25 brilliant Chilean red wines made from Bordeaux grapes

Chile has a long history of producing high-end reds based on Bordeaux grapes. We pick out the best on the market right now following an extensive tasting last month – which included a range of completely new releases, and one outstanding varietal Malbec.

The following selection ranges from pure Cabernets with cassis fruit and dense, dry tannins to softer wines with more red fruit, and peppery spice, that tend to incorporate, or be dominated by, Chile’s emblematic grape: Carmenere. Both types of wine are accessible in their youth, but would clearly age well.

Best among 2025’s high end samples, often termed icon wines, were the bottles from the Don Melchor Estate, including a new single-vineyard expression – which you can read more about here – although there was a raft of reds that came close in quality, in particular those from the Rothschild estate and the Vik winery, along with those from Montes and Santa Rita, as well as Antinori’s property in Pirque.

DELANZ CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2023

Producer: Carmen
Region: Maipo Valley
Grape varieties: 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc
ABV: 13.5%
Approx. retail price: £30
Score: 93

A taut and tannic red with noticeable acidity too, along with plenty of pure, intense, just-ripe fruit, from plums to raspberry, along with cassis and blackcurrant leaf. The finish is bright and lingering, with sour cherry, cedar wood and a firm structure, which suggests that this is a wine that’s been crafted to cellar.

ALBIS 2022

Producer: Haras de Pirque
Region: Maipo Andes
Grape varieties: 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Carmenere
ABV: 14.5%
Approx. retail price: £40
Score: 95

An impressive blend of Cabernet and Carmenere from the organic Antinori estate in the Alto Maipo sub-region of Pirque. Rich in flavours of cassis and black pepper, along with a touch of rosemary, then plums and cherry, followed by vanilla and cedar. A beautifully made and age-worthy red with intense, ripe and pure fruit, and plenty of firm, dry tannins to make the mouth water.

PITIO 2022

Producer: Haras de Pirque
Region: Maipo Andes
Grape varieties: 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet franc
ABV: 14.5%
Approx. retail price: £40
Score: 95+

A deeply-coloured and powerful-yet-refreshing Cabernet-dominant blend from the Chilean outpost of Italy’s Antinori wine family. Mixed among the blackcurrant and plums are cracked pepper and morello cherry, dark chocolate and cigar box, followed by dense, velvety, mouth-coating tannins. Concentrated and ripe in the mid-palate, but cedary, fresh and dry on the finish.

TABALI ROCA MADRE 2019

Producer: Tabali
Region: Limarí
Grape variety: 100% Malbec
ABV: 14%
Approx. retail price: £42
Score: 95

Could this be Chile’s best Malbec? It’s certainly a serious and ageworthy red wine, with layers of delicious flavours. Using grapes from the Limarí Valley – better known for the quality of its reds made from Pinot Noir and Syrah – this has concentration and freshness, as well as characters ranging from sweet black cherry and blackberry coulis to plums and cherry stone, along with delicate notes of cedar and toast, then plenty of black pepper too, along with dense, mouth-coating tannins on the finish.

CABO DE HORNOS 2022

Producer: VSPT
Region: Cachapoal Valley Andes
Grape variety: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
ABV: 14.5%
Approx. retail price: £40
Score: 95

A seriously good pure Cabernet from Cachapoal, this has plenty of cassis and blackberry jam, mixed with cherry and chocolate, and a touch of roasted coffee. Fully ripe, but not raisined, with spice, a touch of cream, then cigar box and plenty of fine, dry tannins too.

MANSO DE VELASCO 2021

Producer: Miguel Torres
Region: Curicó
Grape variety: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
ABV: 14%
Approx. retail price: £40
Score: 93+

A top wine from Miguel Torres in Chile capturing the wonderful characters of a 100year-old, ungrafted Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard in the Curicó Valey. The result is a powerful and structured wine, with dense, mouth-coating tannins and intense, ripe fruit. Flavour-wise it’s dominated by ripe blackcurrant, complemented by notes of strawberry and vanilla, with some cocoa powder and black cherry too. Still impressively firm in mouthfeel now, but with the potential to soften over time.

