Baron Phillipe De Rothschild Escudo Rojo Gran Reserva, Central Valley, Chile 2021

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. Discovered by the Spanish conquistadors in the 16th century, Chile soon proved to be a remarkable place for cultivating vines. As well as having high quality soil and good weather, Chile’s vineyards have always been protected from pests by the natural barriers of the Andes mountains, the coastal range which separates the valleys from the sea and the desert to the north and south. Thanks to that natural isolation, which guarantees exceptionally healthy vines, the great grape varieties imported from Spain and France escaped phylloxera and the ravages it caused in Europe. Many Chilean vines are ungrafted, including the hallmark Carmenere grape, a variety with distant origins in the Médoc, which here expresses remarkable power and color.