CHILE VINTAGE GUIDE
Most recent vintage first. Click a year to see what we have in stock.
2024 - A warm, dry summer with a January heat spike and an early harvest gave ripe, generous, fruit-forward reds; the coastal and southern regions kept more freshness. Good to very good; drink over the medium term.
2023 - Devastating summer wildfires in the south and extreme heat in January and February made 2023 difficult; the central valleys produced ripe, soft, early-maturing wines, the coast fared better. Choose by region and producer.
2022 - A dry, warm, even season — drought persisted — gave concentrated, ripe, well-balanced reds in moderate quantity. Very good across Maipo, Colchagua and the coast.
2021 - Like 2018, this was a cooler growing season, and proved to be an exciting vintage across the board, leading to balanced wines with good acidity. Winemakers were in no hurry to harvest, and picked grapes at their peak, providing balanced alcohol and reds with ripe tannins. Winemakers continue to plan for dry growing seasons by experimenting with dry farming and innovations in water conservation.
2020 - - Weather extremes defined the harvest beginning with a serious drought and warm temperatures in winter, leading to early flowering. Harvest dates were subsequently brought forward after blistering, unrelenting heat through the summer. This proved to be advantageous as pandemic quarantine protocols were enacted. Yield was reduced by twenty to thirty percent due to drought, frost and heat. Drought will continue to be a concern for winemakers who are looking more and more to drought-resistant varietals. Despite challenges from weather and global pandemic, the quality of the vintage is excellent, especially in areas on or near the coast. Early harvest allowed the production of wines with great quality, minerality, freshness, tension and potential for aging.
2019 - While widely considered an above average vintage, heat spikes in summer and winter drought conditions impacted yield, expected to be ten to twenty percent lower in the major wine producing regions. Broadly speaking, red wines are showing good color and fine structure, despite dehydration that presented in some varieties. Although coastal breezes protected much of the white wine harvest from the most intense heat, low precipitation diminished production. In both red and white wines, it seems that decrease in yield improved concentration.
2018 - After the challenging weather and fires in previous years, winemakers were thrilled with a generally dry and cool growing season that offered ample heat to ripen fruit, yielding above average quantity and high quality. Coastal regions ripened later, increasing yield. Wines present with fine color, rich tannins, good acidity, elegance and typicity. Most winemakers expect great aging potential for red wines. Many consider this the best vintage of the decade.
2017 - Much as the 2010 vintage will be remembered for the catastrophic earthquake that struck near Concepcion, wrath returned to Chile in 2017 in the form of wildfires in the south (affecting Maule, Itata, and Bio-Bio) as well as floods in the north (affecting Limari). It’s difficult to generalize resulting wines where such diversity of climactic challenges are possible, as Chile’s winegrowing area stretches 1000 miles north-to-south. Points in-between had a warm growing season with an early harvest which was successful for Carménère in particular. Smoke-tainted wines from the widespread wildfires are thought to be successfully declassified out of premium bottlings that might show the characteristic as the wine ages.
2016 - The same El Niño weather system that wrought havoc in Mendoza affected many of Chile's growing regions in 2016, as well. As in Argentina, the whites faired better as most of the fruit was in by the time the rains arrived in April. Quality in the reds is more variable, especially in Maipo, Rapel, and Colchagua. Bright acidity and moderate alcohols are the norm, making this a year especially suited to whites and rosés.
2015 - Managing excessive heat was the name of the game for most of Chile's producers. Timely rain storms late in the season helped in this regard, as the additional moisture served to dilute sugars just enough so that growers could achieve a semblance of balance in the final wines, especially in the districts of the Central Valley. In general, producers are very optimistic about the wines, but this a vintage that decidedly favors power over finesse.
2014 - The chief challenge of 2014 was a devastating, nation-wide frost in spring that resulted in up to a 50% reduction in yields in some regions, especially along the coasts. However, a warm and dry summer and harvest treated the remaining fruit to a nearly ideal season. While producers bemoan the loss of fruit, the quality of the finished wines is outstanding across the board, especially for the late-ripening varietals. Fans of Chile will want to go big on 2014, as long as market availability holds up.
2013 - The coolest vintage in at least a decade, 2013 was a year in which basically every varietal, red and white, struggled to the finish line. Harvest lasted from mid-March to late May, one of the latest harvests on record, and the resulting wines are quite atypical for Chile. Still, fans of racy, electrically charged whites and taut reds full of structural tension will find plenty to love in the 2013 wines. But, as is always the case with an irregular vintage, proper homework is required before making purchase decisions.
2012 - Hot and dry conditions prevailed along the entire length of the country, forcing growers to be extra judicious about picking and winemakers to be reserved in the winery. The potential for over-extraction was on everyone's mind, but the cautious producers managed to make brawny reds with great balance for aging and fleshy, flavorful whites with immediate appeal. The cooler regions also managed to turn out elegant Syrah and Pinot Noir wines.
2011 - A cool, late year — the coolest in a decade — produced elegant, fresh, aromatic wines with moderate alcohol and fine structure. Excellent for Cabernet in Maipo and Pinot on the coast; the top wines have aged well.
2010 - The February earthquake struck just before harvest and destroyed millions of litres in the wineries, but the season itself was cool and even: fresh, balanced, well-structured wines from what was saved. Very good.
2009 - A warm, dry year gave ripe, concentrated, generous reds. Very good; drinking well now.
2008 - A dry, moderate season produced balanced, fresh, well-structured wines — one of the better vintages of the decade. Mature now.
2007 - A cool, dry year with a long ripening period gave elegant, aromatic, finely structured reds — an excellent vintage, especially for Maipo Cabernet. The top wines are still good.
2006 - A mild, even season produced balanced, fresh, classic wines. Very good; mature.
2005 - A warm, dry year with a settled harvest gave ripe, concentrated, well-balanced reds — excellent in Maipo and Colchagua. The best have aged well.
2004 - A warm season produced ripe, generous, approachable wines. Mature; drink.
2003 - A warm, dry year gave ripe, full-bodied reds with soft tannin. Mature; drink up.
2002 - A cool, rainy harvest produced lighter, variable wines. Past their best.
2001 - A warm, dry, even year gave ripe, structured, age-worthy Cabernet — one of the best vintages of the era. The top wines are still holding.
2000 - A cool, mild year produced fresh, elegant, medium-bodied wines. Fully mature.