T.H. Carignan (Maule)

James Suckling, Mar/2024

2022 -

"An excellent delivery of carignan that shows natural concentration, ripeness and, most importantly, freshness. Creme de cassis, blackberries and dried hibiscus flowers with a hint of sweet spices and chestnuts. Full-bodied and plump in the middle, supported by a strong undertone of fresh, fine tannins. Long and fresh. Drink now or hold."

Decanter World Wine Awards 2024

2022 -

"Brooding and dark, with a nose of cherry liquor, hints of red cherry, dark plum and plush berry fruit on the palate."

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, Apr/2023

2021 -

"The 2021 T.H. Carignan Maule was produced from dry-farmed, head-pruned vines in Maule. They look for freshness and fresh fruit, but this 2021 has darker fruit and 14.4% alcohol, but keeping the freshness. It has varietal character, some dusty minerality that gives it a rustic edge, dusty tannins and a long, dry finish. Most of the wine matured in larger foudres with only 15% of it in second and third use French oak barrels for 16 months. 22,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in November 2022."

James Suckling, Feb/2023

2021 -

"A deep yet floral carignan with plenty of dark cherries, violets, blue fruit and spices. Full-bodied and round on the palate with a fresh injection of acidity that delivers nice juiciness to the fleshy dark cherries and blueberries. Pretty long and attractive. Drink or hold."

Antonio Galloni's Vinous, Jun/2023

2021 -

"The 2021 Carignan T.H. from Maule was aged for 14 months in foudres. A vivid purple in hue. The attractive aromas include sour cherry over cotton candy with hints of dried flower and a layer of oak. Compact with a precise freshness that tickles the back of the throat slightly, the tannins bring some structure to the balanced palate. A lingering, flavorful wine."

Decanter World Wine Awards 2023

2021 -

"Intense aromas of ripe plums and cassis on the nose. Creamy palate, complex and impressive, with a long finish."

Tim Atkin MW, Chile Special Report 2022

2020 -

James Suckling, May/2022

2020 -

"Concentrated, but bright, with cherries and plums on the nose, as well as some stones, flowers, wild herbs and a hint of hazelnut. Rather austere with laser-beam acidity and very tight, powdery tannins. Very long and pure, too. 100% carignan. Give it at least a year to come around. Drink from 2024."

Antonio Galloni's Vinous, Jun/2022

2020 -

"The 2020 Carignan T.H. Undurraga from Maule was aged for 16 months in foudres and barrels. Vivid purple in hue. The attractive albeit slow-to-develop aromas include oak and sour cherry over cotton candy with hints of orange petit-fours. Compact with a precise freshness that lightly tickles the back of the throat. The tannins bring solidity to the balanced palate."

Wine Enthusiast, May/2023

2020 -

"Coming from dry-farmed old vines in the Maule Valley, this wine has great varietal expression with a fruity and spicy character. Black cherry, raspberry and cranberry, with hints of smoke reveal on the nose. A rich palate introduces notes of tart cherry, raspberry and peppercorn. Good acidity guides the flavors to a lasting finish. It's not overly complex, but it's very enjoyable." - Jesica Vargas

Wine Spectator, May/2023

2020 -

"An opening note of licorice weaves in and out of this medium-bodied red, with good intensity and acidity to the spiced raspberry core. Ends with a slight tug of tannins and baking spice details." - Aaron Romano

Tim Atkin MW, Chile Special Report 2021

2019 -

"Rafa Urrejola blends Carignan grapes from two sub-regions - Loncomilla with 32% Cauquenes - to produce this textbook expression of the grape from the Maule Valley. Aged in foudres and older 500-litre barrels, it's stony, meaty and intense, with compact tannins, refreshing acidity and the fruit power to age in bottle."

Descorchados 2022

2019 -

"Acidity is the backbone here where everything is sustained in this old-vine carignan from the Loncomilla zone, primarily from Sauzal, and all from dry-farmed vineyards in the heart of the Maule Valley secano. The palate is full of spicy flavors and ripe red fruits, while on the nose, sweet spices are in command. A warm year has influenced its level of freshness, but that doesn't prevent this red from showing the depth of flavors it usually offers."

