It's completely impressive how Chilean wines have today become such a hit with wine lovers around the world. It's hard then to imagine that once upon a time, Chilean wines were perceived as everyday wines for the local market – drunk at home but virtually unnoticed by wine critics beyond the sun-kissed borders. It took a visionary named Eduardo Chadwick to change things; his unwavering belief in Chile's terroir and boldness helped rewrite the narrative and put Chilean wines on the map within a single generation. It is then unsurprising that Vinedo Chadwick is largely credited for the stellar reputation of Chilean wines today, having stayed true to their conviction that they knew Chile had fertile grounds for creating impressively bold and powerful wines - that it was simply underrated and in desperate need of a proper showcase to the world.

Eduardo is the fourth-generation owner of Viñedos Familia Chadwick. Back when Chilean wines had yet to step into the global spotlight, Eduardo envisioned a future where his family's wines could stand proudly alongside the finest vintages from renowned producers of Bordeaux and Napa Valley - after all, he knew Chile could produce a wine on par, if not better.

Viñedo Chadwick is the fruit of fourth-generation winemaker Eduardo Chadwick, who got his father's blessing to convert a prized piece of family estate into a vineyard.

Finally Receiving The Recognition It Deserved

Back in the 1980s, Chile's wine industry was still finding its footing, being primarily focused on producing large volumes of affordable wines for domestic consumption. The concept of crafting premium wines that capture the essence of Chile's unique terroir remained largely unexplored. However, the winds of political change began blowing through Chile's vineyards. Government reforms ushered in a new era of opportunity, allowing Chilean wine producers to begin exporting their wines and managing their properties with greater autonomy.

The young Eduardo Chadwick was inducted into the family business by his father, Alfonso Chadwick, who wished to rebuild the winery business after damage caused by decades of land reform.

These reforms coupled with a surge of investment ignited a promising transformation in the quality of Chilean wines. Wineries began uprooting their old, workhorse vines, replacing them with premium grape varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, and Chile’s iconic Carménère.

Yet, despite these advancements, Chilean wines still struggled to gain the global recognition that winemakers like Eduardo knew it deserved. The reputation of wines was largely shaped by the opinions of influential critics, and few of these tastemakers had dared to venture to Chile to experience its wines firsthand - it's after all easier to sing in a chorus of folks than to be the lead voice. Who would contest a claim that Bordeaux was the best, it is after all the popular consensus, yet no one had dared to acknowledge that Chile was doing phenomenal work, now that was a bold statement. Fuelled by a growing frustration, Eduardo realized that Chilean wines needed a champion. A wine that could showcase Chile’s true potential to the world.

Inspired by the Judgment of Paris, the legendary 1976 blind tasting that had catapulted Californian wines to international fame, Eduardo hatched a bold plan.

The Judgement of Berlin

Eduardo enlisted the help of Steven Spurrier, the British wine merchant who had orchestrated the Judgment of Paris, to organize a similar blind tasting that pitted Chilean wines against the best wine producers around the world. This blind tasting event took place in Berlin’s Ritz-Carlton Hotel with a large panel of 40 renowned wine experts. It was clear that internationally watched blind tastings were the frontier at which New World wines could prove and cement their claim to greatness - after all judges would now have no way of being biased, and finally had to give both New World and Old World wines a fair assessment.

The Berlin Tasting in 2004 which cemented Viñedo Chadwick and Chile's place in the fine wine world.

Although Eduardo organised this event, many years later, he would confess to being “scared to death” of the Berlin Tasting. Chilean wine was still largely unproven on the world stage, and here he was, putting his family’s legacy and the reputation of an entire nation’s wine industry on the line, up against titans like Château Lafite Rothschild, Margaux, and Italy’s Sassicaia.

The lineup of wines at the Berlin Tasting in 2004. 

Critics had always shown a preference for Old World wines, and the pressure was immense. A poor showing wouldn’t just reflect badly on his wines; it could set back Chile's entire push for recognition in the premium wine market. But Eduardo knew this was a gamble he had to take. The Tasting took place on 23 January 2004.

The results were read. For a moment, there was stunned silence in the room, and then a prolonged round of applause. The results sent shockwaves through the wine world: Viñedo Chadwick 2000, in only its second vintage, had claimed the top spot, beating out a trio of first-growth Bordeaux and renowned Super Tuscans. The news spread like wildfire. The fine wine press and major news outlets alike were abuzz with the story of the Chilean underdog that had triumphed.

