Chile — wine
Colchagua Valley
Colchagua Valley is Chile's most celebrated red wine region — the concentration of quality-focused producers and the warmth of the valley floor create deep, full-bodied Carmenère, Cabernet, and Syrah with a distinctive chocolatey-herbal character. Casa Lapostolle's Clos Apalta (Parker's 100-point wine, the first 100 given to a South American wine) put Colchagua on the global map. The valley's high-altitude coastal sub-zones (Marchigüe) are producing the most exciting new styles.
Benchmark products
Vintage assessments
| Year | Rating | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 84 | Normal vintage. Consistent production. Top producers in Apalta sub-zone especially strong. Good value year. |
| 2022 | 86 | Good year overall. Cool nights preserved aromatic freshness. Colchagua Carménère with beautiful savoury-fruity balance. |
| 2021 | 87 | Reliable year. Consistent quality. Colchagua's benchmark Carménère and Cab performing well. Emerging Alto Colchagua excellent. |
| 2020 | 85 | Very good COVID vintage. Quality-focused winemaking. Richer, fuller wines from warm conditions. Strong Carménère and Cabernet Sauvignon. |
| 2019 | 89 | Good balanced vintage. Mixed growing conditions kept acidity alive. Carménère and Cabernet Franc showing well. Coastal sites excel. |
| 2018 | 84 | Drought stress. Small yields, concentrated wines. Quality high but quantities reduced. Heat wave impacted some lower elevation sites. |
| 2017 | 91 | Excellent season. Carménère benchmark vintage. Green pepper tamed, dark fruit dominant. Coastal influence from Marchigüe refreshing. |
| 2016 | 86 | Good conditions. Colchagua at typical best. Ripe, rich reds with tobacco and cedar. Good value across the board. |
| 2015 | 88 | Warm, dry vintage. Carménère and Cabernet Sauvignon of outstanding concentration and depth. Classic Chilean red profile with exceptional length. |