Viñedo Chadwick is another project from Eduardo Chadwick of Viña Errázuriz, a man who has been instrumental in building Chile’s reputation in the fine wine arena. His father, Alfonso Chadwick Errázuriz bought the 300-hectare estate in the Alto Maipo Valley in 1945, to indulge his love of wine and polo, having captained the Chilean team for many years. In 1992 – realising that his father’s polo field sat on gravel soils perfectly suited to Cabernet – Eduardo persuaded him to convert it to vineyards. Sadly Alfonso died the following year, before he could see the fruit of the project. In 1999, the first vintage of Viñedo Chadwick – an ultra-premium expression of Chilean Cabernet from the Maipo Valley – was made, in tribute to Alfonso and continuing his legacy.
Viñedo Chadwick made the history books in 2004 when it came first in the Berlin Tasting – arranged by Eduardo Chadwick to prove the potential of Chilean fine wine. Chadwick’s premium expressions of Chile were tasted blind alongside the world’s finest Bordeaux blends, including First Growth Claret and Super Tuscans. The results, with Viñedo Chadwick and Seña leading the pack, officially put Chile on the fine wine map. The 2014 vintage of Viñedo Chadwick was the first Chilean wine to be awarded 100 points, as rated by critic James Suckling.
The aim here is to produce a wine of elegance and purity that expresses a real sense of place. The wine is often 100% Cabernet, but a small percentage of Petit Verdot is included in some years. Today Viñedo Chadwick competes with the finest Cabernets from around the world.