Vina El Principal Memorias 2024

Originating from Chile in the Maipo Valley region, specifically within the Pirque sub-zone in the Andean foothills, Viña El Principal 'Memorias' 2024 represents a sophisticated, expressive, and terroir-driven Chilean red blend. Founded in 1992 as a partnership between French winemaking icon Jean-Paul Valette (former owner of Château Pavie) and Chilean Jorge Pérez Cruz, Viña El Principal is celebrated for its gravelly alluvial soils situated at 750 to 800 metres above sea level along the majestic Andes Mountains. Crafted as the bridge between the accessible 'Calicanto' and the flagship 'El Principal', 'Memorias' is harvested from select hillside vineyard blocks that yield exceptional aromatic concentration. Under technical director Gonzalo Guzmán, the winemaking philosophy incorporates hand harvesting, parcel-by-parcel temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel vats, and maturation for 14 to 16 months in French oak barrels (approximately 30% to 50% new). The result is a seamless red wine that balances vibrant mountain fruit intensity, elegant savory spice, and classic French structural refinement.

Wine Description

The wine presents an opaque, deep dark ruby red colour with intense crimson-violet reflections along the rim. An expressive, highly complex bouquet opens with noble aromas of ripe wild blackberry, black currant, dark plum compote, and cassis, interwoven with sophisticated notes of Andean eucalyptus, fresh mint, crushed granite minerality, pipe tobacco, dark chocolate, and toasted cedar spice. On the palate, it is medium-to-full bodied, silken, and energetic, delivering concentrated flavours of black fruit, licorice, and savory mineral earth, all supported by a bright, mouthwatering spine of natural high-altitude acidity. Framed by fine-grained, velvety tannins and a dense, well-proportioned mid-palate structure, it concludes with a long, persistent finish marked by lingering dark berries, wild herbal spice, and a clean gravelly mineral grip. Composed predominantly of Cabernet Sauvignon blended with Syrah, Carmenère, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc, this 2024 release offers an optimal drinking window of 2026–2040. Stylistically, it effortlessly combines Andean mountain freshness, rich fruit depth, and aristocratic structural polish.