But the Berlin Tasting wasn’t a Chilean fluke or a one-hit wonder. Over the next decade, similar tastings with newer vintages were replicated 21 times, with newer vintages consistently showcasing the excellence of the Viñedo Chadwick. Chilean wines had arrived, and they were here to stay. Eduardo Chadwick’s hard work and unwavering belief had paid off. His leap of faith had catapulted Chilean wines onto the global stage.

A mere 15 hectares of Viñedo Chadwick

The young Alfonso Chadwick first acquired the estate... but he did not use the entire estate for wines.

At the heart of Viñedo Chadwick lies its surprisingly compact vineyard, a mere 15 hectares, just one-tenth the size of some of the sprawling first-growth Bordeaux estates it famously outshone at the Berlin Tasting. Nestled within the Chadwick family's Alto Maipo estate in the Maipo Valley, it sits in the foothills of the Andes.

Alfonso Chadwick, Eduardo's father who acquired the estate, was a man of many passions - a successful entrepreneur and national polo player who even shared the field several times with Britain's late Prince Philip. While most of the land was destined for vineyards, Alfonso, ever the polo-lover, reserved a prime plot near the house for a polo field so he could practice his favourite sport daily.

Alfonso Chadwick originally used the same field on which the wine estate sits as a polo turf and family estate.

Unfortunately, the 1960s brought radical land reforms that forced landowners like Alfonso to sell off a significant portion of the estate. Sadly, this meant parting with many of their best vineyards, which were snapped up by others. After decades of turbulence, Alfonso and Eduardo finally regained full control of the winery. However many of the estate's prized vineyards were already lost.

Amidst this bittersweet situation, Eduardo stumbled upon an unexpected treasure, a prized heirloom which his father had unknowingly bestowed upon the family. The very polo field was situated on the north bank of the Maipo River at an altitude of 650 meters, and possessed the ideal conditions for cultivating Cabernet Sauvignon. The climate, with its warm days and cool Andean nights, created a long growing season, essential for the grapes to develop more complex flavours. The soil, composed of ancient alluvial terraces with free-draining, infertile gravel, was also perfect for producing small, richly flavoured berries. This unique combination of factors resulted in an exceptional terroir comparable to the revered Médoc region in Bordeaux.

Viñedo Chadwick vineyard is located over 600m above sea level, and situated by  the steep peaks of the Andes where cool air flows down.

With his father’s blessing, Eduardo embarked on a journey to transform the polo field into a Cabernet-focused vineyard in 1992. Alfonso sadly passed away in 1993, never witnessing the fruits of his son’s labour.

However, this loss strengthened Eduardo's resolve, motivating him to craft a wine that would not only honour his father's legacy, but put Chile on the wine lover's map. The vineyard produced no wine in its first seven years. Eduardo patiently allowed the vines to fully mature and establish deep roots, ensuring they could extract the maximum expression of terroir from the soil.

During this 7-year period, Eduardo and his team also meticulously managed every aspect of the vineyard, from soil health and irrigation to vine training and canopy management so the final fruits may reach their full potential. Sustainable farming practices were later embraced, with the use of cover crops to control vigour, prevent erosion, and encourage biodiversity in the vineyard.

At the winery, the grapes are hand-harvested at optimal ripeness and meticulously sorted. The grapes are gently crushed and fermented in small lots using a combination of stainless steel and concrete tanks, allowing for greater control over temperature and extraction. The wine spends up to a month on its skins, with regular pump-overs to enhance flavour and tannin structure. After fermentation, the wine is aged for close to two years in French oak barrels, the majority of which are new. Finally, the wine is blended to achieve the perfect balance.

The inaugural vintage of Viñedo Chadwick was only produced in 1999. And of course, the wine world took notice of the second vintage, the Viñedo Chadwick 2000 with its triumph at the Berlin Tasting in 2004 cementing Chile's place among the world's finest wine-producing regions.

Eduardo and former technical director, now winemaking consultant Francisco Baettig with their 2014 Viñedo Chadwick, Chile's first wine to earn a perfect 100-point score from prominent wine critic James Suckling (Source: James Suckling)

Today, Viñedo Chadwick is widely regarded as the pinnacle of Chilean winemaking and one of the finest Cabernet Sauvignon wines in the world. It has also achieved unprecedented recognition, being the first-ever Chilean wine to earn 100-point ratings from both James Suckling (for the 2014 vintage) and Luis Gutiérrez (of Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate for the 2021 vintage).

