structured mouthfeel that feels both complex, voluptuous, and ample, delivering amazing balance between all its components. The wine feels dry and vibrant, with exuberant acidity that keeps the wine fresh and lively. The alcohol is perfectly well integrated, providing body without being intrusive, while the tannins are ripe and silky, coating the palate with a fine, smooth texture that contributes to the wine’s structure and length. The finish is long and culminates in a velvety-crisp aftertaste, leaving a lasting impression of fruit, earth, and subtle oak.

maturity: developing | drink now or in the next 5-7 years
verdict: excellent | a reference wine | a wine that can reach into the realm of perfection

Overall, this is a true classic Bordeaux-styled wine blend with a distinct and recognizable chilean soul. It masterfully combines the vibrancy and expressivity of fruit with that trademark chilean dusty accent, which makes the wine feel inky, rustic and elegant, capturing the essence of its unique terroir. Displaying fantastic balance and restraint in its use of oak, and a beautiful sense of elegance balanced with underlying power and nuance, this wine is still developing and promises tremendous ageing potential. While already enjoyable today, it is poised to evolve gracefully over the next 5 to 7 years, revealing even greater complexity and depth. A truly iconic wine that requires no introduction at all. Simply epic!

Given the wine’s velvetiness and delicateness, we believe it would be a phenomenal partner for rich and flavourful dishes. Think beyond simple grilled steaks and consider pairing it with an herb-crusted rack of lamb or a slow-cooked oxtail stew with root vegetables. The wine’s silky tannins will cut beautifully through the richness of the meat, while the wine’s nuanced acidity will counter balance the fat in the dish, thus cleansing the palate. The earthy and savory notes in the wine will find a congruent echo in the herbs and earthy flavours of the dish, creating a harmonious wine tasting experience. Enjoy!
VIÑA SEÑA | Seña | 2019
variety: cabernet sauvignon | malbec | carmenère | petit verdot
country: Chile
region: Aconcagua Valley | Ocoa
rating: 98.5

Viña Seña holds a significant place in chilean wine history as they were the first to create an internationally-acclaimed iconic wine in Chile. Their ambition wasn’t just to make a great chilean wine, but one that could genuinely compete with the world’s most esteemed wines – a goal dramatically underscored by the famous ‘Berlin Tasting’ in 2004, where Seña and Almaviva (another chilean icon) outperformed many top Bordeaux wines in blind tastings. The 2019 vintage is particularly special as it marks the 25th Anniversary of its creation, celebrating a quarter-century of pursuing this ambitious ‘First Growth’ vision for Chile.

© The WineStatistics ratings are based solely on our own knowledge of the world of wine and on our personal wine tastes, which may, or may not, differ from yours – the reader. Just remember that there are no absolutes of right and wrong in wine appreciation. Cheers!