Seña

Seña was born from conversations begun in 1991 when Eduardo Chadwick, whose family owns Viña Errázuriz, guided Robert Mondavi through Chile's top wine regions. Mondavi saw a clear parallel with his Opus One partnership at Bordeaux and proposed creating a Cabernet-dominant estate wine that could rival the world's First Growths. It took several years to identify the right site, eventually found on a hillside in the Ocoa area of Aconcagua Valley. The inaugural 1995 vintage was produced and released commercially in 1997, making Seña Chile's first wine conceived from the outset as a global icon. When Constellation Brands acquired the Robert Mondavi Corporation in 2004, Chadwick moved swiftly to purchase Mondavi's share, and Seña has been 100% Chadwick-family-owned since 2005.

• Name 'Seña' means 'sign' or 'distinguishing mark' in Spanish, intentionally signalling Chile's emergence as a serious fine wine producer
• Partnership modelled on the Bordeaux First Growth concept, prioritising a single estate, limited production, and Cabernet Sauvignon dominance
• 100% Chadwick-family-owned since 2005, after Eduardo Chadwick acquired Mondavi's stake following Constellation Brands' purchase of the Robert Mondavi Corporation

Before Seña, Chilean wine was largely dismissed internationally as a source of reliable value rather than world-class quality. The defining moment came on 23 January 2004, when Eduardo Chadwick organised a blind tasting in Berlin, modelled on the 1976 Judgment of Paris and managed by the late wine critic Steven Spurrier. Thirty-six respected European critics evaluated 16 wines: Seña 2001 placed second and Viñedo Chadwick 2000 placed first, beating Château Lafite, Château Margaux, Château Latour, Sassicaia, Tignanello, Solaia, and Guado al Tasso. The format was subsequently repeated in over 17 countries, reaching more than 1,400 wine professionals, with Chilean wines placing in the top three in 20 of 22 events. The Berlin Tasting fundamentally repositioned Chile within the global fine wine conversation.

• Berlin Tasting, 23 January 2004: Seña 2001 placed second and Viñedo Chadwick 2000 placed first in a blind tasting of 36 European critics, defeating First Growth Bordeaux and top Super Tuscans
• The tasting was repeated in more than 17 countries, with Chilean wines achieving top-three placement in 20 of 22 events, reaching over 1,400 wine experts
• Seña is sold via La Place de Bordeaux, placing it alongside First Growth Bordeaux in the global fine wine distribution network

The Seña vineyard occupies a 42-hectare hillside site in the Ocoa area of Aconcagua Valley, with an eastern exposure that provides shelter from the most intense Pacific winds while still benefiting from the maritime cool of the Humboldt Current approximately 40 kilometres to the west. This position creates an extended ripening season with warm, sunny days and cool nights, allowing Cabernet Sauvignon to achieve full phenolic maturity while retaining freshness and acidity. Soils are diverse: gravelly, colluvial, and volcanic materials on upper slopes provide drainage and mineral character, while different blocks suit the individual Bordeaux varieties in the blend. Vines were planted from 1999 and estate fruit has been used exclusively since 2004. Biodynamic principles have been in practice since 2005, encompassing cover crop management, on-site composting, and holistic soil nutrition, with the estate producing 120,000 bottles in strong vintages such as 2021.

• 103-acre (42 ha) estate vineyard at Ocoa; eastern exposure shelters vines from cool Pacific winds while preserving maritime influence; approximately 40 km from the Pacific
• Soils are gravelly, colluvial, and volcanic on upper slopes; excellent drainage and mineral character are key to Cabernet Sauvignon and Carmenère performance
• Biodynamic farming since 2005: cover crops, on-site compost, minimal chemical intervention; estate fruit used exclusively since 2004, with the Seña Vineyard planted from 1999 and the Las Vertientes parcel contributing Mediterranean varieties