CABALLO LOCO APALTA 2023

Producer: Valdivieso
Region: Apalta Valley
Grape varieties: 70% Carmenere, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon
ABV: 14.5%
Approx. retail price: £45
Score: 93+

A lovely, soft, easy-to-drink and layered red dominated by old-vine Carmenere from Apalta. Flavours range from cassis to crushed strawberry, green peppercorn to dark chocolate, and vanilla to tangerine in what is a complex and medium-weight wine with ripe, fleshy fruit, fine oak and a herbal edge.

BARONESA P. 2022

Producer: Baron Philippe de Rothschild Chile
Region: Maipo
Grape varieties: 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Carmenere, 5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot, 1% Syrah
ABV: 14%
Approx. retail price: £50
Score: 97+

Named in honour of the late Baroness Philippine de Rothschild, this outstanding blend of Bordeaux grapes – with a touch of Syrah – is a wonderfully complex and instantly satisfying wine from the Rothschild estate in the Maipo. Ripe and fleshy, with smooth tannins and a mouthwatering finish, it’s almost Napa-like in its quality, concentration and balance, but retains that Chilean stamp of cassis and peppercorns. On top of such traits is a range of further characters, from blackberry to plums, a touch of sweet balsamic and black coffee, caramel and dark chocolate, and a lovely, fine but firm tannic structure to frame the soft fruit.

RIVALTA 2021

Producer: Santa Ema
Region: Maipo
Grape varieties: 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Carmenere, 6% Cabernet Franc
ABV: 14%
Approx. retail price: £55
Score: 94

A barrel selection of the best reds from Santa Ema, Rivalta is a rich, powerful wine, but with an appealing freshness – perhaps due to the cooler conditions of the 2021 harvest from which this expression hails. It’s also a wine with a touch of evolution, showing some notes of stewed fruit, blood orange and dried grass. Adding weight and complexity are some ripe cherry and blackberry, along with dark chocolate and cedar wood. The finish is fresh, with a touch of rosemary, tangerine and dense, dry tannins too.

LA PIU BELLE 2022

Producer: Vik
Region: Cachapoal Valley, Millahue
Grape varieties: 81% Carmenere, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Syrah
ABV: 14%
Approx. retail price: £69
Score: 97

One of Chile’s greatest Carmeneres, La Piu Belle from Vik consistently delivers instant appeal and complexity, helped by the addition of Cabernet and Syrah to the blend. Flavours abound, from blackcurrant jam to cherry coulis, raspberry to red capsicum, along with white pepper and dark chocolate, then some toast too. While soft and fleshy, the wine is not overripe, and has some fine, dry tannins to ensure it has a refreshing finale.

INTRIGA MÁXIMA 2022

Producer: MontGras
Region: Linderos, Maipo Andes
Grape variety: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
ABV: 13.5%
Approx. retail price: £70
Score: 94

A serious and grippy pure Cabernet from 60-year-old vines in the Maipo Andes, this top expression from MontGras is an impressive and cellar-worthy red. Rich in mouth-coating tannins and intensely concentrated fruit, there are notes of blackcurrant and cherry, rosemary, cedar and chocolate. A structured and powerful wine that should age well.

TERRANOBLE RAÍCES DEL MAULE 2022

Producer: TerraNoble
Region: Maule
Grape varieties: 42% Cabernet Franc, 41% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Carmenere, 5% Carignan, 2% Merlot
ABV: 13.5%
Approx. retail price: £90
Score: 93

A lovely, interesting and high-end expression from Maule, this super-sippable red is loaded with sweet red berry fruit – from raspberry to cherry – allied to notes of blackcurrant and cracked pepper, a hint of cream, cedar and cocoa, followed by fine, dry tannin, and a soft but fresh acidity to bring the medium-weight wine to a mouthwatering close.

