Viña Carmen presents an exclusive vertical tasting of Carmen D.O. Quijada with Zekun Shuai
The renowned wine critic and Senior Editor at James Suckling visited the Chilean winery to take part in an exclusive vertical tasting of Carmen D.O Quijada vintages from 2015 to 2024, led by winemakers Ana María Cumsille and Pablo Prieto.
As part of his visit to Chile to assess some of the country’s finest wines, Zekun Shuai — one of the most influential voices in international wine criticism and a wine critic and Senior Editor for James Suckling’s digital publication — visited Viña Carmen, where he tasted the top and high-end wines from the Carmen Legacy collection.
Together with winemakers Ana María Cumsille and Pablo Prieto, Shuai explored the 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 vintages of Carmen D.O Quijada Semillón. Crafted from a historic family vineyard planted in 1958 by producer Juan Quijada in the Apalta Valley, this exceptional Semillón offered a journey through nine vintages, showcasing its remarkable consistency, ageing potential and the character of a site that has established it as one of Chile’s most outstanding white wine labels.
With limited production and crafted through a winemaking approach that respects its origin, Carmen D.O Quijada has become one of the leading examples of the revival of Chilean Semillón. This wine pays tribute to one of the country’s most important heritage varieties, precisely capturing the character of a historic vineyard while reaffirming Viña Carmen’s ongoing commitment to preserving grape varieties and sites of exceptional oenological value.
During the visit, Shuai also tasted the 2023 vintage of Carmen Gold, the winery’s flagship Cabernet Sauvignon from Alto Jahuel, considered an oenological gem of the Maipo Valley; as well as the latest releases from the Carmen Delanz high-end line: Chardonnay 2025, Cabernet Sauvignon 2024 and Carmenère 2024 — three interpretations of their respective terroirs in the Limarí, Maipo and Apalta Valleys.
The tasting also included the Carmen D.O portfolio: Loma Seca, Matorral Chileno and Florillón #8, limited-production wines born from close collaboration with small-scale growers and reflecting the richness of Chile’s diverse landscapes and heritage grape varieties. The experience concluded with Carmen VIGNO 2024, a Carignan from the dry-farmed vineyards of the Maule Valley.
This visit provided an opportunity to share the winemaking philosophy that defines Viña Carmen: creating wines that authentically convey the character of their origins, while respecting the identity of each variety and exploring new ways to interpret Chile’s winemaking legacy. A philosophy that, for more than 170 years, has combined tradition, innovation and a profound connection with the land.