Seña Aconcagua Valley 2023

99 points Georgina Hindle (Decanter): "(60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Malbec, 15% Carménère). What a knockout wine from Seña this year. Szechuan pepper spice on the nose, some chocolate notes, tobacco bell peppers and black cherry. High acidity makes the first mark, piercing and alive, so up front and forward with a dollop of ripe, almost sweet strawberry fruit, with a mouthwatering element that just makes you smile. Confident and so characterful. I love this wine, and could drink this all day. The length is incredible but the sense of energy and precision is also amazing as well as delivering a real push of flavour and complexity. Sheer brilliance. 6% Petit Verdot completes the blend. Director Eduardo Chadwick, winemaker Emily Faulconer. Alcohol 13.5%. Drinking Window: 2027-2040. (7/7/25)"

99 points Zekun Shuai (JamesSuckling.com): "This cabernet sauvignon really shines, with subtle paprika, tobacco ash and vibrant red currants on the nose. Nuanced blackberries, blueberries, fine spices and a hint of cigar box. This fresh, lovely Sena comes from a warmer year than 2021 or 2022, with softer tannins. It’s super refined but driven, long and flavorful. More approachable and less structured and direct this year, with impeccable drinkability. 60% cabernet sauvignon, 19% malbec, 15% carmenere and 6% petit verdot. 18 months of aging, of which 90% is in French oak barrels, including 70% new and around 10% in foudres. Drinkable now, but it’s built for the next 20 years. (4/17/25)”

97 points Colin Hay (The Drinks Business): "A fascinating cornucopia of elements that, when you list them, you could never imagine integrating so well. But this is staggeringly harmonious. The crucial ingredient here is the massive temperature range between night and day in this exceptional vintage and the unique situation of the vineyard making that possible. Seña is flattered by these vintage conditions when many other vineyards were not. Curry leaf. Assorted Indian spices. Dried petals and a little wild rosemary and lavender. Brambles and bramble compote. Pomegranate. Loganberry. Patchouli. Pot pourri. Fresh rose petals too. There’s even a little hint of potter’s clay and playdough! In the mouth, this is incredibly intense, rich, deep, dark and compact at first. But the overall impression, after the initial shock, is one of levity and lightness. It’s highly spicy and slightly sweet scented, but once again the balance is complete, the harmony staggering given the sheer complexity. It’s also sapid and juicy just when you expect it to dry out a little and as the tannins squeeze and grip to summon the lifted elegance of the aerial finish. (Aug 2025)"

96 points Matthew Luczy (Wine Advocate): “Using a higher proportion of Carménère than is typical, the 2023 Seña opens with its signature fresh, lifted bouquet driven by mint, spice and red fruit aromas, developing graphite accents and a vanilla-tinged undercurrent with aeration. The palate beautifully balances a suave polish with tensile focus, releasing into a rich, slow-moving finish underpinned by mineral-driven nuances and a touch of refreshing salinity. This impressive showing from Seña in a warm vintage retains admirable freshness and verve. The blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Malbec, 15% Carménère, 6% Petit Verdot matured for 18 months in barrique and a small portion of foudre. Drink: 2026-2036. (Aug 2025)”

96 points Tim Atkin, MW: "(13.5%). The influence of the Pacific Ocean, which supplied cooler, often foggy mornings in a warm growing season, was a boon in 2023, according to Emily Faulconer. The result is an appealing mixture of freshness and density in the glass. Matured in 70% new wood and some larger foudres, the 2023 Seña is plusher and more forward than the 2022 release, with a core of Cabernet Sauvignon complemented by 19% Malbec, 15% Carmenère and 6% Petit Verdot. Aromas of coffee bean, mint and stony reduction segue into a palate of bramble, cassis and blackberry fruit supported by muscular tannins that will integrate with time in bottle. The underlying acidity lifts the finish. (Aug 2025)"

95 points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "The 2023 Seña is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Malbec, 15% Carménère and 6% Petit Verdot from Ocoa. This aged for 18 months in 70% new French oak barrels, 20% second-use barrels and 10% in large foudres. It opens with forest floor and boldo aromas, followed by lavender, violet and black fruit. The expression is clean and precise. This is dry and taut, with fine-grained, reactive tannins and a long, juicy palate. Despite the warm year, it retains freshness and a graceful character, with a lingering finish and subtle power. Drink: 2025-2045. (Jun 2025)"

95 points Jane Anson (Inside Bordeaux): "This is one to look out for, an excellent vintage that has silky tannins delivering grip and texture. Easy to stay engaged with the dark fruits, spiced plum and tobacco leaf, licorice root, lavender, violet, this is ripe without being overly sweet, long drawn out finish. Eduardo Chadwick owner, Emily Falconer winemaker. 70% new oak for ageing. Alcohol 13.5%. Drink: 2027-2040. (7/7/25)"