Santa Carolina
Viña Santa Carolina Winery was founded by Luis Pereyra Cotapos who named the winery after his wife, Carolina Iñiguez. Santa Carolina Vineyards is part of Carolina Wine Brands, one of Chile’s main winemaking groups boasting over 135 years of history making them one of Chile’s oldest vineyards. Santa Carolina vineyards are located in some of the best wine growing regions throughout Chile including the Casablanca, Leyda, Maipo, Rapel, Cachapoal, Colchagua and Maule Valleys. Santa Carolina wines are produced from over a half dozen various varietals (including Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, Malbec, Syrah, Carignan, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc) and are available in four different lines. Our Santa Carolina wine reviews indicate their range of lines from their value Specialties and Reserva de Familia lines to their higher end VSC and Herencia red blends. The latter two are can typically be found atop our Santa Carolina wine ratings. To see which wines are best suited for you check out our Santa Carolina wine guide below.
Santa Carolina 2009 Reserva Chardonnay (Casablanca Valley)
- Online Exclusive
- $11
Pineapple, sulfur and matchstick, and finally some woody toast steer the bouquet. The palate is big and blowsy, with toasty baked apple and pineapple flavors. Finishes sweet, with honey and a sprinkle of white pepper. Yet another sweet, resiny, basic Chardonnay from Chile.
— M.S.
(12/31/2010)
Santa Carolina 2010 Reserva Merlot (Colchagua Valley)
- $11
Medicinal, sweet berry aromas show latex, rubber and mustardy accents. The spongey palate has weight and solidity along with herbal berry and faux-oak flavors. Finishes with some green character.
— M.S.
(12/1/2011)
Santa Carolina 2008 Reserva Pinot Noir (Maule Valley)
- Online Exclusive
- $10
Earthy, rooty aromas get it started. The palate is lean and crisp, and the flavors are of sweet ‘n sour raspberry. A punch of cranberry shows itself on the finish, which is lean like the rest of the wine.
— M.S.
(7/1/2010)
Santa Carolina 2007 Reserva de Familia Chardonnay (Casablanca Valley)
- $15
Hickory and other resiny aromas dominate the nose, and oak is the major player from start to finish. If you like a thick Chardonnay weighted down with cinnamon, resin and extract, then this is it. But to us it’s overoaked and borderline cloying. It just doesn’t have that natural fresh-fruit touch; seems overmanipulated. Imported by Carolina Wine Brands USA.
— M.S.
(12/31/2008)
Santa Carolina 1999 Merlot (Maule Valley)
- $9
This lighter-style Merlot has little texture, and standard dark berry, oak and vanillin flavors. Finishes with more of the same.
— D.T.
(7/1/2002)
Santa Carolina 2010 Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon (Colchagua Valley)
- Online Exclusive
- $12
Smells grassy and leathery, with briary tobacco in the background. The palate feels hard and clacky, with green notes infiltrating berry and prune flavors. Flat on the finish, with a note of coffee, more green touches and some heat.
— M.S.
(12/1/2011)
Santa Carolina 2007 Reserva Pinot Noir (Maule Valley)
- Online Exclusive
- $10
Slightly sharp and brambly on the nose, with muddled fruit aromas. The palate is both lactic and snappy, with spiky acidity mixed with buttery, creamy notes. Finishes kind of pasty, with bite and grab. Even at $10 this Maule Valley Pinot struggles with the pleasure factor.
— M.S.
(5/1/2009)
Santa Carolina 2008 Reserva de Familia Chardonnay (Casablanca Valley)
- Online Exclusive
- $20
Not much in the way of aromas except for flatness and apple juice. This wine is a cipher for the most part; it has flat apple and lemon flavors and then a maderized finish that is wheaty and suggests vanilla. Not fully vital; could already be past its prime.
— M.S.
(12/1/2010)
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