Baron Philippe de Rothschild Escudo Rojo Gran Reserva 2021 – 750ml Monsieur Touton

93pts James Suckling

A pretty nose with an array of strawberries and black cherries. Some sweet spices, chocolate and grilled herbs, too. Juicy and medium- to full-bodied on the palate with firm, very fine-grained tannins. Generous, ripe but fresh. 39% cabernet sauvignon, 39% carmenere, 6% cabernet franc, 9% syrah and 7% petit verdot. Drink now or hold.

92pts Descorchados

This blend is based on 39% cabernet sauvignon and 39% carmenere, the former from Maipo and the latter from the Colchagua Valley, and 6% cabernet franc, 9% syrah and 7% petit verdot. It has a strong presence of cabernet with its touches of black fruits and tones of sweet spices, and the round and ample tannins lend a sensation of voluptuousness that will make you want grilled meat.

About the Winery

Escudo Rojo is an iconic Chilean brand created by Baron Philippe de Rothschild to produce the best wines in each category and market them worldwide. The wines strike a harmonious balance between freshness, fruit, oak, fullness on the palate and ageing potential. In addition to the flagship blended wine, the Escudo Rojo range includes five varietal wines: Carmenere, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. All the wines in the range express a distinctive character, reflecting the expression of its terroir.

Escudo Rojo is the Spanish translation of the German “Rote Schild” meaning Red Shield. 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. Vines were first introduced into Chile in the 16th century by the Spanish Conquistadors and their religious orders who needed wine to celebrate mass. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay vines were imported from France in the 19th century in order to make finer wines.

Located at Buin-Maipo, 45 kilometers south of Santiago in the famous Maipo Valley, the Baron Philippe de Rothschild Maipo Chile bodega stands in its own 63-hectare (156-acre) vineyard. The wines are made, matured, bottled and packaged at the estate under the supervision of a French winemaker and under the control of an in-house laboratory. For each of its wines, the winery selects the best parcels in Chile’s most highly reputed valleys in order to make wines which consistently combine refinement and character. Regular sources of supply and constant quality are also guaranteed by long-term contracts with partner winegrowers, especially further south, in the Rapel Valley. A rigorous parcel selection procedure has been created, with each parcel being tested for three years in order to ensure that the grapes are of sufficiently high quality to be used to make Escudo Rojo.