Labbé: Chilean Sauvignon can ‘take on’ Marlborough

Chilean Sauvignon’s attractive price point and restrained aromatics have made it a serious competitor with those made in Marlborough, according winemaker Sébastien Labbé.

Carmen’s chief winemaker Sebastian Labbé

Speaking to the drinks business during a recent visit to Chile, Sébastian Labbé, chief winemaker of Santa Rita-owned estate Carmen, said: “Chilean winemakers are getting more comfortable and confident with Sauvignon Blanc – we can do some damage in the market there and take on Marlborough. Chilean Sauvignon Blanc offers a mid point between aromatic New Zealand Sauvignon and more restrained Sauvignon from Sancerre,” he said.

Carmen Wave Series Sauvignon Blanc

As to which region in Chile produces the highest quality Sauvignons, Labbé singled out Leyda. “I prefer Leyda over Casablanca for Sauvignon, as the wines are fresher and more mineral in nature due to the granitic soils. Casablanca’s sandier soils produce more textured whites,” he said.

This year Labbé released a “Wave Series” Sauvignon from Leyda inspired by his love of surfing, which aims to show off the Pacific Coast’s influence on the wine.

Despite his love of Chilean Sauvignon, Labbé told db that female consumers in the country now favour Chardonnay over Sauvignon Blanc.

“Chardonnay never lessened in popularity in Chile but it’s really coming back into fashion now, particularly among women,” he said.

As for Chile’s flagship red variety, Carmenère, Labbé admitted that achieving success with the grape remains a challenge, but one worth persevering with.

“It’s not easy to make a good wine with Carmenère as it’s hard to get it ripe, but I absolutely believe in it and think we need to get behind the variety it in Chile.

“I’ve tasted a lot of bad Carmenère in my time. The trick is to get the grapes to ripen early – blending also helps. The best spots for Carmenère in Chile are Apalta and Peumo,” he said.

And while he believes Syrah has great potential in Chile, he revealed that it remains a tough sell both at home and abroad. “You can make some great Syrah in Chile but you’ll be drinking it alone as no one is buying it,” he said.

In contrast, plantings of Petite Syrah are up at Carmen, with Labbé charmed by its “muscular, meaty, soy sauce character”.

The grape is used in the production of one of Santa Rita’s top wines, Bougainville, made from Maipo-grown Petite Syrah and a small amount of Syrah from Limari.

Labbé has worked as the chief winemaker at Carmen since 2005 – one of Chile’s oldest wine producers founded in 1850, which today boasts five different ranges.

During his time with the estate, Labbé has scoured Chile for the best sites for specific grape varieties via an exhaustive number of soil studies.