Santa Rita 120 Carmenere

Santa Rita 120 Carmenere is a 100% Carménère wine from Chile's Central Valley, bottled at 13.5% ABV in a standard 750ml format. This Reserva Especial expression earned a Gold medal at Mundus Vini for its 2022 and 2023 vintages, affirming its standing among reliable Chilean reds at an accessible price tier.

Quick Facts: ABV: 13.5%  |  Origin: Central Valley, Chile  |  Reserva Especial  |  Winery: Viña Santa Rita

Production & Heritage

Viña Santa Rita is headquartered in the Alto Jahuel area of the Maipo Valley, one of Chile's most historically significant wine-producing zones. The "120" Reserva Especial line was created to commemorate the winery's 120th anniversary, and the range is overseen by winemaker Óscar Salas under the broader direction of Sebastián Labbé. Carménère, once thought extinct in Bordeaux, found a second life in Chile's warm Central Valley, where the long growing season allows the grape to reach full phenolic ripeness — a characteristic this bottling leans into confidently.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with spicy baked plum and blackberry, followed by creamy oak undertones and a distinctive hint of wet clay. Dried leaves and a subtle smoky, tobacco-like quality emerge as the wine breathes.

Taste: Dark plum leads on the entry, quickly joined by chocolaty and herbal mid-palate flavors laced with sweet baking spice. As it develops, peppery black cherry and sappy cassis notes fill out the profile, giving the wine a satisfying sense of density without heaviness. A touch of milk chocolate rounds out the overall impression.

Finish: The finish is medium in length, soft and juicy, with lingering black pepper and a faint resinous quality. Dark fruit slowly recedes, leaving behind a trace of dried herb and cocoa.

How to Drink Santa Rita 120 Carmenere

Serve slightly below room temperature — around 16–18°C (61–64°F) — in a standard red wine glass to let the aromatic complexity unfold. Decanting for 15–20 minutes can help open up the spicier, more savory layers.

• Carménère Sangria: The wine's dark fruit and baking spice backbone holds up well against citrus and brandy in a bold, wintery sangria.
• Chilean Mulled Wine: The plum, chocolate, and pepper notes complement warm spices like cinnamon and star anise exceptionally well.
• Red Wine Spritzer: Mixed with sparkling water and a squeeze of orange, the Carménère's juicy bramble character makes a surprisingly refreshing warm-weather pour.

Best For

• Weeknight dinners featuring grilled meats or stews
• Introducing someone to Carménère as a grape variety
• Building an affordable Chilean wine tasting lineup
• Casual entertaining where value and flavor both matter

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Santa Rita 120 Carmenere taste like? It delivers a core of dark plum and blackberry layered with chocolate, black pepper, and sweet baking spice. The texture is soft and round, with an herbal, slightly savory edge that distinguishes it from fruit-forward Merlots or Cabernets.

How does Santa Rita 120 Carmenere compare to Casillero del Diablo Carmenere? Both are widely available Chilean Carménères in the Reserva Especial tier, but the Santa Rita 120 tends to lean more toward herbal, peppery, and earthy notes, while Casillero del Diablo typically emphasizes riper dark fruit and vanilla. The Santa Rita 120 has earned Mundus Vini Gold medals for recent vintages, giving it strong third-party validation in its price bracket.

Is Santa Rita 120 Carmenere good for beginners? Yes — its soft tannins, approachable fruit, and moderate 13.5% ABV make it a welcoming entry point for anyone exploring Chilean reds or the Carménère grape for the first time.

Where is Santa Rita 120 Carmenere made? It is produced by Viña Santa Rita, headquartered in Alto Jahuel within Chile's Maipo Valley. The grapes for this expression are sourced from vineyards in Chile's Central Valley and Rapel Valley regions.

What foods pair well with Santa Rita 120 Carmenere? Grilled flank steak benefits from the wine's peppery backbone. Slow-braised lamb shanks mirror its savory herbal notes. Empanadas with spiced beef complement the baking spice character. Dark chocolate desserts echo the cocoa undertones. Aged Gouda or Manchego cheese aligns with the wine's soft, rounded tannin structure.

What sizes does Santa Rita 120 Carmenere come in? The standard format is a 750ml bottle, which is the most widely available size for this expression.

Is Santa Rita 120 Carmenere worth the price? It positions as an entry-level Reserva Especial — a tier that delivers noticeable complexity above basic table wine without reaching premium pricing. Back-to-back Mundus Vini Gold medals suggest it consistently punches above its weight class in quality-to-value terms.

Why Santa Rita 120 Carmenere?

Consecutive Mundus Vini Gold medals for the 2022 and 2023 vintages signal a wine that delivers reliable quality across releases — not a one-off success. Carménère is a grape that Chile has essentially adopted as its signature red variety, and this bottling captures the varietal's defining character — dark fruit, pepper, herbs, chocolate — without demanding a premium-shelf price. The 120 Reserva Especial line carries historical significance tied to the winery's anniversary, and the winemaking team of Óscar Salas and Sebastián Labbé has maintained a consistent house style. For anyone seeking an honest, well-made Chilean Carménère that over-delivers on flavor, this remains one of the most dependable options in the category.