Five VSPT wines ranked among Chile’s 100 best wines by James Suckling

Wednesday December 28th, 2022    

Wine critic James Suckling chose selections from Viña Leyda, Viña San Pedro, and Viña Tarapacá as some of the best wines made in Chile in his latest ranking, Top 100 Wines of Chile 2022.

The renowned wine journalist selects the best Chilean wines each year, and VSPT Wine Group wineries once again stood out for their quality and excellence with five different wines on the list.

First up, the Leyda Lot 4 Sauvignon Blanc 2021, a selection from the Chile’s most award-winning coastal winery, Viña Leyda, placed 44th and earned a score of 94 points. The tasting notes follow: “Impressive focus and purity here, with implicit guava, gooseberry, green mango, smoky flint and hints of peas. Intense, yet so bright, mineral and limey on the medium-to full-bodied, textured palate, which is all about verve and purity. Somewhat austere in terms of its laser beam of acidity, leaving a mouthwatering finish with an appetizing, mineral punch. Delicious now, so why wait?

Also with 94 points and from the same winery, the Leyda Lot 8 Syrah 2019 was ranked 49th and was described as follows: “Rich, intense and super-engaging with ripe-blackberry and tangy-peppercorn character. A rich, medium-to full-bodied red with sappy black fruit, natural concentration and resolved, mealy tannins. Very nicely dry, despite the richness. Drinkable now, but better from 2024 when this will have developed more complexity.”

The constellation of flavours of Sideral 2020, one of the exclusive flagship wines produced by Viña San Pedro, placed 58th with 93 points: “A fragrant nose of cherries, mulberries, dried herbs, dry earth, lavender, peppercorns and violets. Medium-bodied with fine tannins. Structured and balanced. Pretty layers of fruit and spice. Flavorful finish. 68% cabernet sauvignon, 17% syrah, 9% petit verdot, 4% carmenere and 2% cabernet franc. Drink or hold.

In 91st place, Tarapacá Gran Reserva Etiqueta Azul 2019, a selection from the award-winning traditional winery Viña Tarapacá received 93 points and the following tasting note: “Fresh herbs, olives, green peppercorns, cocoa powder and currants on the nose. A harmonious, medium-to full-bodied red, showing tight, fine-grained tannins that frame the juicy fruit. Elegant and well poised. 75% cabernet sauvignon, 13% syrah and 12% cabernet franc. Drink in 2023.”

Finally, in 96th place, the brightest star of the Cachopoal Andes, Altair 2019 from Viña San Pedro, was awarded 93 points and listed with the following notes: “A fragrant nose of cassis, cherries, violets, cloves, peppercorns, blackcurrant leaves and cardamom. Medium-to full-bodied with fine-grained tannins. Firm and textured, with a fruity array of ripe cherries and blackcurrants on the center-palate. Lively and flavorful. 82% cabernet sauvignon, 9% cabernet franc, 7% syrah and 2% carmenere. Drink or hold.

VSPT Wine Group thus continues to position itself and solidify its oenological credentials through accolades that speak to its products’ excellent quality and diversity.