Carmen Gold 2021 among Chile’s most outstanding Cabernet Sauvignons, according to Jeb Dunnuck

The influential American wine critic Jeb Dunnuck published his latest report on Chilean wines, highlighting the 2021 vintage of Viña Carmen’s flagship wine and awarding 93 points to Carmen DO Quijada 2021, the highest score given to a Chilean Semillón in his publication.

Two wines from Viña Carmen high-end range Carmen Legacy achieved outstanding scores in Jeb Dunnuck Chilean wines report, reflecting the winery’s commitment to authentically expressing the character, diversity, and potential of the country’s great terroirs.

The flagship wine Carmen Gold 2021 earned 95 points, the highest rating for a Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon in the publication. Produced in Alto Jahuel, it showcases over 170 years of winemaking expertise with this variety and positions the wine as a true oenological gem of the Maipo Valley.

Virginie Boone, wine critic for Jeb Dunnuck, described the 2021 vintage as fresh for those who appreciate the classic style:

“Blended with 10% Cabernet Franc, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Gold Alto Jahuel is the winery’s icon wine, om a cooler vintage in Chile that will be appreciated by fans of a more classic, slow-ripening style. The wine is classically concentrated and elegant, with esh layers of red uit like cassis and raspberry, selected om the best blocks. Medium to light in style, it was fermented in both stainless steel and concrete vats, then aged for 18 months in 40% new French barrels and 60% used barrels. It finishes gracefully in graphite and baking spice.”

Meanwhile, Carmen DO Quijada 2021 received 93 points and was highlighted as an aromatic Semillón with history. The wine honors the tradition of the Quijada family, who have cared for their vineyard in the Apalta Valley, Colchagua, since 1958, when Semillón was Chile’s most planted grape and is now rare. This scarcity makes the wine a truly exclusive bottling, carefully preserving its legacy.

Boone added:

“The grapes from grape grower Juan Carlos Quijada (…) were planted in 1956, in a small valley south of Santiago noted for its warm climate, granitic soils, and old, deep-rooted vines. Fermented 50% in old barrels, 50% in concrete vats and then aged in both for 12 months, the wine is fresh and citrus-driven, like a just-peeled tangerine, given another three years in bottle to meld fully. It’s a more complex, more aromatic, nuanced, and creamy white wine with plenty of acidity to stay freshly silky and memorable.”

Both wines belong to the Carmen Legacy line, which highlights Viña Carmen’s expertise, knowledge, and tradition across the country’s premier terroirs: Alto Jahuel in the Maipo Valley, Apalta Valley in Colchagua, and the Limarí, Leyda, Itata, and Maule Valleys, continuing the legacy of the winery since its founding in 1850.