The term flagship wine is bantered about, and there is no set definition. Merriam-Webster defines flagship as "the finest, largest, or most important product to a company." To me, it is the best wine of the winery that the most time and money go into to create. They are genius wines, part inspirational and part magical, brought to fruition with site-driven fruit and utmost precision in the making. Insignia ~ Joseph Phelps winery, Tignanello ~Antinori wines, Grange Hermitage ~ Penfolds, and the list goes on. Domaines Barons de Rothschild is no stranger to this concept, with Chateau Lafite Rothschild their iconic flagship to their Bordeaux portfolio. This is a long way to introduce le Dix, Los Vascos' flagship wine in Chile, owned by Domaines Barons de Rothschild.

In 1988, the Domaine Barons de Rothschild decided to invest in the Los Vascos winery in Chile, a time when the country was still a developing wine producer that had barely begun to show its potential in international markets.



 "At the time, most vineyards were in difficulty and, in my opinion, very underpriced. I felt that there was an opportunity, considering the climate and the land, to make very good medium-price wines but also now, after some years of experience and the planting of higher ground, very high-quality reds" recalls Baron Eric de Rothschild, who today heads the group which is best known for Château Lafite Rothschild in Pauillac.

This was the first investment of a French group in Chile, and it lent strong support to the Chilean wine scene. After 30 years, Los Vascos is one of the most important wineries in Chile, and its top red, Le Dix, is one of the most highly-regarded labels in the country. It was produced for the first time in 1996 and released two years later, coinciding with the first decade of Domaines Barons de Rothschild in Chile, hence the name Le Dix, or 'the ten.'

Philippe Rolet, Technical Director of DBR Lafite, explained the backstory of Le Dix. "When Eric de Rothschild bought the property in 1988, he challenged the team to produce an iconic wine at the estate. Vineyards were explored for their potential during the first vintages and in 1991, el Fraile Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard was selected for its quality. Between 1991 and 1995, the winery produced limited editions of Le Dix which were not launched commercially but used to refine the style. Le Dix was finally produced in 1996 and presented to the public in 1998. It has been one of the first iconic wines to be produced in Chile. Little of the wine has changed since. In 2006 we allowed ourselves to increase the percentage of secondary grapes in Le Dix to 15%, but Cabernet Sauvignon produced out of Fraile vineyards remains the heart and soul."

"It is one of the most important wines in the modern era of Chilean winemaking." Patricio Tapia, Decanter 2019



Since the wine was first introduced, the backbone of Le Dix has been a Cabernet Sauvignon selection from the El Fraile vineyard, which means "the monk." Planted in 1946, the 200 acres of vines are the oldest on the property. The vineyard is 100% planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, and many parcels of the vineyard have vines reaching 80 years of age. The Cabernet ripens well under the intense sun but is cooled by gentle breezes from the Pacific Ocean, about 25 miles away.

Le Dix is made with the utmost care, just like the Bordeaux Grands Crus. Grapes are carefully selected and hand-harvested. After destemming, they are placed in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats for alcoholic fermentation. During maceration, gentle pump-over are performed when necessary for a gentle extraction of the tannins and coloring compounds.

Malolactic fermentation occurs naturally in tanks, then the wine is transferred into French oak barrels made by the Tonnellerie des Domaines in Pauillac (60% new oak) for a period of 18 months. This wine will reveal its complexity with further bottle ageing. Cellar in good conditions for up to ten years or more.

This wine presents a deep ruby red color. The nose is beautifully complex with notes of plums, cherries and licorice with spicy undertones of nutmeg, cinnamon and white pepper. On the palate, the wine shows a good volume and structure with nice mature tannins balanced by a good concentration.

Blend: 85% Cabernet sauvignon, 10% Carménère, 5% Syrah

Sweet berries, black olives and hints of thyme, tobacco and chocolate. Full-bodied with a dense, agile palate of pretty ripe fruit and spice, earth and cocoa undertones to the currant flavors. Drinkable now, but much better in 2024. James Suckling 95 pts

For Le Dix, Los Vascos selects from its oldest cabernet sauvignon vineyards (95% is Cabernet, and the rest is syrah) in the El Fraile Block, planted in the early 1960s on the winery's property in Peralillo, in Colchagua. The wine, which they have been making since 1996, was aged traditionally for 18 months in barrels, 60% made of new oak. The style has been maintained in this wine with very fine tannins, ripe fruit aromas, and just the right amount of acidity to refresh a wine that has a generosity of flavors and fine textures, but that most of all, is balanced, with everything in its place. Descorhardos 95 pts

The 2017 Le Dix blends Cabernet Sauvignon with 5% Syrah and was aged for 18 months. Garnet red with a purple sheen. The precise, enticing nose offers ripe black currant and plum notes, cedar, pepper and bay leaf add greater profundity. Which only gets deeper the longer the wine is open. The layered complexity continues in the mouth with good flavor and tannins that seamlessly channel and shape the whole. A characterful red, leading to a pristine, lengthy finish of red fruit. Will improve a lot with a few more years in bottle. Vinous 94 pts

Made for the first time in 1996 to commemorate Domaines Barons de Rothschild's first decade in Chile, Le Dix is a Bordeaux blend with a classical, elegant character. Its 20th edition is 95% Cabernet Sauvignon with 5% Syrah, delivering a nose of herbs, spices, dark fruit, graphite, minerals and a slightly rustic quality. This is a firm, concentrated wine with polished tannins and a lengthy finish. Drinking Window: 2021 - 2028. Decanter 93 pts

Refined and minerally style, with ripe dark fruit and plum tart flavors that are supported by medium-grained tannins. Rich and contoured in the midpalate, with cappuccino notes on the finish with green herbal hints. Wine Spectator 92 pts

Los Vascos le Dix 2017

When Tim, Rachael, and I tasted le Dix, it was easy to see why Decanter declared this wine one of the most important wines from Chile. When poured, the color was dense and black garnet—aromas of earth, plum, leather, and pencil box. In the mouth, there are noticeable tannins along with cassis, bitter chocolate, roasted root vegetables, prosciutto, and Venetian vanilla bean. A long blackberry, bramble finish. Classic Bordeaux-style wine at a fraction of the price. We could only secure 24 6-bottle cases, so supply is extremely limited. I also might add the wooden box would look great under the Christmas tree with a bow on it. Someone, please forward this last comment to my wife.

Regular Price: $64.99

*Sale Price is on 3 or more bottles

Wine is packed in a 6-bottle case

*Wine pricing for these wine promotions are held for two weeks after the email offer.

We can hold wines in unpaid reserves for two weeks to allow you time to pick up your wine. If it takes you longer than that to pick up your wines, give us a call, and we can process your wine and move it to paid reserves.

Orders must be done by replying to this email. The reason is that I need to keep control of the inventory in one central spot. Emailing or calling your favorite wine geek at one of our four stores may not get your orders in on time to be counted or processed and this creates a helter-skelter for us to get you the wine. For the same reason, ordering on our online Web Store is linked to our regular price, and this sale price is only offered on the email platform. It is also why it takes me some time to respond due to the deluge of orders that I sometimes get. We haven't reached the efficiency or volume of Amazon yet. Thank you in advance for your patience.

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