Looking back over my tasting highlights of 2023, what really stands out is the growing mastery of South America’s winemakers with the goldilocks varieties of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Limarí and Gualtallary are – in my opinion at least – bonafide ‘grands crus’ for these varieties. However Aconcagua Costa and Malleco are increasingly prevalent too. Tabalí, Reta, Catena Zapata, Errázuriz and Vinos Baettig are notable disciples.
Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for Amanda Barnes’ top 10 South American wines of 2023
That being said, it was actually the rather more unusual locations that really caught my eye this year.
{"content":"PHA+T25lIG9mIHRoZSBiZXN0IENoYXJkb25uYXlzIEkgdGFzdGVkIGluIDIwMjMgY2FtZSB1bmV4cGVjdGVkbHkgZnJvbSBhIGJvdXRpcXVlIHByb2R1Y2VyIGluIDxhIGhyZWY9Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmRlY2FudGVyLmNvbS9wcmVtaXVtL2Rpc2NvdmVyaW5nLWJyYXppbHMtZmxvdXJpc2hpbmctd2luZS1zY2VuZS1wbHVzLTEwLXdpbmVzLXRvLXNlZWstb3V0LTUxMDUwMC8iIHRhcmdldD0iX2JsYW5rIiByZWw9Im5vb3BlbmVyIG5vcmVmZXJyZXIiPjxzdHJvbmc+QnJhemlsPC9zdHJvbmc+PC9hPuKAmXMgZW1lcmdpbmcgU2VycmEgZG8gU3VkZXN0ZSByZWdpb24uIFRvIHRoZSBvdGhlciBleHRyZW1lLCBkZWVwIGluIEFyZ2VudGluaWFuIDxhIGhyZWY9Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmRlY2FudGVyLmNvbS9wcmVtaXVtL3BhdGFnb25pYS13aW5lcy1mcm9tLXNvdXRoLWFtZXJpY2FzLW5ldy1mcm9udGllci00MjM0MTUvIiB0YXJnZXQ9Il9ibGFuayIgcmVsPSJub29wZW5lciBub3JlZmVycmVyIj48c3Ryb25nPlBhdGFnb25pYTwvc3Ryb25nPjwvYT4sIHRoZSB3b3JsZOKAmXMgc291dGhlcm5tb3N0IGNvbW1lcmNpYWwgd2luZXJ5LCBPdHJvbmlhLCBoYXMgYmVlbiBwcm9kdWNpbmcgZXhjZWxsZW50IENoYXJkb25uYXkgc2luY2UgaXRzIGZpcnN0IHZpbnRhZ2UsIGJ1dCBpdCBpcyB0aGUgbmV3IDIwMjEgdmludGFnZSBvZiBQaW5vdCBOb2lyIHRoYXQgSSBmb3VuZCB0byBiZSBhIGdyZWF0IHN1cnByaXNlLjwvcD4KPHA+RnJvbSA8YSBocmVmPSJodHRwczovL3d3dy5kZWNhbnRlci5jb20vdGFnL2NoaWxlLyIgdGFyZ2V0PSJfYmxhbmsiIHJlbD0ibm9vcGVuZXIgbm9yZWZlcnJlciI+PHN0cm9uZz5DaGlsZTwvc3Ryb25nPjwvYT4sIEkgaGF2ZSB0aG9yb3VnaGx5IGVuam95ZWQgZHJpbmtpbmcgUmFmYWVsIFRpcmFkb+KAmXMgUGlub3QgTm9pciwgd2hpY2ggb2ZmZXJzIGV4Y2VsbGVudCB2YWx1ZSBmb3IgbW9uZXkgYW5kIHN0aWxsIGJlZ3MgdGhlIHF1ZXN0aW9uIGFzIHRvIHdoeSBoZSBpcyB0aGUgbG9uZSBwcm9kdWNlciBpbiBNYXVsZeKAmXMgQW5kZXMgbW91bnRhaW5zLiBBbm90aGVyLCB3aGljaCBpcyBub3QgYXZhaWxhYmxlIG91dHNpZGUgb2YgQ2hpbGUgeWV0LCBpcyBKUCBNYXJ0aW7igJlzIGJyaWxsaWFudCBQaW5vdCBOb2lyIGZyb20gSHVhc2Nv4oCmIG1hZGUgaW4gdGhlIEF0YWNhbWEgRGVzZXJ0IG5vIGxlc3MhPC9wPgo8aDM+TWFsYmVjIHNoaW5lczwvaDM+CjxwPlRoZSBvdGhlciB2YXJpZXR5IHRoYXQgaGFzIHJlYWxseSBzaG9uZSB0aGlzIHllYXIgaXMsIHBlcmhhcHMgbGVzcyBzdXJwcmlzaW5nbHksIDxhIGhyZWY9Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmRlY2FudGVyLmNvbS93aW5lL2dyYXBlLXZhcmlldGllcy9tYWxiZWMvIiB0YXJnZXQ9Il9ibGFuayIgcmVsPSJub29wZW5lciBub3JlZmVycmVyIj48c3Ryb25nPk1hbGJlYzwvc3Ryb25nPjwvYT4uIEkgcGFydGljdWxhcmx5IGVuam95ZWQgdGhlIGRpc3RpbmN0aXZlIGV4cHJlc3Npb25zIGNvbWluZyBmcm9tIG9sZCB2aW5lcyBpbiBNYXVsZSwgd2l0aCB0aGUgd2luZXMgb2YgUmV0YSBhbmQgTWlndWVsIFRvcnJlc+KAmSBMb3MgSW5xdWlldG9zLCBhcyB3ZWxsIGFzIHRoZSB0aXBweSB0b3AgYWx0aXR1ZGUgZXhwcmVzc2lvbnMgb2YgSHVtYWh1YWNhIGluIG5vcnRoZXJuIEFyZ2VudGluYSB3aXRoIENpZWxvIEFycmliYS4gV2UgaGF2ZSBhbHNvIHNlZW4gc29tZSByZWFsIGxlYXBzIGluIHF1YWxpdHkgaW4gdGhlIDxhIGhyZWY9Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmRlY2FudGVyLmNvbS93aW5lLXJldmlld3MtdGFzdGluZ3MvdWNvLXZhbGxleS13aW5lcy0xMi1lc3NlbnRpYWwtb25lcy10by10cnktNDQ2MzQ2LyIgdGFyZ2V0PSJfYmxhbmsiIHJlbD0ibm9vcGVuZXIgbm9yZWZlcnJlciI+PHN0cm9uZz5VY28gVmFsbGV5PC9zdHJvbmc+PC9hPiwgd2hpY2ggY29udGludWVzIHRvIGRyaXZlIGZvcndhcmQgPGEgaHJlZj0iaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVjYW50ZXIuY29tL3ByZW1pdW0vcHJlbWl1bS1hcmdlbnRpbmlhbi1tYWxiZWMtcGFuZWwtdGFzdGluZy1yZXN1bHRzLTQ2MzgxNC8iIHRhcmdldD0iX2JsYW5rIiByZWw9Im5vb3BlbmVyIG5vcmVmZXJyZXIiPjxzdHJvbmc+QXJnZW50aW5h4oCZcyB0b3Agd2luZXM8L3N0cm9uZz48L2E+LjwvcD4KPHA+PGRpdiBjbGFzcz0iYWQtY29udGFpbmVyIGFkLWNvbnRhaW5lci0tbW9iaWxlIj48ZGl2IGlkPSJwb3N0LWlubGluZS0yIiBjbGFzcz0iaXBjLWFkdmVydCI+PC9kaXY+PC9kaXY+PC9wPgo8cD5UaGUgbG9uZy1hd2FpdGVkIGRlYnV0IHJlbGVhc2UgZnJvbSBBbHRvcyBMYXMgSG9ybWlnYXPigJkgSmFyZGluIEFsdGFtaXJhIHZpbmV5YXJkIGlzIG9uZSBvZiB0aGUgYmVzdCB3aW5lcyBJIGhhdmUgdGFzdGVkIHRoaXMgeWVhci4gSXQgY2FuIHNpdCBwcm91ZGx5IGFsb25nc2lkZSB0aGUgb3RoZXIgbm9ibGUgTWFsYmVjcyBjb21pbmcgZnJvbSBadWNjYXJkaSwgRWwgRW5lbWlnbywgQ2F0ZW5hIFphcGF0YSBhbmQgUGVyU2UuIFRoZXNlIHdpbmVzIHJlZmxlY3QgQXJnZW50aW5hIGVtYnJhY2luZyBhIG1vcmUgPGEgaHJlZj0iaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVjYW50ZXIuY29tL3dpbmUvd2luZS1yZWdpb25zL2J1cmd1bmR5LXdpbmUvIiB0YXJnZXQ9Il9ibGFuayIgcmVsPSJub29wZW5lciBub3JlZmVycmVyIj48c3Ryb25nPkJ1cmd1bmRpYW48L3N0cm9uZz48L2E+IGV0aG9zLCB3aGlsZSBhbHNvIGJyYXZlbHkgc2hvd2luZyB0aGVpciBvd24gZGlzdGluY3QgcGVyc29uYWxpdHkuPC9wPgo8aDM+T2xkIHZpbmUgc3RhcnM8L2gzPgo8cD5PdGhlciB2YXJpZXRpZXMgdGhhdCBhcmUgcmlnaHRmdWxseSBnYWluaW5nIG1vcmUgcmVjb2duaXRpb24gYXJlIHRoZSBodW1ibGUsIG9sZC12aW5lIHdpbmVzIG1hZGUgZnJvbSBDaW5zYXVsdCwgPGEgaHJlZj0iaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVjYW50ZXIuY29tL3ByZW1pdW0vZXhwbG9yaW5nLXRoZS1wb3RlbnRpYWwtb2YtcGFpcy1pbi1jaGlsZS1wbHVzLTEwLXRvcC1ib3R0bGVzLXRvLXNlZWstb3V0LTQ4NzE5OS8iIHRhcmdldD0iX2JsYW5rIiByZWw9Im5vb3BlbmVyIG5vcmVmZXJyZXIiPjxzdHJvbmc+UGHDrXM8L3N0cm9uZz48L2E+IGFuZCB0aGUgPGEgaHJlZj0iaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVjYW50ZXIuY29tL3ByZW1pdW0vY3Jpb2xsYS13aW5lcy1yZXZpdmFsLXBhaXMtNDAwNDU5LyIgdGFyZ2V0PSJfYmxhbmsiIHJlbD0ibm9vcGVuZXIgbm9yZWZlcnJlciI+PHN0cm9uZz5DcmlvbGxhPC9zdHJvbmc+PC9hPiB2YXJpZXRpZXMuIFRoZSBiZWF1dGlmdWwgb2xkIHZpbmVzIGFuZCBhdXRoZW50aWMgd2luZXMgZnJvbSBDaGlsZeKAmXMgSXRhdGEsIEJpbyBCaW8gYW5kIE1hdWxlIFZhbGxleXMgY29udGludWUgdG8gZXhjaXRlIG1lLCB3aXRoIHByb2R1Y2VycyBzdWNoIGFzIExlbyBFcmF6bywgQm91Y2hvbiBhbmQgR2FyYWdlIFdpbmUgQ28gbGVhZGluZyB0aGUgY2hhcmdlLjwvcD4KPHA+TWVhbndoaWxlIHRoZSBDcmlvbGxhIHJldm9sdXRpb24gaGFwcGVuaW5nIGluIGVhc3Rlcm4gYW5kIG5vcnRoZXJuIDxhIGhyZWY9Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmRlY2FudGVyLmNvbS93aW5lL3dpbmUtcmVnaW9ucy9tZW5kb3phLyIgdGFyZ2V0PSJfYmxhbmsiIHJlbD0ibm9vcGVuZXIgbm9yZWZlcnJlciI+PHN0cm9uZz5NZW5kb3phPC9zdHJvbmc+PC9hPiBpcyBnaXZpbmcgbmV3IHZhbHVlIHRvIHRoZSB1bmRlci1hcHByZWNpYXRlZCBvbGQgdmluZXMgaW4gdGhlIHJlZ2lvbi4gUmFkaWNhbCBib3R0bGVzIGZyb20gTGEgQ2F5ZXRhbmEsIEx1Y2FzIE5pdmVuLCBNYXJpYW5hIE9ub2ZyaSBhbmQgTWF0aWFzIE1vcmNvcyBoYXZlIGtlcHQgbXkgZ2xhc3MgbW9yZSB0aGFuIGhhbGYgZnVsbCB0aGlzIHllYXIuPC9wPgo8ZGl2IGNsYXNzPSJhZC1jb250YWluZXIgYWQtY29udGFpbmVyLS1tb2JpbGUiPjxkaXYgaWQ9InBvc3QtaW5saW5lLTMiIGNsYXNzPSJpcGMtYWR2ZXJ0Ij48L2Rpdj48L2Rpdj4KPGgzPkNvYXN0YWwgYm90dGxlczwvaDM+CjxkaXYgY2xhc3M9ImluamVjdGlvbiI+PC9kaXY+CjxwPlRoZXJlIGlzIGFsc28gYSBncm93aW5nIGNvbmZpZGVuY2UgYW5kIHNraWxsIGFtb25nIHdpbmVtYWtlcnMgZm9yIG1ha2luZyByZWZyZXNoaW5nIGJ1dCBhbHNvIHByb2ZvdW5kIG1hcml0aW1lIHdpbmVzLiA8YSBocmVmPSJodHRwczovL3d3dy5kZWNhbnRlci5jb20vd2luZS9ncmFwZS12YXJpZXRpZXMvYWxiYXJpbm8vIiB0YXJnZXQ9Il9ibGFuayIgcmVsPSJub29wZW5lciBub3JlZmVycmVyIj48c3Ryb25nPkFsYmFyacOxbzwvc3Ryb25nPjwvYT4gY29udGludWVzIHRvIGZpcm1seSBwdXQgPGEgaHJlZj0iaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVjYW50ZXIuY29tL3ByZW1pdW0vZXhwZXJ0cy1jaG9pY2UtdXJ1Z3VheS01MDk5MjkvIiB0YXJnZXQ9Il9ibGFuayIgcmVsPSJub29wZW5lciBub3JlZmVycmVyIj48c3Ryb25nPlVydWd1YXk8L3N0cm9uZz48L2E+IG9uIHRoZSB2aW5vdXMgbWFwIGFuZCBwcm9kdWNlcnMgaW5jbHVkaW5nIEZhbWlsaWEgRGVpY2FzLCBCb3V6YSwgR2FyesOzbiwgQ2Vycm8gZGVsIFRvcm8gYW5kIHRoZSBlZGd5IG5ldyBwcm9qZWN0IG9mIE1pY2hlbGluaSBpIE11ZmF0dG8gYXJlIHNvbWUgb2YgbXkgZmF2b3VyaXRlcyB0byBsb29rIG91dCBmb3IuPC9wPgo8cD5NZWFud2hpbGUgaW4gQ2hpbGUsIHRoZSB1bmRlcmRvZyB2YXJpZXR5IG9mIDxhIGhyZWY9Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmRlY2FudGVyLmNvbS9wcmVtaXVtL215LXRvcC0yMC1zb3V0aC1hbWVyaWNhbi1zeXJhaHMtNDk4MDkxLyIgdGFyZ2V0PSJfYmxhbmsiIHJlbD0ibm9vcGVuZXIgbm9yZWZlcnJlciI+PHN0cm9uZz5TeXJhaDwvc3Ryb25nPjwvYT4gaXMgcmVhbGx5IGZpbmRpbmcgaXRzIGZlZXQgaW4gdGhlIGNvYXN0YWwgcmVnaW9ucyBvZiBTYW4gQW50b25pbywgQ2FzYWJsYW5jYSBhbmQgTGltYXJpLiBUaGUgZXhjZWxsZW50IHRvcCB3aW5lIGZyb20gTWF0ZXRpYyBwcm92ZXMgaG93IGdvb2QgdGhlc2Ugd2luZXMgYmVjb21lIHdpdGggdGltZSwgaWYgeW91IGFyZSBwYXRpZW50IGVub3VnaCB0byB3YWl04oCmPC9wPgo8ZGl2IGNsYXNzPSJhZC1jb250YWluZXIgYWQtY29udGFpbmVyLS1tb2JpbGUiPjxkaXYgaWQ9InBvc3QtaW5saW5lLTQiIGNsYXNzPSJpcGMtYWR2ZXJ0Ij48L2Rpdj48L2Rpdj4KPHA+Cg=="}
Amanda Barnes’ top 10 South American wines of 2023
{}
{"wineId":"78122","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"78124","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"72942","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"67041","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"73387","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"78123","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"73388","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"73389","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"78125","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{"wineId":"73384","displayCase":"standard","paywall":true}
{}
Related content