ALTAIR 2022

Producer: VSPT
Region: Cachapoal Andes Valley
Grape varieties: 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Cabernet Franc, 18% Carmenere, 1% Syrah, 1% Petit Verdot
ABV: 14%
Approx. retail price: £77.50
Score: 96

A beautifully balanced and complex wine that delivers instant appeal but has age-worthy status too, Altair is one of Chile’s great reds, if relatively under the radar. From the first sip there are waves of complementary flavours, above all ripe red and black berry fruit matched to chocolate and caramel from barrel ageing, but also plum and cherry stone, even a touch of raspberry coulis, then white pepper, along with vanilla cream. The mouthfeel is medium-weight, if ripe and fleshy, with a mouthwatering edge, as the wine finishes with a mix of orange zest and velvet-textured tannins.

PURPLE ANGEL 2021

Producer: Montes
Region: Colchagua Valley
Grape varieties: 92% Carmenere, 8% Petit Verdot
ABV: 14.5%
Approx. retail price: £75
Score: 95

A massive Carmenere from Montes, Purple Angel impresses immediately, primarily for its structure and concentration. Dark cherry and blackberry, cassis and raspberry coulis are the flavours that come first, quickly backed up by creamy chocolate, caramel, then mocha too, followed by a hint of green peppercorn and dried rosemary, bringing a herbal interest. Finally, the tannins arrive, which are firm, gripping the mouth, and leaving one salivating. Not just impressive now, but a structured wine for a long life in the cellar too.

CABALLO LOCO NO. 21 NV

Producer: Valdivieso
Region: Limarí
Grape varieties: 92% Carmenere, 8% Petit Verdot
ABV: 14.5%
Approx. retail price: £75
Score: 95+

This fascinating wine mixes grapes and vintages to create something complex and layered, successfully combining mature notes with fresh fruit. That means that while there is some cigar box, stewed cherry, prune, leather and balsamic, there’s also fresh raspberry and blackberry, dark chocolate and dried mint, and a more-ish, salty, gently tannic finish too. Delicious.

PATER 2017

Producer: Luis Felipe Edwards
Region: Colchagua Valley, Puquillay Alto Mountains
Grape variety: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
ABV: 14.7%
Approx. retail price: £78
Score: 94+

A mature wine that’s ready to drink, but far from tired, Pater’s current release hails from the 2017 vintage, using Cabernet from the mountainous vineyards of Puquillay Alto, where Luis Felipe Edwards owns land. With almost 10 years of ageing, there are flavours of tangerine and balsamic, prunes and cigar box, along with sweet cherry and cassis, even a touch of black pepper and milk chocolate too. Spicy and fleshy, it’s also layered and lingering, as well as chewy – there are still plenty of dry tannins in this slowly evolving wine.

MAQUIS FRANCO 2021

Producer: Maquis
Region: Colchagua
Grape varieties: 91% Cabernet Franc, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon
ABV: 13.8%
Approx. retail price: £100
Score: 95+

This great Cabernet Franc is a wonderful mix of pepper and raspberry, dried herbs and cedar wood, with just a touch of stewed fruit, and plenty of firm, fine dry tannins. Structured, serious, layered, as well as versatile and refreshing, this is a fine wine that could be cellared to open and reveal more, as well as enjoyed now with grilled chicken or roast lamb.

MAQUIS VIOLA 2021

Producer: Maquis
Region: Colchagua
Grape varieties: 89% Carmenere, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc
ABV: 13.5%
Approx. retail price: £100
Score: 94+

An amazing Carmenere-dominant red that manages to be both fleshy and fine-structured, instantly appealing yet age-worthy too. While just medium-weight in body, there’s a mass of flavours, from red berry to black cherry, plums to white pepper, chocolate to cedar, and while the core is sweet, ripe fruit, there’s a hint of nettle to bring coolness, and plenty of firm tannins to make you salivate. It’s almost Pinot-like in flavour, but Cabernet-like in structure.

