T.H. Cabernet Sauvignon (Alto Maipo)

James Suckling, Feb/2023

2021 -

"A spicy and pretty full-bodied red with black beans, dark spices and hints of chocolate, currant leaf and dark olives. A fine twist of tamarind, too. Tannins are very firm and integrated here, delivering a tight but creamy mouthfeel. Pretty long and juicy. 85% cabernet sauvignon and 15% cabernet franc. A big improvement from the past. Drinkable now, but better from 2025."

Decanter World Wine Awards

2021 -

"Plush fruit aromas of hedgerow fruit, cassis and creamy notes of oak. Firm and dense, compact and delicious. Long finish."

Tim Atkin MW, Chile Special Report 2022

2020 -

Gismondi on Wine, Mar/2023

2020 -

"You have my attention when you say Pirque, the Alto Maipo, and Terroir Hunter. I have had the privilege of visiting Pirque vineyards many times, and the result is always the same: exciting wines are to be tasted. This is authentic Chile, and when it comes to cabernet sauvignon, it is also real, as in really good. The series is a prime example of what can be done in Chile, as demonstrated by this smoky, cedar, cassis, cabernet sauvignon nose from fruit farmed at 700 meters above sea level. The attack is intense with savoury boldo, black cherries, and bay leaves dominating. The texture is a highlight, rich and long, so silky and stylish it’s hard to believe this is cabernet sauvignon. The spice, tobacco, and mineral tone rule a long, satisfying finish. Impressive and nowhere near reaching its peak, this wine will repay any bottle time through 2028. Drinking it now is fine, especially with rare-ish grilled meat."

Antonio Galloni's Vinous, Jun/2022

2020 -

"The 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon T.H. from Pirque, Alto Maipo, was aged for 12 months in 28% new barrels. Purple in color. The nose offers black currant and cedar and a hint of bay leaf. In the mouth, this is compact with grippy tannins and intense flavor. The wood takes charge toward the end, but it will be better integrated with time."

Descorchados 2022

2019 -

"Pirque, one of the highest areas in Alto Maipo, near the foot of the Andes, is the land of fruity and very elegant cabernet sauvignon with fine tannins. They are fruity reds, although they also share a characteristic menthol-eucalyptus aroma with other high-altitude parts of the Maipo. All that elegance is expressed here in a wine made in a warm year with grapes that were harvested very early to capture all that red fruit that would have been completely lost in a world of over-ripeness had they waited a few weeks longer. It seems to have been harvested at the right time to be able to enjoy all the refreshing fruit that Pirque offers. Winemaker Rafael Urrejola obtains the grapes for this cabernet from 30-year-old vineyards in the El Principal sector."

James Suckling, May/2022

2019 -

"Notes of blackberries, blueberries, peppermint, bell peppers, bark and chocolate. Full-bodied with chewy tannins. Structured and fleshy with beautiful varietal character. Spicy, plush and flavorful finish. Drink or hold."

Tim Atkin MW, Chile Special Report 2022

2019 -

International Wine Challenge 2021

2019 -

"Rich ripe blackcurrants, complex, intense, toasty ripe tannins. Elegant finish - fresh and long."

Wine Spectator, Nov/2021

2019 -

"This dense red features tarry accents to the plum paste and baked dark cherry flavors. Peppery hints linger on the finish, which is filled with dried savory notes. Drink now through 2024."

Decanter World Wine Awards 2022

2019 -

"A reserved nose but syrupy dark fruit and resinous cassis on the palate to balance strong tannins. The fruit is vibrant and juicy."

Tom Firth, Culinaire Magazine, Jul/2022

2019 -

"Not that long ago, Chile made a bold play to start making some of the best Cabernet Sauvignon in the world and they managed it quite well. Excellent site selection, high altitude vineyards, and yes, the talent is a big part, all come together here in the Terroir Hunter Series. Cassis and cherry fruits dominate, with lilac blossoms, cola, spice and some silky, refined acids. An exceptional bottle of very well priced Cabernet."

Descorchados 2021

2018 -

"Pirque, close to the foothills of the Andes Mountains, tends to produce fruit-driven wines seasoned with the typical notes of Alto Maipo cabernets such as menthol and earthy tones. In this case, herbal notes join those delicate aromas to peer out from behind a thick curtain of ripe red fruits before mingling all together in a body of tannins so silky and polished they seem to lay out a skating rink for the fruits to glide across. This is an HD photo of Pirque, an area that now produces some of South America's most character-filled Cabernet Sauvignons."

Tim Atkin MW, Chile Special Report 2021

2018 -

"This is always among the best Terroir Hunter releases, sourced from a high-altitude Andean-influenced vineyard at 700 metres. Incense and fresh mint aromas are the gateway to a wine that is dense, structured, yet refreshing, with sweet vanilla oak, refreshing plum and black currant fruit and a frim, structured fininsh. 2022-28"

Wine & Spirits, Jun/2021

2018 -

"The Rio Clarillo is a tributary of the Maipo that descends from the Andes south and east of Pirque. This vineyard, at an elevation of 2,250 feet, is planted on a terrace above the Clarillo where the gravelly soils mixed with sand and clay limit yields to 2.4 pounds per vine. This is bright, cool and crisp when first poured, but the structure needs a day of air to fully integrate. Then it begins to feel saturated in its fruit depth, bold in its Andean cabernet flavors and lasting in its refinement. Cellar it."

