Neyen Espíritu de Apalta 2018

Neyen is a selection of the winery’s old vineyards in the Apalta zone, some of which are more than a century old, planted in 1890. This year’s blend is 50% cabernet sauvignon and 50% carmenere, and the wine was aged for 14 months in barrels before blending. The final blend spent another six months in 3,000-liter foudres. In one of the great vintages of the decade, this has a juicy elegance marked by fine, firm tannins that provide a framework for the red fruits, spices, and herbs to show through. This is an elegant, subtle, and refreshing wine. Opening a bottle now is inevitable because the fruits and textures are very seductive, although this wine will gain a lot over the years in the bottle. [Drink: 2023-2028.] Score – 97. (Patricio Tapia, guiadescorchados.cl, 2023)