Seña, Aconcagua Valley (Chile) 2019

 Twenty-five vintages ago, an exuberant Robert Mondavi and a quite young Eduardo Chadwick launched Seña, intending it to be an iconic Chilean wine.  Without doubt, it has fulfilled that prophecy.  “It was a great 10 years with Bob and Tim,” Chadwick said in a recent Zoom interview, but, after the Mondavi winery was sold to Constellation, Chadwick and his Errázuriz wine business gained full ownership.  This 25th edition represents the continued evolving of their dream – less Cabernet Sauvignon (60%) than the original with 21% Malbec, 15% Carmenere and 4% Petit Verdot.  Merlot, an early component, has been dropped out.  “Carmenere gives spiciness and balsamic, and Malbec provides chocolate and floral notes,” Chadwick says.  The 2019 is rich without being dense, and it walks a dazzling tightrope with velvety purple fruits – chiefly blackberries and blueberries – balanced by savory, earthy notes, chalky minerality and almost tart acidity with a final, lightly creamy persistence on the palate.