2018 El Principal Andetelmo

Viña EL Principal is one of the absolute top from South America - Chile and that is not surprising because the house was founded in 1993 by partners Jorge Fontaine Aldunate, owner of the El Principal estate, and Jean Paul Valette, French winemaker and former owner of the famous Premier Grand Cru Classé Château Pavie in Saint-Émilion. Today the owner is the Said Sandal Family and the winery is of the most exclusive and premium in Chile with only 4 wines, but a range of wines of the highest quality that captures the spirit and typicity of Chilean terroir. The hand, tradition and experience of the Valette family of Château Pavie is reflected in every element and the style (and choice of grape variety) has an inextricable Bordelaises St Emillion twist, but that is not surprising given the background.

The terroir of El Principal, located at the foot of the Andes Mountains in the Alto Maipo Valley (DO Maipo Andes), was perfect for their project; The unique combination of climate, soil type and altitude made it ideal for producing wines with character, unique identity and exceptional quality.

El Principal is the most complex and elegant blend, based on Cabernet Sauvignon. It represents the history and personality and uniqueness of the terroir. It shares the winery's name because both reflect the spirit and nobility of the indigenous leader Andetelmo, whom the Spanish called "El Principal" (the boss), the owner of the lands where the vineyards now grow.

Although the composition of El Principal has varied over the years, the aim has always been to make wine of the highest possible quality, entirely from grapes grown in our own terroir. In recent vintages, small amounts of Petit Verdot have been added to the final blend to give it greater acidity and freshness. Since the launch of the first vintage (1999), El Principal has been internationally recognized as one of Chile's ultra-premium wines, achieving high scores in the main wine press and reinforcing Chile's potential as a designation of origin for high-quality wines.

The vineyard is located 750 m above sea level. A bit comparable to, for example, Nappa Valley. The cold ocean has a very big influence and the vineyards. The winds, the fog, humid air, the protection of the Andes mountains and the altitude ensure large differences between day and night and this partly ensures the extremely high quality of the fruit, which can grow almost without intervention on the sandy loamy soils of alluvial origin.

The El Principal Andetelmo has Maipo character but with a clear Bordeaux twist. So power, tannins, fruit and elegance. On the nose red and dark fruits such as berries and blackberries with a hint of licorice, autumn leaves and a slightly earthy edge. The soft, smooth palate has a ripe, meaty texture and plenty of rich dark berry flavors. The wine has a minty and balsamic twist and a polished taste and is medium to full bodied with fine tannins. It is powerful yet elegant and balanced. Definitely decant in his younger years.

FACT: In the Tab: Appendix you will find the official fact sheet of this beautiful wine. We will send it to you automatically when you order this wine. The wine is in our conditioned Wine Warehouse and if you pick up the wine you will also receive a nice discount. You will see your discount immediately when you choose Collect in the Checkout page. We are almost next to the Rijksweg with plenty of parking. Click here for our address.