Wine Region: Maipo

(2025) The organic vineyards from which this wine's fruit is sourced sit at over 700 metres altitude. A little Carménère is in the blend, the wine aged fourteen months in French oak. Smooth and elegant on the nose, with density and a cedary character, some characteristic leafiness in the background. Having said that, this has 14.5% alcohol and onto the palate the sweet, all-encompassing succulence and ripeness of black fruit is what drives this; it is chocolaty and dense, and far from Cab Franc's greener side. Tannins are sumptuous, a cherry note of sour and acidity works beautifully, in a long and fleshy wine that walks a nice line between hedonism and elegance.

(2025) From 10- to 20-year-old organic vineyards, and with 15% Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend, this was aged 14 months in French oak barriques. A similar feeling of density and cedary concentration as the Galantas, and again just a glimpse of gently leafy character, but meaty as ripe blackcurrant begins to emerge. In the mouth this fairly explodes with flavour and richness, the flood of fleshy and sweet black fruit and sumptuous texture marries with firm but chocolate-dense tannins and loads of spice. The tannin and cedary power of the oak really grip towards the finish, though acidity is fresh and well matched, suggesting this should drink well for some time.

(2024) This single estate wine is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from Mapio. Only around 25% of the blend spent time in oak; six months in used French oak barriques. Vibrant crimson/purple, the nose has a certain aromatic lift and violet edge of ripeness, fruit is blackcurranty and ripe, with just a fine dusting of oak as the lightest veneer. In the mouth the fruit is sweet and concentrated, a certain plushness and richness offset by spicy tannins, oak tannins, and pert plum and cherry-skin bittersweetness. Stylishly done, and a good bet at Majestic's 'mixed six' price of £9.99. Watch my full video review for more information.

(2024) From a single block of coastal Maipo vineyard, planted in 1998, this wine spent 18 months in French oak (1/3 new) then a further 8 months in bottle before release. I'd recommend decanting, as this wine blossomed overnight in a stoppered bottle, from a slightly dull beginning, emerging packed with juicy blueberry fruit. Aromas are touched by spice and sappy, olive-like notes, then the palate opens up with dense and sweet fruit and a fine oak quality. The initial score I had in my head of 88 or so was replaced by one of 91 on the second day. Watch the video for more information and food-matching ideas.

(2023) This wine comes from an ungrafted Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard planted in 1964 and farmed without irrigation. There's 15% of Syrah in the blend, the wine aged 10 months in French oak barrels, 30% of which were new. Tobacco spices and charry notes merge with classic blackcurrant. There is a little glimpse of something more lifted and floral. It's a big, chocolaty-dense wine on the palate, plenty of barrel component adding char and nutmeg-like spice. The fruit is there, concentrated and deep, and the wine finishes with a bittersweet twist of liquorice and pepper from tight, spicy tannins and acidity. It's big and assertive, and though it won't suit everyone, it has its place. Note this has been offered with £3 off in Waitrose quite recently. Watch the video for more information and food matching ideas.

(2021) Quite reserved, quite classical, with some gravel and blackcurrant on the nose, a delicate graphite note and subtle oak. Very European in style. The palate bursts with real sweet fruit intensity, ripe cassis flavours, lots of juiciness and tang, but an infill of coffee-smooth tannins and fairly brisk acidity lengthens the finish. Possibly not Bordeaux, but with a Bordeaux sensibility?

(2021) Session host Alistair Cooper says Carmenere is coming of age to an extent, only having been rediscovered in Chile in the 1990s. Winemaker for Tarapaca, Sebastian Ruiz, explains that this wine from grantic soils closer to the ocean shows the influence that terroir has on the variety. So much denser and darker in colour than the three preceding reds, there's not a lot of the green, pyrozene character of some examples, but there is a dark, glossy fruity character and some real graphite finesse. The palate follows that recipe: smooth dark fruits, supple and creamy tannins, good acid balance and great drinkability.

(2021) Premium winemaker for Santa Rita, Sebastián Labbé, makes this from a selection of their oldest vineyards in the Alto Maipo. It undergoes spontaneous fermentation with wild yeasts and spends 14 months in second- and third-fill French oak barrels. Vibrant in colour and fruit profile, with blueberry and blackcurrant, but there's an olive-like herbal note too, and a subtle pencil-shaving finesse. In the mouth it offers a very silky, sweet and seductive depth of black fruits, but once again the acidity of this terroir and a chalky background of tannins adds fine freshness. Pure and fruity to the finish, it's another delicious but serious wine. No UK stockists listed at time of review.

(2019) Cousiño Macul was one of the earliest Chilean producers I bought way back in the 80s, due to a terrific red wine called Antiguas Reservas. This was my first tasting of their Sauvignon Gris, an uncommon grape variety, examples of which from other producers I have always enjoyed. With more density and meat than Sauvignon Blanc, this has pea-pod aromas and a bold, firm, dry stone fruit character, with mid-palate sweetness before a grippy and slightly phenolic finish of fruit skins and melon rind.

(2016) From a single vineyard in Chile's Maipo Valley, this Syrah from Concha y Toro was aged in barrels for 14 months, a combination of small 'barriques' and large 5,000-litre casks. It has an expressive nose with a hint of meaty, sizzling bacon fat against dark, plummy fruit. On the palate it is full-bodied and dense with its 14.5% alcohol, but that meatiness and the dark bittersweet fruit and acidity is well-matched by the structure in a food-friendly wine that will also cellar for a couple of years. Watch the video for food-matching advice and more information. Note: on sale at £9 in Tesco from 24/05 - 13/06, 2016.