For two decades, Viña San Pedro’s Altair has undergone a remarkable transformation.
While it initially drew inspiration from French winemaking techniques, it has since embraced its own unique Chilean character.
Recently, Decanter’s Ines Salpico hosted an extensive vertical tasting, providing an insightful way to delve into the wine’s evolution.
Challenges and Reflections
Vertical tastings are essential events for showcasing the quality and longevity of wines, but they also bring several challenges.
They encourage producers to reflect on the journey a wine has taken, including any missteps along the way.
Such introspection can yield valuable insights into the vision and goals of the current winemaking team.
During a recent visit to London, the San Pedro team presented nearly every vintage of Altair, missing only one.
This daring endeavor not only spotlighted the wine’s evolution but also prompted numerous questions regarding the shifts, uncertainties, and changing priorities that the brand has navigated over the years.
Evolution of Chilean Fine Wine
Altair’s journey is a microcosm of the evolution of Chilean fine wine as a whole.
Initially, there was a strong focus on meeting international standards, but over time, there has been a shift towards celebrating a distinctive local identity, bolstered by solid technical expertise.
Tasting Notes and Scores
Below, we present a review of each Altair vintage from 2003 to 2021, listed with the most recent years first.
Enjoy the exploration of these remarkable releases.
Source: Decanter
