10 Years of Carmen D.O: A Tribute to the Origin of Chilean Wine

Viña Carmen celebrates its high-end wine range, highlighting the work of small producers, centuries-old vineyards, and traditional grape varieties that reveal the richness and diversity of some of Chile’s most distinctive winegrowing regions.

Ten years ago, Viña Carmen brought to life a project inspired by a return to the true origin of Chilean wine—the land where it begins. Thus, Carmen D.O was born, a collection of wines that pays tribute to the producers who, through dedication and knowledge passed down from generation to generation, have preserved the richness of unique vineyards, heritage grape varieties and traditional winemaking practices.

Today, it stands as a benchmark in celebrating Chile’s wine heritage. Through limited-production wines crafted with minimal intervention in the cellar, it expresses the character of each terroir and honours the people who cultivate it, demonstrating that innovation can also emerge from deep-rooted traditions.

“Carmen D.O was born from a dream: to strengthen our connection with unique and remarkable producers from different parts of Chile. In 2016, we decided to look at wine through its origins once again, convinced that our country is home to vineyards, grape varieties, and people who represent an invaluable heritage. Over these ten years, we have travelled across different valleys of Chile, discovering new ways of understanding wine and the stories behind this project, which seeks to highlight the identity of each territory. It has been a journey of learning alongside producers who share a profound connection with their land and who have allowed us to express the essence of each place,” says Ana María Cumsille, Chief Winemaker at Viña Carmen.

This portfolio showcases heritage grapes such as Semillón, Cinsault, País, Carignan, and Garnacha, sourced from historic vineyards across the country, some of which are more than a century old.

Planted in 1958 in the Apalta Valley by Juan Carlos Quijada and his family, Carmen D.O Quijada is a Semillón that pays tribute to the memory and legacy of a grape variety that today has only 900 hectares under vine in Chile. Its remarkable journey has established it as one of the leading examples of this variety, having been included three times among James Suckling’s Top 100 Wines of Chile and selected for seven consecutive years among the country’s Best Semillón wines by Descorchados.

From the same origin comes Carmen D.O Florillón, a Semillón aged under a layer of yeast known as flor, offering a distinctive interpretation of this traditional variety. Its innovative character has earned seven recognitions among Tim Atkin MW’s Wines of the Year, as well as being named Best Semillón by Descorchados on two occasions, Best White Wine of Chile by Decanter in 2025, and Innovation Wine by Alistair Cooper MW at Catad’Or in 2026.

Further south, in the Itata Valley, Carmen D.O Loma Seca preserves the winemaking heritage of the region through old Cinsault vines cultivated by Froilán Aguilera on a dry-farmed hillside. In 2025, it received 95 points from James Suckling, the highest score ever awarded by the critic to a Cinsault worldwide, and has been selected eight times among the Best Cinsault wines of Chile by Descorchados.

The journey continues toward the inland dry-farming areas of the Maule Valley with Carmen D.O Matorral Chileno, a blend of Garnacha, Carignan, and País that pays tribute to the Chilean countryside and to the vineyard cultivated by René Silva and his family. Recognized as Hidden Gem by Wine Enthusiast in 2025, it has also been selected three times among James Suckling’s Top 100 Wines of Chile and included among Tim Atkin MW’s Wines of the Year in 2026.

At the southern end of Chile, Carmen D.O Punta Chilen emerges from Chiloé Island, crafted together with producer Baltazar Sánchez and marking a milestone as Chile’s southernmost sparkling wine. Made with 100% Pinot Noir and produced in a limited edition of only 60 bottles, it embodies Viña Carmen’s pioneering spirit and was recognized among the Best Sparkling Wines of the Year by Descorchados 2025.

Throughout these ten years, Carmen D.O has highlighted the uniqueness of each origin—its soils, people, climate, traditions, heritage, and winemaking legacy. A range that transforms local stories into wines recognized around the world.

Discover Carmen D.O at www.santaritaonline.com