2021 Sena, Rocas de Sena, Aconcagua Valley

Very racy, vibrant and intense with a heap of pure red fruit, full of strawberries, red cherries and a hint of spice, flowers and blue fruit. A subtle twist of mineral, too. Medium-bodied, linear, long and subtle on the palate, sandwiched by very fine, polished tannins. Precision and purity are the words. Elegant and slightly austere with a very long, subtle finish. 35% malbec, 21% syrah, 20% cabernet sauvignon, 10% grenache, 9% petit verdot and 5% mourvedre. 50,000 bottles made, which is a little more than the 2020 vintage. Drink or hold. Zekun Shuai, April 2023.

The second vintage of their second wine, the 2021 Rocas de Seña is less opulent and with more tension and floral aromas (but with power too) than the 2020. It was produced with a blend of 35% Malbec, 21% Syrah, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Grenache, 9% Petit Verdot and, for the first time, 5% Mourvedre. Grenache and Mourvedre were planted in 2005 on the family's other property that was first planted in 1999 with Syrah. It's a little below the 14% alcohol stated on the label. It fermented mostly in stainless steel and some concrete eggs for the Garnacha, and it aged separately before being blended, lowering the total time in barrel to 18 to 20 months. It's floral, perfumed, elegant and expressive, with herbal freshness and a spicy twist from the barrels. The palate is fine-boned, balanced and elegant. You notice the different aromatic and gustative palette when tasted next to Seña, with fine-grained, chalky tannins. This is a noteworthy second label with drinkability and aging capability. 50,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in February 2023.

The 2021 Rocas de Seña is a blend of 35% Malbec, 21% Syrah, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Grenache, 9% Petit Verdot, and 5% Mourvèdre from Ocoa in the Aconcagua Valley. It was aged for 22 months, 95% in French oak barrels (40% new) and 5% in concrete eggs. Purple in hue. The complex nose presents pomegranate and fresh plum notes with hints of sage, garrigue and flowers over a faint bed of ash. Dry and smooth in the mouth, refreshing acidity supports polished, juicy tannins. A balanced wine of lingering fruity flavor. Quite young right now, it will grow in the bottle.

A relatively cool vintage, giving a long slow ripening, then just before harvest the heat climbed and harvest took place from the end of March to middle April, two weeks later than usual, under clear skies. All this makes for a balanced wine with high acidity and aromatics, coupled with good phenolic ripeness. Dense colour, mouthwatering juice that emphasises red cherry fruits, underbrush and dried herbs, giving an intense and fresh take on Mediterranean flavours, helped by the addition of Mouvèdre in this vintage. Fine tannins, giving a chalky texture that sets it apart from Sena. 40% new oak, with the addition this year of cement eggs. Francisco Baettig winemaker. Second vintage on the Place de Bordeaux. Jane Anson, June 2023

Full bottle 1,444 g. The name refers to the rocks on the estate and the blend is 35% Malbec, 21% Syrah, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Grenache, 9% Petit Verdot and 5% Mourvèdre. The vintage was one of the cooler ones here. Mid crimson. Nicely integrated nose. Appetising and satisfying blend of ripeness and refreshment. It's fun to encounter such an innovative blend from Chile in view of the oceans of Cabernet, Merlot and Carmenère. Something tells me this isn't cheap. Yup, Research confirms this, but it's a good wine, well made with no excesses of any sort. Clever. (JR)