James Suckling, Aug/2021

2018 -

"A pretty and balanced red with currant, chocolate and cedar character, as well as some mild chocolate. Medium-bodied with round, soft tannins and a flavorful finish. Drink now or hold."

Antonio Galloni's Vinous, Mar/2020

2018 -

"A deep purple Cabernet Sauvignon from Pirque, Maipo. The nose offers jammy black currants and plums, wood and a hint of vanilla. An attractive, indulgent wine with an accomplished structure and smooth flow, delivering creaminess enhanced by juicy tannins. This new wine will improve in the bottle."

International Wine Challenge 2020

2018 -

"Intense, bright and breezy red and black fruit with a touch of spice. Will age well."

Chris Waters, Globe & Mail, Mar/2022

2018 -

"Undurraga’s Terroir Hunter label focuses on the best grape varieties grown in Chile’s diverse winemaking regions, such as sauvignon blanc from Leyda or this classic Cabernet from the Maipo Valley. A dry, red wine with appealing intensity and concentration, this is nicely layered with dark fruit, spice and herbal notes. Decant for best enjoyment. Drink now-2028."

Tim Atkin MW, Chile Special Report 2019

2017 -

Descorchados 2020

2017 -

Decanter World Wine Awards 2019

2016 -

"Poised and precise with beautiful dark fruit and chocolate on the nose, super silky tannins frame a savoury palate of elegantly spiced fruit."

Robert Parker's the Wine Advocate, Oct/2018

2016 -

"As with the other wines, it was interesting to taste the 2016 T.H. Cabernet Sauvignon Alto Maipo next to another Cabernet bottling from a different region. This was produced with grapes from the classical zone for the grape, Pirque in Alto Maipo, which is a cooler location within the valley. 2016 was a wet El Niño year, and the end of the season was warm—even warmer than 2015. After a cold soak, the destemmed and crushed grapes fermented with indigenous yeasts, and the wine matured in French oak barrels (28% new) for 14 months. Selected from a 6.85-hectare plot, most of the grapes were picked before the rain, and the wine has good freshness and the Maipo character in an elegant, vertical style. The ripeness is more contained, a clear improvement over previous vintages of this bottling. 39,865 bottles produced. It was bottled in October 2017."

Descorchados 2018

2015 -

Tim Atkin MW, Chile Special Report 2018

2015 -

Decanter World Wine Awards 2018

2015 -

"Dark, brooding nose of coffee bean and milk chocolate. Voluptuous, spicy blackcurrant flavours lengthened by fine-grained tannins. Long and well-judged."

Wine Enthusiast, Aug/2018

2015 -

"This wine's roasted, savory bouquet contains blackberry, cinnamon, olive, earth and oak aromas. It hails from Pirque, one of Chile's hotbeds for traditional Cabernet Sauvignon. The palate is chewy and deep, with spicy black-fruit flavors and oak-derived notes of cinnamon and nutmeg. Dark fruit and herbal touches flood the finish. Drink now–2023."

International Wine Challenge 2018

2015 -

"Beautiful pure dark fruit has cassis cascading across the palate, combing well with balanced vanilla oak character." 

Wine Spectator, Web Only 2018

2015 -

"There's a nice edge to this red, which features dried green herb notes and dried berry flavors. The taut finish offers flavors of crushed stone and spice. Drink now through 2021. 3,261 cases made."

Tim Atkin MW, Chile Special Report 2017

2014 -

Wine & Spirits Magazine, Feb/2017

2014 -

"Pirque is one of the highest spots in the Andean Maipo and the best wines grown there tend to be elegant, with delicate herbal notes to their fruit. This one is firm and austere, but give it time, and oxygen helps to draw out its sense of place. Minty aromas and earth tones give way to complex notes of black pepper, herbs and cassis. Great to decant now for game, this will gain in grace with some years in the bottle."

Decanter World Wine Awards 2017

2014 -

"Intense spearmint and cassis nose. Classic and cool, elegant fruit with rounded tannins and a chunky fruit laden mid palate."

International Wine Challenge 2017

2014 -

Gold Medal "Intense black cassis fruit with lovely rich depth to the palate. Delicious savoury notes of black olive and a hint of spice with a long plush finish"

James Suckling, May/2016

2014 -

"Loads of blackberry, black currant and dried flowers on the nose. Full body, velvety tannins, very pretty blueberry fruit and a mineral aftertaste. Drink now." 

Wine & Spirits Magazine, Dec/2016

2013 -

Best Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon of 2016

Wine Enthusiast, Jun/2016

2013 -

"Composed, lightly woody aromas of berry fruits, spice and herbs are harmonious and earthy. This spunky Cabernet reflects a cool vintage via pepper, tomato, herb and berry flavors. A layered yet snappy finish shows good length and complexity."