Is the 2022 vintage better than the 2018 vintage in Chile?
Recent Vintages
Since 2018 was lauded by me, most critics and producers as the vintage of the century, Chile has enjoyed consecutive successful vintages one after another culminating in 2022 as the next contender for vintage of the century.
2019 was a dry and warmer vintage producing ripe, concentrated wines that can age. 2020 was similarly as ripe as 2019 but less structured. 2021 was a cooler and wetter year with more elegance and acidity. All were excellent vintages in comparison to most pre-2018 vintages but not better than 2018 though. Of course, these are generalizations and it really depends on the producer’s choices and terroir of each wine. Things were not necessarily easy after 2018 either with 2 years of the pandemic and frost for the 2020 and 2022 vintage.
2022 Vintage
The discussion on if 2022 is better than 2018 mainly pertains to the reds. 2018 was the perfect vintage in terms of quantity and quality for all wines with no major complications or unexpected twists. In contrast, 2022 suffered from frost and lower yields, and was cooler overall. It relied on a warm harvest for ripening, so some of the early harvested whites might still be on the greener and leaner side. However, producers and critics are saying some of the whites and most of the reds will be just as good as 2018 although the style of 2022 is different. 2022’s should have just as much concentration as 2018 but be more structured in terms of tannins and acidity. At the same time, 2022 should be riper and bigger than 2021. Again, it always depends on each region, terroir and producer.
I don’t know if this string of great vintages is a matter of global warming or continued improvement in winemaking, but because of its use of irrigation, warm climate and consistently dry weather, Chilean wines tend to be fairly consistent year to year. Yet, we have another top vintage within the past 5 years. 2023 and 2024 look to be tough vintages though with fires in 2023 and flooding in 2024, but we’ll see.
2022 reds are just starting to enter the market, so I got a fairly standard one from the Central Valley to check out. I’ll compare it to my memory of the 2018’s at a similar age rather than how they’re drinking more recently. I decided to get a Carmenere, Chile’s national variety, since this week we’re celebrating Chile’s national holiday (Fiestas Patrias).
Tasting Notes
2022 Maquis Revela Carmenere Colchagua
Maquis is a producer I’m quite familiar with. Therefore, I can compare this wine to previous vintages I’ve had from them at the same price point. Their wines can be found in supermarkets and wine shops in Chile. They lean a bit more towards Bordeaux stylistically in the spectrum because their consultant is Eric Boissenot. However, it still represents a typical Central Valley Bordeaux varietal Chilean wine from a larger producer that many people can find for $9-15 in Chile and $15-20+ in the US.
90% Carmenere, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Petit Verdot. 12 months in French oak barrels.
Medium purple color. The nose exhibits ripe red and bright dark fruit with some chocolate and coffee, herbs, spice and typical Chilean eucalyptus like notes. Medium+ intensity. The palate has similar notes with a touch of menthol and spice. Medium+ acidity. Soft tannins, typical for the variety. It has an elegant, light feel, which makes it a step up from what is otherwise a text-book high quality Carmenere from Colchagua at this price point. It’s a little fresher than most too. I still feel it’s a bit tight and not all together at such a young age, so a bit more air or age could help. 91+
Conclusion
I had the 2018 Maquis Gran Reserva of their Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon at 3 and 4 years of age. At some point they changed their Gran Reserva line to be called Revela, so this is the same line but different variety. I think this 2022 is better than those 2018’s, which I gave 90. The main difference is the elegance of the 2022.
Looking at other 2018 wines I’ve tasted, it’s still hard to isolate the vintage from the style of the producer, winemaking, terroir and price level of the wine. Obviously, I’ve had better and worse 2018’s than this at various price points, styles and regions. Plus, this 2022 is just one young example of the vintage. Based on this one example though, it’s a step up from an average vintage at this price range like many 2018’s were in their first 4-5 years.
As I drink more 2022’s, perhaps I can make broader declarations. However, it looks to be just as good as 2018 and so far not so different in style. Perhaps it’s a little fresher and leaner in an elegant way if most 2022’s are like this 2022 Maquis. However, perhaps the higher-end reds will be more structured and long-lasting than the 2018’s. We’ll see how others compare as more get released.