Casa Real: In conversation with winemaker Sebastián Labbé

Casa Real, from the renowned Santa Rita winery, was one of Chile’s first true icon wines – in fact, it was the first wine from South America to be named a Decanter ‘Wine Legend’. As this revered wine enters its fourth decade, Decanter speaks to the winemaker behind Casa Real, Sebastian Labbé, to explore why he believes it is the purest essence of Chilean Cabernet.

Labbé has a deep understanding of how Casa Real’s winemaking has subtly evolved since its inaugural 1989 vintage: ‘It has been very much a traditional path, and always maintaining the essence of this special site on the south bank of the Maipo river’, which includes old, ungrafted vines. Throughout, he explains, terroir has been the guide: ‘It’s a spectacular amphitheatre with free-draining gravel soils and great diurnal temperature differences at 520m’.

Casa Real&rsquo;s winemaker, Sebastian Labb&eacute; — Casa Real’s winemaker, Sebastian Labbé.

Casa Real: Continuing a legacy of excellence

Casa Real is produced from some of the finest terroir for Cabernet Sauvignon in Chile: 20 hectares in Carneros Viejo and Población, plus eight blocks (divided into 25 parcels) in Alto Jahuel, Maipo Valley. ‘We have worked very hard on precision in the vineyard – understanding the place in great detail and all of the variations within each separate parcel’, Labbé explains. Their goal, he adds, is a wine that can ‘tell the story of Alto Jahuel and Cabernet Sauvignon, the emblematic variety of Chile and of our estate’.

In the winery, the changes that have been made have always sought to ensure an honest expression. ‘There have been adjustments in the amount of new French oak,’ Labbé observes, ‘which now is around 70-75%, as opposed to 100% in the past.’ He stresses the restrained nature of the winemaking: ‘It is relatively simple, and we aim to keep it that way.’

Casa Real is the only Chilean icon wine to be made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon since its inception.

The journey continues

Finally, how does Labbé feel to be part of the history of this legendary wine – and to play a role in shaping its future? ‘It is incredibly exciting and also inspiring. I take it seriously and with great responsibility’, he says, ‘always with a willingness to learn and achieve the maximum potential of this very special vineyard and place’.

Labbé is mindful of the wine’s heritage: ‘The knowledge has been passed down over the past thirty years, and it is an honour to be part of the evolution of one of the world’s greatest Cabernet Sauvignons’. The 2022 vintage – an exceptional year in Chile – will be available via La Place de Bordeaux in September 2025.