Every autumn, the négociants of La Place de Bordeaux distribute a portfolio of prestigious wines from beyond Bordeaux, and the second week of September 2026 belonged in large part to Chile. Almaviva’s 2024 vintage was officially launched through La Place on September 9, GPS Brasília reported, and merchant Lay & Wheeler’s release calendar scheduled Seña 2024 for September 10, with dates noted as subject to confirmation. And on September 14, the Chadwick family’s top wines gained a new exclusive importer in the United States.
A test for the market
The releases arrive at a delicate moment. Following a sluggish 2025 Bordeaux en primeur campaign, négociants have approached the autumn collection with renewed focus, The Drinks Business’s Bordeaux correspondent Colin Hay wrote, noting that 131 wines were tasted for a more concentrated offering than in previous years. Among the new arrivals he highlighted was Viña Maquis’s Victoria cuvée, another Chilean name.
Almaviva 2024
Almaviva holds a special place in the system: The Drinks Business notes that it was this Chilean wine “that kickstarted La Place’s role as a seller of global wine when it launched in 1998.” The estate is a partnership between Viña Concha y Toro and Baron Philippe de Rothschild, based in Puente Alto in Chile’s Alto Maipo, and its winemaker is Michel Friou, per GPS Brasília.
The Drinks Business described the release as an “ethereal” and “very pure” Almaviva, released at €75. The same report called Clos Apalta “soaring,” and noted that Opus One 2023 received 100 points from Colin Hay, underscoring the caliber of the company Chile keeps in the September campaign.
Seña 2024
For Seña, the 2024 vintage carries symbolic weight. UK merchant Honest Grapes describes it as marking the wine’s 30th anniversary and lists a blend of 60 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 18 percent Malbec, 16 percent Carmenère and 6 percent Petit Verdot, from organic and biodynamic vineyards. The merchant cites early critical scores including 98 points from James Suckling and from Tim Atkin MW, 97+ from Matthew Luczy for The Wine Advocate and 96 from Joaquín Hidalgo for Vinous.
A new U.S. partner
On September 14, Napa-based Quintessential announced that it had become the exclusive U.S. importer, distributor and marketer for three wines from Viñedos Familia Chadwick: Viñedo Chadwick, Seña and Rocas de Seña, with national distribution beginning in September 2026, Wine Industry Advisor reported.
“These wines embody what we look for in our winery partners: a remarkable family story, groundbreaking vision and wines that authentically express their place of origin.” — Dennis Kreps, co-owner, Quintessential, via BevNET
Eduardo Chadwick said Quintessential “shares our family’s commitment to quality, long-term relationships and the importance of communicating the unique character of our wines.” The announcement recalls the family’s milestones: Seña was founded in 1995 with Robert Mondavi as Chile’s first international joint venture; at the 2004 Berlin Tasting, Viñedo Chadwick 2000 placed first and Seña 2001 second against top Bordeaux; and Viñedo Chadwick 2021 became the first Chilean wine to receive 100 points from The Wine Advocate, per the release.
What collectors should watch
The Chilean chapter of the campaign is not over. Lay & Wheeler’s calendar lists Vik 2023 for September 17, with Argentina’s Cheval des Andes 2023 closing the month on September 29. For American buyers, the more immediate change may be domestic: with Quintessential’s national network now handling the Chadwick wines, it is worth watching how, and where, these bottles appear on U.S. shelves and wine lists.
See all sources
- Almaviva 2024 chega a Brasília após lançamento internacional, GPS Brasília, 2026-09-14
- September Releases Calendar 2026, Lay & Wheeler Trading, 2026-08-20
- What to expect from La Place’s hors Bordeaux Autumn collection 2026, The Drinks Business, 2026-09-01
- Opus One and Penfolds leads latest hors Bordeaux releases, The Drinks Business, 2026-09-09
- Place your bets: South America and La Place, The Drinks Business, 2025-10-07
- Mondavi & Chadwick, Seña, 2024, Honest Grapes, undated
- Quintessential Partners with Viñedos Familia Chadwick from Chile, Wine Industry Advisor, 2026-09-14
- Quintessential Partners with Viñedos Familia Chadwick from Chile, BevNET, 2026-09-14
Lead image: illustrative photo by Kristina Kutleša on Unsplash.
