Antonio Galloni is an American wine critic, and founder & CEO of Vinous, one of the world’s most influential wine publications. From 2006 to 2013 Galloni was a tasting staff member of Robert Parker’s publication The Wine Advocate. In May 2013, Galloni founded Vinous. Vinous’s team of renowned critics and writers offers in depth coverage of what is happening in the world of wines throughout the globe.
Vinous’ team visited us end of last year and after a tour and an excellent tasting, these are the reviews we received:

TALINAY PAI 2018 – 93 points
Key to this 2018 Pinot Noir is the selection massale of Vosne-Romanée and Gevrey-Chambertin, planted directly into the soil where the limestone is at its densest (between 12 and 25%) on a hillside to the north of the colder coastal mountain range. The winemaking technique is Burgundian in style, including whole bunches and a degree of punch-down. Wild cherry in color, the nose conveys suggestions of damp earth, undergrowth, red fruit and herbs plus hints of roses, sweet spices and sandalwood. Chalky on the palate, it has a well-judged freshness and gentle mouthfeel. This is a direct, balanced wine; a secret that will be available from March 2020.

TALINAY SAUVIGNON BLANC 2019 – 93 points
Talinay is the name of both the wine and the vineyard, which is located seven miles from the coast. Very much worth visiting. Viña Tabalí bought the vineyard in 2011 for its Sauvignon Blanc; the grapes were and still are both flavorful and saline, and every year this wine proves what a savvy purchase it was. An exquisite combination of tension and volume.

DOM 2015 – 92 points
A Cabernet Sauvignon from Maipo that spent 18 months in oak, 10% of it new. A textbook nose: ripe blackberries and black currants with mint and pepper. The sharp, structured tannins accompany a full body and juicy freshness in the mouth, followed by an aftertaste of mint and oregano.

ROCA MADRE 2018 – 92 points
Grown at 1,600m above sea level in the Río Hurtado vineyard in the Limarí Mountains on soils full of crumbling bedrock (andesite), this Malbec is a marvelous expression of altitude and a cold year. Purple-red in color, it offers blackberry and plum notes with a fragrant hint of violet. The gentle tannins and heightened freshness make this a juicy wine with an intense flavor and a long, elegant finish. An accomplished wine.

TALINAY CHARDONNAY 2019 – 92 points
I tasted this wine when it was recently bottled, and it was already showing off its pedigree. Made with grapes from the Talinay vineyard on the Limarí coast. Pressed with whole bunches to adjust the palate, it is a greenish-yellow wine with a nose of green apple, fennel, yeast and honey, along with a hint of yellow corn. All together, it is surprisingly understated, underlined by the cedar wood. Light in the mouth with a terse texture and significant acidity, this is an interesting Chilean exercise in balancing tension and volume.

TALINAY LÍTICO 2017 – 91 points
An intensely purple Malbec from Limarí, this has a nose of plum, violets and fresh cherries with hints of mint. It offers excellent freshness, chalky tannins and a concentrated profile, juicy on the tongue with a lengthy finish.

TRANSVERSAL 2016 – 91 points
In Spanish, transversal refers to a cross-section perpendicular to an axis. And for this wine, the axis in question consists of the four vineyards belonging to Viña Tabalí: Cabernet Sauvignon (50%) in Maipo and Limarí, Syrah from Talinay on the coast and Malbec from Río Hurtado in the Andes. A reddish mauve, it has a complex nose with fragrant top notes and several layers of aroma, from cassis to herbs, plum to menthol, and a moderate but cleansing touch of wood. On the palate, it has a full body and active, juicy tannins, a smooth mouthfeel and a long finish.

TALUD 2015 – 91 points
Maipo is the home of Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon, and Transversal, made from grapes from the Dom vineyard and aged for 12 months in mostly used barrels. A maroon red, it gives off herbal aromas such as thyme and delicate oregano notes over a base of dark fruit, blueberry jam and a hint of oak. With a cordial-like complexion, it is firm, ripe and rich on the palate, with active tannins and a long, straightforward finish.

BARRANCO 2018 – 90 points
Planted on an alluvial terrace at 1,600m above sea level in the Río Hurtado vineyard, Barranco Viognier 2018 is a typical high-altitude wine. A slightly greenish/yellow, it offers intensely fruity aromas with hints of peach and stewed pineapple and a touch of tuberose. It has a good volume and moderate freshness in the mouth, and a luxurious finish resulting from the 5 grams of residual sugar. This is a ripe wine that lingers on the palate, leaving a delicious aftertaste.

VETAS BLANCAS CABERNET FRANC 2018 – 90 points
Grown on the alluvial terrace of the Limarí River at the Espinal vineyard, this Cabernet Franc presents a better aroma profile in cold years such as 2018, as can be seen when compared with the 2017. Violet red in color with hints of cherry, the fragrant aromas feature fresh cherry and raspberry notes over a pleasant pyrazine, almost licorice undertone. Enjoyable on the palate, with moderate tannins and mouthwatering juiciness.

VETAS BLANCAS CHARDONNAY 2017 – 90 points
Limarí Valley is a revelatory terroir for Chilean coastal wines, and Vetas Blancas Chardonnay is an excellent example. Yellowy-green in color, it offers lime blossom and apple notes along with a subtle hint of wood resulting from 10 months in mostly used French barrels. The coast makes its presence felt in an herbal nature that is fresh on the palate, with vibrant lactic traces and a yeasty texture.