Wine & Spirits, Oct/2021

2019 -

"This wine’s black fruit is powerfully structured, with iron-like minerality keeping the fruit focused and long. There’s a dark, rooty earthiness to the tannins, undercurrents of flavor that need bottle age to be fully revealed."

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, Aug/2021

2018 -

"One of the few wines I tasted from 2018 this time is the 2018 T.H. Carignan, which follows the path of the fresh 2016. It was produced with grapes from Cauquenes and Loncomilla, fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured in oak foudres and used barriques for 16 months. It has varietal character, Mediterranean notes of esparto grass, good ripeness without excess, keeping the freshness and precision and is clean and focused. It has some rusticity intermixed with a floral expression of the variety. 14,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in November 2019."

Descorchados 2021

2018 -

"The base of this carignan comes from the dry-farmed Santa Elena Vineyard in the Loncomilla secano in the Maule Valley. And it shows the bright fruit and floral touches that come from that vineyard in particular and the variety in general when grown on those soils and under the intense sun of the Maule Valley's dry-farmed secano, whose only source of water is the rain. The texture is firm, as the variety mandates, and the deliciously fruity flavors shoot out across the palate. A red to drink with charcuterie or to leave in the cellar for five years."

Wine Enthusiast, Apr/2022

2018 -

"Wild berry and plum aromas are woodsy and smoky like a fading campfire. This dry-farmed Carignan is classic Maule, meaning it's tight and direct in feel, with intense acidity and controlled tannins. Bold flavors of black plum and berry fruits finish with a peppery accent; drink through 2026."

International Wine Competition 2020

2018 -

"Juicy, peppery with loads of blackberry. Hints of menthol, prunes, dates and a fabulous dried fruit finish. Elegant too!"

Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate, Feb/2020

2017 -

"The 2017 T.H. Carignan that reflects the heat of the vintage, and the wine feels riper, especially when compared with the much cooler 2016. It has some nutty undertones, an earthy touch and some dusty rusticity in the tannins. It has a very Mediterranean profile and varietal character. 12,000 bottles produced."

Decanter World Wine Awards 2019

2016 -

"Silky and opulent with layers of fig, violet, tobacco and rose petal aromas, while the palate is laced with bittersweet cherry and smoky spice."

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, Feb/2020

2016 -

"The 2016 T.H. Carignan comes from one of the coolest vintages of the last few years, with 540 liters of rain. It mixes grapes from Cauquenes with a majority of grapes from Loncomilla in Melozal in a mild zone of Maule. It fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured in oak foudres and used barriques for 16 months. It has good freshness and precision and is clean and focused, a more floral expression of the variety, with good acidity and a vertical feeling. Today, I prefer this Carignan to the (already very good) Vigno from 2016. 8,280 bottles were filled in November 2017."

Tim Atkin MW, Chile Special Report 2019

2016 -

"Loncomilla and Sauzal are the joint sources of this dry-farmed Carignan. Dense, savoury and meaty with the bracing natural acidity that's a feature of Maule reds, this has aromas of incense and lavender and plenty of concentration." 

James Suckling, Apr/2019

2016 -

"This is a big carignan that heads into near-jammy territory with plum paste and violet extract. Full-bodied with lots of soft fruit and an essence-like palate, but it’s well carved out by some refreshing acidity. Drink now."

International Wine Challenge 2019

2015 -

"Heady nose of super ripe Carignan; confiture and spices with a touch of sweet leather. Plentiful fine tannins. Herbal and intense with a tangy and amazing finish. Bags of energy here."

Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate, Oct/2018

2015 -

“I tasted the 2015 T.H. Carignan next to two vintages of their Vigno. 2015 was a “normal” year in Maule, when they obtained ripe grapes and a good yield, and this bottling mixes grapes from Cauquenes and Melozal, 60 kilometers east of Cauquenes. The grapes were hand-selected, destemmed, crushed and put through a seven-day cold soak before fermenting with indigenous yeasts. It matured for some 16 months in French oak barrels, 20% of them new. There are some similarities with the 2015 Vigno, but this perhaps has more varietal character—some tree bark as well as fresh, red cherry aromas and good freshness and tension. It has very tasty, pungent and intense flavors and a dry, mineral-driven finish, with the granite tastiness. 13,500 bottles were filled in November 2016.”

