Santa Carolina celebrates 150 years of legacy
Founded in 1875, this year Chile’s Santa Carolina is celebrating Carmenere and the winery’s 150th anniversary, reinforcing its role as ‘a global ambassador for Chilean wine’.
The winery, now part of Carolina Wine Brands, was founded in 1875 by Luis Pereira, who named it after his wife, Carolina Iñiguez. Today, Santa Carolina is available in more than 60 countries worldwide and is recognised as one of the top five wine exporters in Chile.
The winery specialises in the production of wines made from grapes sourced from its own vineyards located in the Maule, Maipo, Colchagua, Cachapoal, and Casablanca valleys, as well as working with trusted growers across other key appellations. The combination allows Santa Carolina to capture Chile’s diverse terroirs and craft wines that reflect authenticity, character, and origin.
Praised by some of the most prestigious wine critics in the world, Santa Carolina’s portfolio is said to underscore the quality of the winery’s wines across all categories and price points.
In 2011, Santa Carolina launched the Bloque Herencia initiative aimed at recovering old pre-phylloxera grape varieties from traceable vineyards across Chile. Currently, 3.5 hectares are dedicated to the genetic preservation project. Stage one of the initiative took place in Totihue in the Cachapoal Valley, followed by stage two in Cauquenes in Maule. The goal of the initiative is to enrich genetic diversity, ultimately producing wines with greater consistency and complexity.
Among the more than 40 grape varieties and 85 selections preserved in the Bloque Herencia, one stands out for its symbolic and enological significance: the Carmenere from Los Lingues.
Planted more than 30 years ago – around the same period that the variety was rediscovered in Chile – the vines in Los Lingues are part of the project’s living genetic archive and are now considered mother plants. Their inclusion in the Bloque Herencia reflects not only their historical value but also the deep connection between Santa Carolina and the rebirth of Carmenere in Chile.
These mother plants are used to create El Pacto Carmenere, a wine that is said to embody the project’s spirit of preservation and renewal, ‘uniting the legacy of the past with the promise of the future’.
Chile’s signature Carmenere
At the heart of the winery’s 150-year journey and heritage stands the Carmenere grape. According to Santa Carolina, few varieties embody the country’s identity as powerfully, and few wineries have embraced its potential with such consistency.
From Maule to Cauquenes, and from Los Lingues to Rapel, Cachapoal, and Peumo, Santa Carolina has created a portfolio of Carmeneres that reflects the diversity of Chile’s valleys and the winery’s expertise in highlighting their unique characteristics.
Alejandro Wedeles, winemaker at Santa Carolina, explains: “Carmenere is more than just a grape variety for us – it is part of our identity. Each terroir allows us to explore a different dimension of its potential, showing the world how diverse, elegant, and inspiring Chilean Carmenere can be.”
The winery highlights that each wine in its range tells a different story. The Carolina Reserva Carmenere embodies the vibrant character of Maule, with its approachable, fruit-driven, and spicy profile. In contrast, the Carolina Gran Reserva Carmenere, sourced from Cauquenes, offers minerality, depth, and refined tannins.
El Pacto Carmenere, derived from the Bloque Herencia vineyards, pays tribute to the commitment to preserve heritage. At the same time, Reserva de Familia Carmenere, the winery’s flagship wine from Rapel, showcases an elegant and complex expression of the valley. Finally, Herencia Carmenere, the Santa Carolina’s icon, blends the best of Peumo and Los Lingues.
As Santa Carolina celebrates 150 years of heritage, the winery honours the vision of its founder while looking confidently to the future. With Carmenere at its core, the winery aims to inspire new generations of wine lovers worldwide by promising innovation and a legacy that will last for the next 150 years.
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At this year’s Global Carmenere Masters, Santa Carolina took home five medals.
Reserva de Familia Carmenere
- Producer: Santa Carolina
- Region: Rapel Valley
- Country: Chile
- Vintage: 2021
- Grape variety: 100% Carmenere
- ABV: 14.5%
- Approx. retail price: £20
- Medal: Gold
A soft, easy-to-drink, maturing pure Carmenere with lovely flavours of stewed cherry, ripe blackberry, pink peppercorns, cedarwood, and a touch of tobacco leaf too. Finely chewy and refreshing on the finish, with a touch of warmth. A lot of wine for £20, and drinking well now. (Patrick Schmitt MW)
Carolina Reserva Carmenere
- Producer: Santa Carolina
- Region: Maule Valley
- Country: Chile
- Vintage: 2022
- Grape variety: 100% Carmenere
- ABV: 13.3%
- Approx. retail price: £10
- Medal: Silver
Deep ruby in colour, fading to a brick-red rim. The nose opens with hints of chocolate and green peppercorn, layered over ripe sweet cherry fruit. On the palate, it’s grippy and chewy, with firm tannins carrying flavours of fleshy red berries, spice, green pepper, milk chocolate, and a touch of caramel. While approachable, the wine is a little firm on the finish. (Patrick Schmitt MW)
Carolina Gran Reserva Carmenere
- Producer: Santa Carolina
- Region: Cauquenes Valley
- Country: Chile
- Vintage: 2022
- Grape variety: 100% Carmenere
- ABV: 13.8%
- Approx. retail price: £14
- Medal: Silver
A deep ruby core with a touch of brick at the rim. The nose is lifted with peppery spice and rich chocolate aromatics. The palate shows generous flesh, with ripe cherry, plum, and darker notes of blueberry and blackberry. Layers of spice, chocolate, and cedar follow, supported by firm tannins. The flavours linger, carrying a spicy edge alongside green herbal nuances. A very good wine for the price. (Patrick Schmitt MW)
El Pacto Carmenere
- Producer: Santa Carolina
- Region: Los Lingues Valley
- Country: Chile
- Vintage: 2023
- Grape variety: 100% Carmenere
- ABV: 14%
- Approx. retail price: £18
- Medal: Silver
Deep ruby in colour. The nose opens with inviting aromas of dark chocolate, green peppercorn, and subtle floral tones. The palate shows impressive depth and balance, layering flavours of chocolate and vanilla with fleshy cherry and blackberry jam. Notes of sage and a touch of chilli spice add complexity, supported by fine, dry, grippy tannins. A gentle creaminess rounds out the texture. Lingering and refreshing on the finish – excellent value. (Patrick Schmitt MW)
Herencia Carmenere
- Producer: Santa Carolina
- Region: Peumo Valley
- Country: Chile
- Vintage: 2020
- Grape variety: 90% Carmenere 10% Cabernet Sauvignon
- ABV: 14.2%
- Approx. retail price: £65
- Medal: Silver
This example, using the Bordeaux variety Carmenere, has a deep ruby colour with a hint of garnet on the rim, showing some development. The nose presents dark plums, morello cherries, and a hint of prune, with a chocolate overlay. The mid-weight palate is quite linear in style, the wine has some dried fruit and forest floor accents, and the flavours are nicely balanced by racy acidity and linen-textured tannins. Attractive wine with quite good definition and length. A delicious wine to pair with Cajun-style quail gumbo. (Patricia Stefanowicz MW)
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