Viñedo Chadwick is primarily Cabernet Sauvignon, typically with a small addition of Petit Verdot, around 3-4%, to enhance its aromatic complexity with deep floral notes. Compared to other wines from the Chadwick family, such as the iconic Seña, Viñedo Chadwick stands out for its bold structure, firm tannins and intense concentration of black fruit flavours, with earthy undertones and hints of brambly blackberry. It's often described as reminiscent of a bold and powerful Médoc wine.

Production is highly limited, with only around 9,500 bottles annually. After all, there are only just 15 hectares of vineyard, with the Chadwick family having no plans to increase production or expand the vineyard.

The 2022 vintage of the Viñedo Chadwick is marked by a cool and dry growing season that led to slower ripening fruits, which helped preserve their acidity and freshness.

And today I've got none other than the 2022 vintage of the Viñedo Chadwick on hand to put to my own test. This vintage is composed of 96% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Petit Verdot, aged for 18 months in 90% French oak and 10% in foudres. 

Let's give this a go!

Viñedos Familia Chadwick, Viñedo Chadwick 2022 – Review

Tasting Notes

Colour: Deep ruby

Aroma: Great concentration! Opens bold and aromatic with a richness of dark cherries, blackcurrants and plums. It’s deep, dark and mature for its age, incredibly aromatic and lush, also with heady notes of fresh violets accompanying the fruit. Swirling this brings out beautiful sweet oak and dark chocolate notes, reminding me of a slice of black forest cake with its chocolate and dark cherry influences. There’s a certain dimension of vellichor – the pleasant smell of old library books.

More roses and violets start to come through as it develops, with more blackberries and a light tartness of Chinese prune candy. As it opens further, there are some vine leaves, mulberry leaves and red licorice emerging with a chewy quality about it, mixed in with some cardamom spice too. It levels off rich and fruity, like a bag of red wine gummies.

Taste: Firm, rich and yet very balanced. Medium-bodied here, with great density without getting heavy, tons of fruitiness without getting sweet or cloying. Firm tannins on the body, while offering a really good concentration and vibrance of dark fruits – blueberries, dark cherries and blackcurrants are all here, turning towards a tart mix of freshly pressed berries and a side of berry jam. As it opens up further, some aromatic coffee powder, tobacco leaves, as well as mulberry leaves work their way in. With time, it lifts to give more red cherries and red liquorice candy.

Finish: Really long and firm. Acidity and tannins make a reappearance towards the finish with more tart blackberries and blackcurrants, reminiscent of blackcurrant cordial. Richness and concentration carries all the way to the finish with some further spiced qualities of cloves and perhaps some tobacco. It’s plush and silky all the way through, with a touch of lightly savoury oily prosciutto.

My Thoughts

This brings to mind the phrase “an iron fist in a velvet glove”!

It’s a thoroughly enjoyable red from Viñedo Chadwick, you already get a sense of the ageing potential here, with the firm yet already soft tannins, as well as the great concentration of fruit on the body.

However, what was most impressive here for me was that concentration - it was at once immense yet plush and soft! Almost an integration of muscularity and elegance. It’s bold yet very much rounded. This was delivered splendidly with a firm and rich body that kept well to its structure. Where it felt like the edges of it were some impossible to reach tertiary notes, I’d say there’s still so much room for the depth to develop.

The nose was incredibly aromatic, this vibrant bouquet that immediately emerged from the glass, at first starting out dark and rich, with a nice chewiness about it, and as it blossoms, it continued to lift and brighten, showcasing layers of evolution that even take me to black forest cake before finally landing on candied red liquorice.

The palate carried across the same concentration, here showcasing more of that light acidity and vibrance. Yet despite the richness and fruitiness of the berries, it never weighs on the palate or turn cloying, keeping the overall profile incredibly approachable.

The finish brought on more spices and savouriness that balances out the lush fruits, with a power that carried the concentration of the fruit all the way through to the finish.

An overall splendid showing of the 2022 vintage. Tasting it upon release, it’s clear from that concentration and power that this can keep on developing in the cellar for years to come, and at the same time, it’s just as well ready to be enjoyed, already plush and rounded in its structure and body. 

@CharsiuCharlie