Two Viña Carmen wines among the 32 best in Chile according to James Suckling

Carmen VIGNO 2023 and Carmen DO Quijada 2022 each scored 95 points and ranked 17th and 32nd respectively in the “Top 100 Wines of Chile 2025”, consolidating the winery as a benchmark in the preservation of heritage varieties and historic vineyards.

Viña Carmen was recognized in the “Top 100 Wines of Chile 2025” published by James Suckling, one of the world’s most influential wine critics, with two of its labels ranked among the country’s top 32 wines.

The new release Carmen VIGNO 2023, produced in Comávida, in the dry-farmed interior of Maule, ranked 17th with 95 points. From bush-trained vines over 80 years old, cultivated without irrigation and tended by small local growers, this Carignan reflects the character and tradition of the area. On it, Suckling noted: “It is good to see that Carmen is making a VIGNO (old-vine Carignan), and this is a very good one. There’s excellent depth and freshness (…) with an engagingly long and vibrant finish, serious yet irresistible to drink now.”

Meanwhile, Carmen DO Quijada 2022 —a Semillón from a vineyard planted in 1958 in Apalta and cared for ever since by the Quijada family— also received 95 points and ranked 32nd, establishing itself as the best Semillón in Chile. According to Suckling, it “offers a saline character, with notes of crushed seashells and lime, incisive acidity and a long, mineral finish. Really gastronomic.”

While VIGNO is part of the association that seeks to preserve the old Carignan vineyards of Maule, the Carmen DO line pays tribute to heritage varieties and the small growers who have kept alive the memory and tradition of Chilean wine.

These recognitions reflect the spirit of Viña Carmen: valuing historic vineyards and varieties, interpreting them with authenticity, and projecting that legacy into the future of Chilean wine.