Seña's winemaking prioritises terroir expression and structural elegance. Grapes are fermented primarily in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, with approximately 10% fermented in concrete vessels, preserving aromatic purity. The wine is aged for 18 to 22 months in French oak barrels, typically with around 70% new oak, plus approximately 10% of the volume in large foudres (2,500-litre casks), which add textural complexity without aggressive oak flavour. The blend is Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant, typically 50-60%, complemented by Malbec, Carmenère, Petit Verdot, and in some vintages Cabernet Franc; the proportions shift meaningfully by vintage. Francisco Baettig, who made the wines from 2003 until his final harvest in 2021, progressively shifted the style toward greater elegance and freshness. Current technical director Emily Faulconer continues this philosophy, with the 2023 vintage earning 99 points from both Decanter and James Suckling.

• Fermentation in stainless steel (approximately 90%) and concrete vessels (approximately 10%); controlled temperatures preserve aromatic complexity and freshness
• Maturation: 18-22 months in French oak barrels (approximately 70% new) plus 10% in large foudres; regimen balances structure with fruit purity
• Blend shifts each vintage within a Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant framework (50-60%); Malbec increases in cooler years for freshness; Carmenère provides Chile's distinctive herbal and spiced character

Seña has achieved rare consistency in critical scoring across decades. The 2018 vintage (96-point average across major critics), praised by winemaker Francisco Baettig as one of the finest ever made, demonstrated what a balanced, non-heatwave season produces. The 2019, marking Seña's 25th vintage, received 98 points from James Suckling and 97 from Decanter. The 2021, a cooler year with a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Malbec, 17% Carmenère, and 6% Petit Verdot, earned a perfect 100 points from James Suckling and 98+ from Wine Advocate, and placed third on James Suckling's Top 100 Wines of the World. The 2023 vintage, the first full release under Emily Faulconer, received 99 points from Decanter, 99 from James Suckling, and 96 from Wine Advocate. Wine-Searcher's aggregate critic score across all vintages averages 95 points.

• 2021 Seña: 100 points James Suckling, 98+ Wine Advocate; blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Malbec, 17% Carmenère, 6% Petit Verdot; bottled February 2023 after 22 months in oak
• 2018 and 2019 vintages (both 96-98 point range across critics) represent the Baettig-era benchmark for freshness and structured elegance
• 2023 vintage: first full release under Emily Faulconer; 99 points Decanter, 99 points James Suckling, 96 points Wine Advocate; blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Malbec, 15% Carmenère, 6% Petit Verdot

Seña sits at the centre of the Viñedos Familia Chadwick portfolio, alongside Viña Errázuriz's Don Maximiano Founder's Reserve and the single-vineyard Viñedo Chadwick from Maipo Valley's Puente Alto. Together these three wines were the subjects of the Berlin Tasting and its global sequels. Seña's commercial innovation extended to distribution: Chadwick listed it on La Place de Bordeaux, placing Chile's icon wine in the same distribution system as the First Growths. The second wine Rocas de Seña, first released with the 2020 vintage, is a Malbec-led blend incorporating Mediterranean varieties (Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre) sourced from both Seña vineyard parcels and the lower-altitude Las Vertientes blocks, offering earlier accessibility at a lower price point. The 20th anniversary of the Berlin Tasting was celebrated in February 2024 at the Regent Hotel in Berlin, with multiple verticals of Seña showcasing the wine's proven ageing potential.

• Part of the Viñedos Familia Chadwick portfolio alongside Viña Errázuriz Don Maximiano Founder's Reserve and Viñedo Chadwick; three wines that defined the Berlin Tasting
• Listed on La Place de Bordeaux, the global distribution system used by Bordeaux First Growths, placing Seña directly in the world's premier fine wine marketplace
• Rocas de Seña (first vintage 2020) is a standalone expression emphasising Malbec and Mediterranean varieties from the estate and Las Vertientes blocks, designed for earlier drinking while the flagship matures