Tim Atkin, renowned British Master of Wine and critic has released his Chile Special Report for 2023 and are we are delighted to share the incredible accolades awarded to our agency partners Emiliana Organic Vineyards and Viña Tabalí.

Emiliana’s Andrés Aparicio made it on to Tim’s podium, winning ‘Viticulturist of the Year‘. Emiliana’s agricultural manager since 2014, Andrés is responsible for the more than 1,000 organic hectares of vines from the Limarí Valley to the Bio Bio Valley. Referring to his work on organic vineyards, he expresses with conviction that this is “the only possible way to work the land.“

This recognition highlights the outstanding commitment Andrés and Emiliana have for farming organically and biodynamically, Tim commented that Andrés’ work has “helped to take Chilean wine to a new level.” – Congratulations Andrés!

Elsewhere on the podium Tabalí and Emiliana wines were recognised in Tim’s ‘Wines of the Year‘ lists.

Tabalí Roca Madre Malbec 2019,  Tabalí DOM 2018 and Tabalí Talinay Pai Pinot Noir 2020 were all given the nod in the red wines categories. Emiliana Coyam 2020 and Emiliana Gê 2019 were both acknowledged in the ‘Red Blends’ category.

In the White Wines of the Year category, the ever impressive Tabalí Talinay Sauvignon Blanc 2022 made the list and Tabalí’s newest addition from Limarí, Caliza Chardonnay 2022, made the Wines of the Year list in it’s first year of release. 

Here is our pick of the top scores from the report (not all vintages available at the moment, please ask your account manager for info on vintages):

Tabalí Roca Malbec 2019: “Roca Madre is a remarkable Malbec from an extreme site in the Limarí Andes, located at 1,600 metres on volcanic soils. Intense, focused, herbal and refreshing, with well-handled coffee bean oak, stylish tannins, lots of energy and zip, a violet top note and intense raspberry, plum, blueberry and black forest gâteau flavours.” 97 Points

Emiliana Coyam 2020: “Always one of the best value reds in South America, Coyam delivers wonderful complexityvat the price. Syrah and Carmenère based, with the remaining 25% made up of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, Garnacha, Mourvèdre, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Tempranillo, it’s an elegant, refined blend that shows no sign of the heat of the 2020 vintage. Scented, soulful and well balanced, with underlying stony grip, graceful tannins and layers of plum, red cherry, bramble and blackcurrant.” 96 Points

Tabalí Dom 2018: “Located in the Maipo Costa on volcanic soils that have more in common with the Andes, this is a very impressive varietal Cabernet Sauvignon that’s built to last. Stony, focused and concentrated with dried herbs, garrigue, damson and black fig fruit and overtones of mint, cigar box and dark chocolate.” 95 Points

Emiliana Gê 2019: “The most ambitious wine from this pioneering Colchagua Valley estate marries Syrah with 31% Carmenère and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. Tighter than its stablemate Coyam, with flavours that are more classical and less Mediterranean, it’s structured and sumptuously wooded, with liquorice, blackberry and damson flavours and top notes of green herbs and toasty oak.” 95 Points

Tabalí Talinay Pai Pinot Noir 2020: “Pai comes from two super high density, ungrafted blocks on limestone soils in the celebrated Talinay vineyard. Fermented with 40% whole bunches, it has forest floor, goji berry and wild strawberry flavours, subtle reduction, stylish oak and a chiselled, refreshing, low-alcohol finish.” 95 Points

Tabalí Micas Carmenère 2021: “Micas uses grapes from Peumo rather than Tabalí’s base in the Limarí Valley, and is a serious, scented, layered expression of the variety at a pretty fair price. Grippy, layered and intense, with black cherry and damson flavours, a violet top note and a refreshing, acid driven finish.”  94 Points

Tabalí Talinay Sauvignon Blanc 2022:  As close as Chile comes to the intensity and complexity of a Pouilly-Fumé, this stony, chiselled, flinty Sauvignon Blanc comes from a limestone-rich, wind-buffeted site that sits 12 kilometres from the Pacific. Salty, pithy and bone dry with lemon zest and mange tout flavours and a grapefruity finish.” 95 Points

Tabalí Talinay Caliza Chardonnay 2022: “Caliza is a new wine from Felipe Müller, sourced from a 0.7-hectare parcel of the spectacular Talinay vineyard. Barrel fermented in older wood with no malolactic, it’s a Chile meets Puligny-Montrachet style with pear and citrus fruit, chalky minerality and a whisper of patisserie spices.” 94 Points

Huge congratulations to Tabalí and Emiliana for their consistently impressive wines. While we already know how fantastic these wines are…but it’s always nice to hear it from the critics!