Seña 2023 Mondavi/Chadwick, Aconcagua Valley

Seña

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Seña 2023
Mondavi/Chadwick, Aconcagua Valley

Rating in the 100-point quality scale: 99

CHF 71.00

Content: 75 cl

Prices excl. 8,1% VAT plus shipping costs

Product number: n31961

Seña was created in 1995 as a joint venture between Eduardo Chadwick and Robert Mondavi, who shared a dream of making a wine that would show Chile’s full potential, a wine that would come to be welcomed, in time, among the world’s First Growths. Modelled on a Bordeaux style, it would have a Chilean soul given by its Carmenere variety, grown under biodynamic farming principles in the Aconcagua Valley. THE 2023 VINTAGE: With 228 mm of winter rainfall, slightly below average, the soils were well-nourished for the growing season.The ripening season was warm. Spring saw temperature fluctuations. As a result, bud break occurred around the usual dates, but it was more heterogeneous than normal, leading to a longer flowering window. Despite a higher heat summation during the summer, mean temperatures remained average due to elevated maximum temperatures being balanced by lower minimums. This contrast resulted from an increased number of foggy mornings, which facilitated quick fruit ripening while preserving acidity and enhancing anthocyanin accumulation. March was warm, so to achieve the flavor profile we aim for in Seña, the picking dates began 7 days earlier. Tasting notes: “Seña 2023 is a brilliant cherry-red colour with violet hues. The nose presents complexity and elegance, highlighting fresh red fruits like currants, along with floral notes of lavender and a touch of graphite. In the background, delicate balsamic and spicy nuances emerge, reminiscent of incense and cigar box. On the palate, intense flavours of fresh red fruit are perceived, accompanied by soft notes of marzipan, spicy notes of tobacco, toasted coffee, and licorice make an appearance. With excellent structure, its fine, polished tannins offer a fresh and elegant palate, with great persistence and balanced acidity, and remarkable linearity that enhances its freshness and precision. A wine with excellent aging potential” Emily Faulconer, Winemaker

Country:	Chile
Region:	Chile
Producer/appellation:	Mondavi/Chadwick
Wine type:	Red wines
Year:	2023
Content:	75 cl
Organic/bio dynamic:	No

Joaquin Hidalgo

Vinous

The 2023 Seña is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Malbec, 15% Carménère and 6% Petit Verdot from Ocoa. This aged for 18 months in 70% new French oak barrels, 20% second-use barrels and 10% in large foudres. It opens with forest floor and boldo aromas, followed by lavender, violet and black fruit. The expression is clean and precise. This is dry and taut, with fine-grained, reactive tannins and a long, juicy palate. Despite the warm year, it retains freshness and a graceful character, with a lingering finish and subtle power. 06/2025

Matthew Luczy

Robert Parker/Wine Advocate

Using a higher proportion of Carménère than is typical, the 2023 Seña opens with its signature fresh, lifted bouquet driven by mint, spice and red fruit aromas, developing graphite accents and a vanilla-tinged undercurrent with aeration. The palate beautifully balances a suave polish with tensile focus, releasing into a rich, slow-moving finish underpinned by mineral-driven nuances and a touch of refreshing salinity. This impressive showing from Seña in a warm vintage retains admirable freshness and verve. The blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Malbec, 15% Carménère, 6% Petit Verdot matured for 18 months in barrique and a small portion of foudre. 08/2025

Zekun Shuai

James Suckling

This cabernet sauvignon really shines, with subtle paprika, tobacco ash and vibrant red currants on the nose. Nuanced blackberries, blueberries, fine spices and a hint of cigar box. This fresh, lovely Sena comes from a warmer year than 2021 or 2022, with softer tannins. It’s super refined but driven, long and flavorful. More approachable and less structured and direct this year, with impeccable drinkability. 60% cabernet sauvignon, 19% malbec, 15% carmenere and 6% petit verdot. 18 months of aging, of which 90% is in French oak barrels, including 70% new and around 10% in foudres. Drinkable now, but it’s built for the next 20 years. 04/2025

Ines Salpico

Decanter

This vintage of Seña marks the transition between 'eras' with harvest still under the oversight of Francisco Baettig ahead of the arrival of Emily Faulconer, who then briefly left on maternity leave, with Baettig covering for her. The baton has been successfully passed on and Baettig left a fabulous vintage for Faulconer to start her trajectory at Errazuriz: full of detail and with remarkable purity of flavour. 2023 was a hot vintage in Chile but the Seña site benefited from wide temperature amplitude, allowing the fruit to retain the fine and lively acid that frames the wine from start to finish - and a long finish it is. A mineral nose, with gunpowder and graphite, preludes flavours of ripe wild strawberry, maraschino cherries, plum sorbet and cherry pit. Liquorice, bayleaf and sage, sprinkled with cinnamon and nutmeg, give nuance and definition. Lingering, spicy touch of spicy wild rocket. Drinking superbly now but with a great life ahead of it. 08/2025

Georgina Hindle

Decanter

What a knockout wine from Seña this year. Szechuan pepper spice on the nose, some chocolate notes, tobacco bell peppers and black cherry. High acidity makes the first mark, piercing and alive, so up front and forward with a dollop of ripe, almost sweet strawberry fruit, with a mouthwatering element that just makes you smile. Confident and so characterful. I love this wine, and could drink this all day. The length is incredible but the sense of energy and precision is also amazing as well as delivering a real push of flavour and complexity. Sheer brilliance. 14% Grenache, 9% Petit Verdot and 4% Mourvedre complete the blend. Director Eduardo Chadwick, winemaker Emily Faulconer. 07/2025