CASA REAL 2022

Producer: Santa Rita
Region: Maipo Valley
Grape variety: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
ABV: 13.5%
Approx. retail price: £100
Score: 96

This long-established icon Cabernet Sauvignon is both rich and refreshing, with a long life ahead of it. Tasted now, it’s all about fleshy red and black fruit, particularly concentrated blackcurrant, with complementary notes of bitter chocolate and cedar wood, tobacco leaf and black pepper, then a touch of plum and sour cherry, followed by dense, firm, rich tannins. In essence, a modern classic with persistence, structure and complexity.

CARMEN GOLD 2022

Producer: Carmen
Region: Maipo Valley
Grape varieties: 94% Cabernet Sauvignon , 6% Cabernet Franc
ABV: 13.5%
Approx. retail price: £100
Score: 93

A somewhat firm and very youthful-seeming Cabernet-dominant top-end red, with plenty of fresh fruit and dense tannins. Flavour-wise there’s plums and cherry, blackberry and bitter chocolate, followed by cedar, with a dry, chewy texture that comes through on the finish.

VIK 2022

Producer: Vik
Region: Cachapoal Valley, Millahue
Grape varieties: 79% Cabernet Franc, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon
ABV: 14%
Approx. retail price: £150
Score: 96

This top expression from Vik winery is simply called Vik, and impresses for its density and freshness. Dominant are sweet red cherry and blackcurrant jam, complemented by toasted marshmallow and black peppercorns, and backed up by cedar and dark chocolate. The finish may be intensely tannic, but that matches well the fruit, which is ripe and fleshy, ensuring this structured red is harmonious, even in this youthful state.

DON MELCHOR DM/01 2022

Producer: Don Melchor
Region: Maipo
Grape varieties: 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc
ABV: 14.5%
Approx. retail price: £118
Score: 98

An outstanding new release from the Don Melchor estate capturing the strong and appealing personality from a single plot from the property. Structured and refreshing, but rich and creamy too, this is a really fine and appealing wine. Flavour-wise there’s sweet blackcurrant and crushed strawberry, white pepper and violets, chocolate and a touch of toast. Layered, lively, but also intense and tannic, it’s hard not to drink, even in this youthful state.

MONTES MUSE 2021

Producer: Montes
Region: Maipo Valley
Grape varieties: 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2.5% Petit Verdot, 2.5% Cabernet Franc
ABV: 14.5%
Approx. retail price: £110
Score: 98

This first-rate red from Montes is big but balanced – meaning that everything may be intense and powerful, but it slots together harmoniously. It’s also complex, with flavours including cherry coulis and raspberry jam, cassis and sweet balsamic, dark chocolate and cigar box, and a touch of peppercorn. Following the ripe, sweet, fleshy fruit and creamy oak is a frame of fine-grained, dense tannins, along with some warming alcohol.

DON MELCHOR 2022

Producer: Don Melchor
Region: Maipo
Grape varieties: 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, 1% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot
ABV: 15%
Approx. retail price: £150
Score: 99

The latest release of Don Melchor is outstanding. Warming yet refreshing, sweet in fruit and yet dry in texture, fully ripe but not raisined, this youthful icon red is both generous and balanced. And, while it is 15% ABV, it fits with the powerful character of this impressive wine. It takes a few sips to assess all the flavours, which are myriad, and include cherry jam and blackberry coulis with crushed raspberry and sweet cassis, followed by toast and vanilla cream, then cracked black pepper and cedar wood. There’s spice, and fine, dense, dry tannin to bring a mouthwatering close too.

How the wines were chosen

The wines featured in this selection were taken from some of the leading producers in Chile. Wines of Chile asked them to submit no more than two wines for sampling. The wineries put forward commercially available samples that they were most proud of, representing new and exciting bottles, along with the latest vintages of established labels. All the samples were assessed blind.