Errazuriz Don Maximiano Founder’s Reserve 2018

“The peachy, soft and velvety 2018 Villa Don Maximiano keeps the tradition of the founder of Errázuriz, Don Maximiano, but with a more modern and fresher profile through a blend of 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Syrah, 21% Malbec, 16% Cabernet Franc, 7% Grenache and 5% Mourvedre. It’s both powerful, ripe, elegant and fresh, quite aromatic and harmonious, easy to drink and understand. It’s a complex blend with some Mediterranean notes and a seamless palate with very fine tannins and a vibrant mouthfeel. It had a long élevage in barrique and Stockinger foudres that lasted 22 months. 23,860 bottles produced. It was bottled in February 2020. Drink: 2021-2027. 93 points

Errázuriz celebrated its 150th anniversary, as the winery was created in 1870. They are one of the quality leaders of Chile despite producing 4.8 million bottles per year. 2020 and 2017 were super warm, and 2019 was moderately warm and somewhat flying under the radar after the stellar 2018. I was very pleasantly surprised by the 2019s, in some cases better than the 2018s and also the Max line that showed superb.”

Luis Gutierrez, Wine Advocate (256)