Descorchados 2018

2014 -

Tim Atkin MW, Chile Special Report 2018

2014 -

James Suckling, Mar/2018

2014 -

"Granite, schist, bark, sous bois, brambleberries and spices. Very minerally and tangy but with lots of grainy tannins, a fine thread of acidity and a super savory, umami finish. Drink in 2020."

Decanter World Wine Awards 2018

2014 -

”Powerful and concentrated with sublimely structured tannins enveloping mouth-filling flavours of dark, spicy and savoury fruit. True varietal character here."

Wine Enthusiast, Mar/2018

2014 -

"While this displays dark aromas of burnt oak, road tar and blackberry, the palate is not heavy or overly hard driving. Plum and berry flavors are loaded with wood spice and nutmeg accents, while this tastes chocolaty on a bold finish. Drink this exemplary Carignan through 2025."

Decanter Magazine, Oct/2018

2014 -

"Maule Carignan can be off the scale in terms of intensity, so this deft blend adds juice and lift with a splash of Cinsault. Job done: intense dark fruit with herbal, floral and red berry tones. A big and spicy wine, but it’s very engaging. Drinking Window 2018 - 2024"

International Wine Challenge 2018

2014 -

"Complex and engaging with ripe plum and berry fruits, dried herbs and toasted notes. Supple tannins and vibrant acidity carry this complexity into a long finish."

Quench Magazine, May-Jun/2018

2014 -

"From dry-farmed, sustainably grown 50-year-old vines. Bright red berries with some stony notes up front, before a well-structured palate of damson and raspberry underpinned by grippy tannins and spice notes. Still youthful with lots of potential."

Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate, Apr/2017

2013 -

"It's always interesting to compare the different bottlings of the same variety, and the 2013  TH Carignan was tasted next to the Vigno. 2013 was one of the coolest recent vintages in the dry-farmed area of Maule where these grapes are grown, 35% of them in Cauquenes and the rest in Loncomilla (Melozal). The bunches were sorted, destemmed and the individual grains sorted again to eliminate under-ripe or over-ripe grapes. It fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel and matured in French barriques, 25% of them new, for 15 months. There is a little more power and concentration, more structure here than in the Vigno, influenced by the grapes from Loncomilla. It’s also a little more rustic but has plenty of character, and I think this should age nicely in bottle. I think they have the same quality level after all… As a comparison, I tasted the 2009, which is the second vintage ever produced and is from a warm, ripe vintage; the wine is developing nicely, even if it was produced in another era with a different mindset and showing more the varietal character. 17,900 bottles produced."

James Suckling, May/2016

2013 -

"Very dense and rich with blueberry, walnuts and spices. Full to medium body, firm velvety tannins and a fresh and clean finish. Drink now."

Wine & Spirits Magazine, Feb/2015

2011 -

“One of the best examples of carignan in Chile, this is dry farmed at two old-vine sites in Maule. It has all the freshness and natural acidity of the variety, so even if the wine is a muscular hunk, it still feels cool and nervy, generous in its red fruit flavours and scents of dried herbs.”

Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate, Jun/2014

2011 -

"The 2011 T.H. Carignan is produced with fruit from Maule, from a dry-farmed, 50-year-old vineyard in Loncomilla and has a sweetish nose with creamy hints from the oak and notes of plums, violets and tree bark. It has pungent acidity, great freshness and a medium-bodied palate, ending almost salty, really umami-driven. Unfortunately I could not taste it next to the Vigno, which would have provided an interesting comparison. This is a superb Carignan that should age for a long time. Drink now-2019." (#213)

Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar, Feb/2014

2011 -

"Opaque ruby. Vibrant raspberry, cherry and rose scents are complemented by subtle black tea and licorice nuances. Juicy and precise on entry, then fleshier in the mid-palate, offering sweet red and dark berry flavors and a hint of vanilla. Closes spicy and quite long, with slow-building tannins and a lingering black raspberry quality."