Escudo Rojo Gran Reserva
WHY WE LOVE IT
- This wine comes from the Central Valley, to the South of Santiago. The extensive vineyard is a patchwork of different terroirs which enjoy ideal climatic conditions for vine growing, especially a semi-arid Mediterranean climate.
- Baron de Rothschild Maipo Chile’s winemakers have chosen the Central Valley vineyards for the variety of soils which bring complexity and power in order to reveal the quintessence of the Chilean terroir.
- The north is dry with stony subsoil, while the damper south has clay soil which naturally provides a sufficient water supply.
Varietal Composition: Cabernet Sauvignon, Carménère, Syrah, and Cabernet Franc
Elaboration: The grapes are hand-picked so as to preserve all their freshness and aromatic potential. Half the vintage is matured in one-year-old oak barrels for 12 months. 25% new and 75% 1 and 2 year old barrels.
Tasting Notes: The powerful, very intense and fruit-forward nose reveals a mixture of red and black berry fruit aromas, mingled with spicy notes of black pepper and subtle touches of vanilla, caramel, and mocha. From a powerful and complex attack, the medium-bodied mid-palate is underpinned by very ripe tannins. With good substance and balanced acidity, it reveals wild berry flavors, especially blackberry and blueberry. Ripe fruit notes linger on the palate, together with a return of the spice notes found on the nose, while toasted hazelnut and roast coffee-bean flavors complete the long, rich, and well balanced finish, underpinned by elegant tannins.
PRESS
2018 – 90 Vinous | 93 Decanters | 93 James Suckling
2019 – 91 Vinous
2020 – 90 Vinous | 91 James Suckling
2021 – 93 James Suckling
PRODUCER BACKGROUND
Escudo Rojo is an iconic Chilean brand created by Baron Philippe de Rothschild to produce the best wines in each category and market them worldwide. The wines strike a harmonious balance between freshness, fruit, oak, fullness on the palate and aging potential. In addition to the flagship blended wine, the Escudo Rojo range includes five varietal wines: Carmenere, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. All the wines in the range express a distinctive character, reflecting the expression of its terroir.
Escudo Rojo is the Spanish translation of the German “Rote Schild” meaning Red Shield. In 1999, the encounter between Chilean soil and Bordeaux expertise gave rise to Escudo Rojo, a branded wine worthy of the Baron Philippe de Rothschild name, synonymous with the high standards of a great winemaking tradition.
Located at Buin-Maipo, 45 kilometers south of Santiago in the famous Maipo Valley, the Baron Philippe de Rothschild Maipo Chile bodega stands in its own 63-hectare (156-acre) vineyard. The wines are made, matured, bottled and packaged at the estate under the supervision of a French winemaker and under the control of an in-house laboratory. For each of its wines, the winery selects the best parcels in Chile’s most highly reputed valleys in order to make wines which consistently combine refinement and character. Regular sources of supply and constant quality are also guaranteed by long-term contracts with partner winegrowers, especially further south, in the Rapel Valley. A rigorous parcel selection procedure has been created, with each parcel being tested for three years in order to ensure that the grapes are of sufficiently high quality to be used to make Escudo Rojo.