Santa Rita Medalla Real Carmenere

Santa Rita Medalla Real Carmenere is a premium Chilean red wine from Colchagua Valley, bottled at 14% ABV in a standard 750ml format. Built on a blend of 93% Carménère and 7% Syrah aged for 10 months in French oak barrels, this expression earned 91 points from WineAlign for its 2011 vintage and has been praised by critic Natalie MacLean as "one of the best Chilean Carménères that I've tasted in a long time."

Quick Facts: ABV: 14%  |  Origin: Colchagua Valley, Chile  |  Varietal: 93% Carménère, 7% Syrah  |  Producer: Viña Santa Rita

Production & Heritage

Viña Santa Rita, founded in 1880, is one of Chile's most established wine producers, with vineyards spanning several of the country's key growing regions. The Medalla Real line represents the estate's reserve-tier offerings, and this Carménère expression draws its fruit from the warm Colchagua Valley — a region widely regarded as one of the premier zones for the varietal in the world. The wine spends 10 months aging in French oak barrels, a regimen that integrates vanilla and chocolate undertones into the fruit-forward profile without overwhelming the grape's naturally herbaceous and peppery character. The small addition of 7% Syrah adds structural depth and aromatic complexity.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Ripe blackberry and dark plum lead the nose, followed by accents of black pepper and green herbs. Underneath, oak-derived notes of vanilla and subtle spice add a layered aromatic quality.

Taste: The entry is rich with black cherry and plum, carrying a lush, velvety texture across the mid-palate. As the wine opens with air, oaky char and coffee notes emerge alongside darker chocolate tones, giving the palate real dimension. The Syrah component lends backbone and a savory edge that keeps the fruit in check.

Finish: Medium to long, with soft, well-integrated tannins and lingering blackberry flavors. A gentle warmth and traces of baking spice carry through to a clean, satisfying close.

How to Drink Medalla Real Carmenere

This wine is best enjoyed at cellar temperature (around 16–18°C), either in a large-bowled glass to let its aromatics develop or decanted for 20–30 minutes before serving. Its velvety texture and dark fruit intensity also make it a strong cocktail and sangria base. In a Chilean Red Sangria, the blackberry and plum notes complement citrus and stone fruit additions beautifully. A Kalimotxo (red wine and cola) benefits from the wine's inherent chocolate and coffee character. For a warming winter drink, use it in a Mulled Wine where its spice and vanilla backbone stand up well to cinnamon and clove.

Best For

• Introducing friends to Chile's signature red grape, Carménère
• Pairing with a weekend asado or grilled red meat dinner
• Gifting to a wine enthusiast exploring South American reserves
• Building a comparative tasting of premium Chilean Carménère expressions

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Medalla Real Carmenere taste like? It delivers rich black cherry and dark plum fruit with a velvety texture, layered with chocolate, coffee, and vanilla notes from 10 months of French oak aging. Soft tannins and a peppery, herbaceous edge give it the distinctive Carménère fingerprint.

How does Medalla Real Carmenere compare to Montes Alpha Carménère? Both are reserve-level Chilean Carménères from prominent producers, but the Medalla Real leans into chocolate and vanilla from its French oak program with a notably velvety mouthfeel. Montes Alpha Carménère tends to show slightly more prominent spice and herbal notes, making the two complementary choices for a side-by-side tasting.

Is Medalla Real Carmenere good for sipping on its own? Yes — its smooth tannins, layered dark fruit, and integrated oak make it an approachable and satisfying wine to drink neat, especially after a brief decant to let the aromatics fully open.

Where is Medalla Real Carmenere made? It is produced by Viña Santa Rita, one of Chile's oldest wineries founded in 1880, using Carménère grapes sourced from the Colchagua Valley in Chile's Central Valley region.

What foods pair well with Medalla Real Carmenere? Grilled lamb chops work particularly well, as the char complements the wine's oaky coffee notes. Beef empanadas echo its savory depth. Dark chocolate desserts mirror the wine's cocoa undertones. Aged Manchego cheese matches its vanilla-spice character. Slow-braised short ribs pair with the velvety tannins and dark fruit.

What sizes does Medalla Real Carmenere come in? The standard format is a 750ml bottle, which is the most widely available size for this expression.

Is Medalla Real Carmenere worth the price? Medalla Real positions as a premium reserve-tier wine within Santa Rita's portfolio, sitting above their entry-level 120 and mid-range Reserva lines. For a French oak-aged Carménère blend carrying critical recognition, it represents strong value within the broader Chilean reserve category.

Why Medalla Real Carmenere?

Carménère is Chile's adopted flagship grape — a Bordeaux variety once thought extinct that found a second life in Chilean soil — and few producers handle it with the consistency of Viña Santa Rita across more than 140 years of winemaking. The 10-month French oak aging program on this Medalla Real expression integrates chocolate and vanilla complexity without burying the grape's naturally peppery, herbaceous identity, a balance many Carménères struggle to achieve. The 91-point WineAlign score and Natalie MacLean's endorsement reinforce that this is not just a well-made wine but a benchmark example of the varietal. For anyone serious about understanding what Chilean Carménère can deliver at a reserve level, this bottle makes a compelling case.