The last day of August the world celebrates Cabernet Sauvignon Day. Cabernet Sauvignon is the most famous, popular and widely planted wine grape variety in the world. A cross between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc, it traces its origins to the XVII century in France, but nowadays it is grown in most regions worldwide. Currently, Cabernet Sauvignon is mainly planted in France, Chile, Australia, the United States and Argentina.

According to OIV figures, of the global wine grapes planted, that amounted to 4,483,128 in 2016, 310.671 hectares responded to Cabernet Sauvignon, roughly 6.93%, followed by Merlot and Tempranillo.

Chile’s Cabernet Sauvignon

Chile is the second country where Cabernet is the most extended grape variety (after France), accounting for 13.7% of the world’s plantations, with 42,409 hectares planted.
A late-ripening variety, Cabernet has found a second home in Chile, where the soils of the Andes’ foothills have allowed for some of the best winegrowing valleys: Maipo, Aconcagua, Cachapoal and Colchagua. The high sunshine exposure, the breezes coming from the mountains that provide cool nights and the absence of rainfall in the summer allows for an optimal maturation process.
Specifically the Maipo Alto Valley (Maipo Andes) was among the first areas of the country to focus in Cabernet Sauvignon as one of the Bordeaux varieties imported by wineries in the late 1800’s.

Two great Cabernet Sauvignon from Santa Rita

To celebrate Cabernet Sauvignon Day and have the opportunity to enjoy the full potential of the variety, we invite you to explore two great wines from our portfolio:

The icon:

Santa Rita Casa Real Reserva Especial: The icon wine of Santa Rita, this represents the pinnacle of Cabernet Sauvignon from Alto Jahuel. A wine that has deep and intense ruby red color, the nose is dominated by cassis, cherry and graphite. The mid sweet palate screams its Alto Jahuel origin with ripe and rich tannins holding gently in the mouth. Our Casa Real is bright, elegant and silky with layers of flavors and textures with great persistence, with a cellaring potential of over 20 years.

The Innovation:

Santa Rita Floresta Cabernet Sauvignon: From the Alto Jahuel estate in Maipo Alto, this Cabernet Sauvignon is early picked in mid-March, producing an intense and deep ruby red wine. Red fruit like cherry and raspberry dominates on the nose. In the background appear notes of stone and graphite with a well-integrated wood delivering a broad and concentrated palate.