Concha y Toro Casillero Del Diablo Red Blend

Concha y Toro Casillero Del Diablo Red Blend is a Chilean red wine blending Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Carménère at 13.5% ABV in a 750ml bottle. Part of the Casillero del Diablo "Devil's Collection," this label was named the second most powerful wine brand in the world by Wine Intelligence in 2018, 2019, and 2020 — a testament to its global reach and consistent quality under winemaker Marcelo Papa.

Quick Facts: ABV: 13.5%  |  Origin: Central Valley, Chile  |  Red Blend (65% Syrah, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Carménère)  |  Producer: Viña Concha y Toro

Production & Heritage

Viña Concha y Toro, founded in 1883 by Don Melchor de Concha y Toro, is Chile's largest and most internationally recognized wine producer. The Casillero del Diablo line draws fruit from several of the country's premier growing regions, including the Maipo, Rapel, Colchagua, Maule, and Curicó valleys. For this Red Blend, approximately 60% of the wine is aged for around nine months in a combination of French and American oak barrels, while the remaining 40% is held in stainless steel tanks — a dual approach that preserves bright fruit character while layering in structural complexity and spice. Winemaker Marcelo Papa has overseen the Casillero del Diablo range since 1998, maintaining remarkable consistency across large production volumes.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Dark plum and ripe black cherry emerge first, followed by a gentle wave of baking spice and a subtle undercurrent of bitter chocolate. The nose is fruit-forward without being jammy, with the oak integration adding warmth rather than weight.

Taste: The entry is smooth and immediately juicy, led by concentrated black fruit — plum and black cherry dominate the front palate. By mid-palate, dark chocolate and toasty oak notes surface, framed by firm yet round tannins that give the wine a velvety, mouth-filling texture. The Carménère component contributes an herbal edge that keeps the blend from tasting one-dimensional.

Finish: Medium in length with a charming fade of mild tannins, toast, and lingering spice. The texture remains soft through the close, leaving a clean, balanced impression.

How to Drink Casillero Del Diablo Red Blend

Comfortable at room temperature or with a very slight chill (around 60–64°F), this blend rewards straightforward pouring into a large-bowled glass to let the fruit aromatics open up. It also works well in several classic cocktails and wine-based drinks: a Kalimotxo (equal parts red wine and cola over ice), where the wine's dark fruit and chocolate notes play against the cola's sweetness; a Red Wine Sangria loaded with sliced stone fruit and citrus, which amplifies the existing plum and cherry character; and a Mulled Wine with cinnamon and star anise, where the spice-forward profile of this blend integrates seamlessly with warm holiday spices.

Best For

• Weeknight dinners where you want a reliable, food-friendly red without overthinking the pairing
• Introducing a red wine drinker to Chilean blends and the Carménère grape
• Hosting casual barbecues or pizza nights with a crowd-pleasing pour
• Building a foundational understanding of Syrah-dominant blends from the Southern Hemisphere

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Casillero Del Diablo Red Blend taste like? It leads with ripe dark plum and black cherry, transitions into dark chocolate and toast at the mid-palate, and finishes with soft tannins and a touch of warm spice. The overall impression is smooth, fruit-forward, and well balanced.

How does Casillero Del Diablo Red Blend compare to Apothic Red? Both are value-tier red blends built for accessibility, but they differ in origin and grape composition — Apothic Red is a California blend anchored by Zinfandel with noticeable residual sweetness, while Casillero Del Diablo is a drier, Syrah-led Chilean blend with more oak-driven structure and an herbal note from its Carménère component.

Is Casillero Del Diablo Red Blend good for beginners? Yes — its soft tannins, fruit-forward profile, and velvety texture make it one of the more approachable red blends on the market, and its price tier makes it a low-risk way to explore Chilean wine.

Where is Casillero Del Diablo Red Blend made? It is produced by Viña Concha y Toro in Chile, drawing grapes from multiple Central Valley regions including the Maipo, Rapel, Colchagua, Maule, and Curicó valleys.

What foods pair well with Casillero Del Diablo Red Blend? Grilled beef or lamb chops complement the wine's dark fruit and oak; wood-fired pizza with sausage and roasted peppers echoes the smoky, spicy notes; slow-braised short ribs mirror the velvety texture; aged cheddar or Manchego cheese highlight the chocolate undertones; and empanadas — a nod to its Chilean roots — match the blend's savory, medium-bodied character.

What sizes does Casillero Del Diablo Red Blend come in? The standard bottle is 750ml, which is the most widely available format.

Is Casillero Del Diablo Red Blend worth the price? It positions firmly in the entry-level value tier, and within that segment it over-delivers — the partial oak aging and three-grape blend give it more complexity than many comparably priced red blends, which is a key reason the brand has earned its global reputation.

Why Casillero Del Diablo Red Blend?

What separates this blend from the crowded field of everyday red wines is its specific use of Carménère — a grape that Chile has made its own after it virtually disappeared from Bordeaux — alongside Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. The split-aging strategy, with 60% in French and American oak and 40% in stainless steel, delivers a wine that balances richness with freshness rather than leaning entirely on one or the other. Marcelo Papa's two-decade stewardship of the line has produced a bottling that tastes deliberate, not mass-produced, despite its massive global distribution. For anyone exploring Chilean wine or simply looking for a reliable, well-structured red blend to keep on hand, this is one of the more honest values in the category.