Beyond the Bottle: Sebastián Labbé's Quest for Authenticity, Elegance, and a Touch of the Ocean

Beyond the Bottle: Sebastián Labbé's Quest for Authenticity, Elegance, and a Touch of the Ocean

Imagine winemaking as a captivating dance with nature, a never-ending quest shaped by climate, tradition, and an unwavering passion for capturing the purest expression of the land. This is the vibrant reality for Sebastián Labbé, a globe-trotting enologist whose diverse experiences have converged to forge his distinctive vision for the future of Chilean wine. His journey is a compelling tale of exploration, innovation, and profound dedication. Recently, I had the immense pleasure of sitting down with Sebastián for a one-on-one discussion about his journey, his philosophy, and his hopes for the future, all while savoring the exquisite Premium Wines portfolio of Viña Santa Rita.

From Global Stages to Chilean Terroir

Sebastián’s path began with a solid foundation in agricultural engineering and enology from the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, but his true education unfolded far beyond his home country. His journey to becoming a champion of Chilean terroir started in some of the world's most renowned wine regions. Training in New Zealand instilled in him a deep appreciation for meticulous viticulture and a laser focus on sustainability. He was captivated by how a relatively small island nation could make such a profound global impact with its distinctive Sauvignon Blanc. "They're very good with a strength in sustainability and biodiversity," he reflects. Australia offered a different kind of education, broadening his understanding of winemaking on a grander scale. He immersed himself in larger-scale operations and a wider range of varietals, honing his craft with Semillon and Shiraz.

Returning Home: A Vision for Viña Carmen and Santa Rita

Bringing his unique global insights back to Chile, Sebastián joined Viña Carmen as Chief Winemaker, part of the esteemed Santa Rita Group in 2005 and later in 2017 spearheading the Ultra-Premium portfolio of Santa Rita. Here, he embarked on a mission to produce exceptional wines that truly capture the essence of Chile's diverse terroirs. He's not just a pioneer in flavor, but also in sustainable practices, ensuring the wines are as kind to the earth as they are to your palate.

Santa Rita Winery, one of Chile's most iconic wine producers, boasts a rich history intertwined with the country's cultural and political landscape. Founded in 1880 by Domingo Fernández Concha in the renowned Maipo Valley, Santa Rita quickly gained a reputation for quality by introducing French grape varieties and modern winemaking techniques. This progressive approach was groundbreaking at a time when Chilean wine was largely rustic. The winery also holds a piece of Chilean history; during the War of Independence, it provided refuge to 120 soldiers—an event commemorated by their popular "120" wine. Today, Santa Rita continues to expand and modernize, maintaining an unwavering commitment to sustainability, quality, and tradition, producing everything from accessible labels to premium wines that highlight Chile's rich terroir.

A Deep Dive into the Vineyard: Farming for the Future

"I think there's more and more focusing on farming in general," Sebastián emphasizes, setting the tone for a conversation centered on the vital connection between the vine and its environment. For him, it’s not just about growing grapes; it’s about cultivating a holistic ecosystem. He spoke passionately about compost preparations, meticulous soil work, and the intentional integration of animals into the vineyard, all fostering a thriving, biodiverse environment. While organic certification isn't always the sole objective, the philosophy of sustainability is paramount. It’s a deliberate move "back to before the industrial ages, where natural wines, you're seeing a lot more to the farming and going back to the terroir, as opposed to the conventional methods." He points to a global shift, even among Burgundy winemakers once reliant on herbicides, now embracing organic practices—a testament to this mindful approach to viticulture.

Tasting the Vision

As Sebastián guided me through his journey, we sampled the latest releases from Santa Rita's ultra-premium collection, including the minimal-intervention Floresta wines, the iconic Pewën Carmenere, their Bordeaux-inspired blend Triple C, and the winery's flagship Casa Real.

The Floresta range truly embodies Sebastián's passion, showcasing his vision for wines that are fresh, vibrant, and deeply expressive of their origins. The wines are terroir specific with minimal intervention as "we wanted to make wines that were more of that style, fresher and with less use of oak," he explains. Tasting these wines is akin to taking a guided tour of Chile's diverse viticultural landscapes.

Floresta Chardonnay (Limarí Valley) 2022: Sebastián describes its immediate appeal, crafted in a Champagne-like style where grapes are pressed and batches separated by flavor and quality. Spontaneous fermentation in stainless steel tanks with 10 months on the lees with French oak barrels. This Chardonnay to explode with floral aromas, complemented by peach and pronounced minerality. "Refreshing, energetic, electric," he adds, highlighting its vibrant tension and subtle saline character. Pair it with oysters for an amazing experience!

Floresta Field Blend (Apalta, Colchagua Valley) 2023: A fascinating skin-contact white made from rescued, old-vine varieties such as Semillon, Sauvignon Vert, Moscatel, Torontel and Corinto. This wine boasts a striking dark golden hue and a unique textural profile. "It's not oxidized, but you can tell it's the skin-contact wine from not just the palate with the tannins, and that really good squared structure." The extended skin contact imparts a distinct grippiness, leading to a persistent, lingering finish. It beautifully balances the elegance of a white with impressive structure and texture.

Floresta Carmenère (Maipo Valley) 2023: Sebastián aims to redefine the often-misunderstood Carmenere with this wine, crafting a fresh, vibrant, and intensely aromatic expression. "The texture... it has a beautiful elegance, oh my gosh. It's so elegant!" He emphasizes the crucial distinction between desirable herbaceousness and undesirable under-ripeness, seeking to capture the variety's inherent freshness while avoiding any green, vegetal notes. The volume of press wine is blended with free run run to create the backbone of this wine. The wine was aged of 14 months in concrete tanks preserving the character and freshness of this old block of Carmenere.

Floresta Cabernet Franc (Maipo Valley) 2023: Half of the final blend was aged in foudres and oak barrels for 14 months. This offers an intense, fresh aroma with notes of raspberry leaf and graphite, cedar, forest floor and violets showcasing an elegance that leads to a long, juicy finish.

Floresta Cabernet Sauvignon (Maipo Valley) 2022: The volume of press wine is blended with free run run to create the backbone of this wine. Aged for 14 months in French second and third use barrels. Made exclusively from the fragmented rock soils of hillsides, this wine demonstrates a beautiful balance, leading the palate on a long journey of dark bramble fruits with an earthy depth.

Triple C Red Wine (Maipo Valley) 2021: A blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Cabernet Franc, and 8% Carmenere, each fermented separately with native yeasts (Carmenere with 5% whole bunches). After 6 months in barrels, the wine was blended and aged for another 12 months in barrels, followed by 3 months in stainless steel before bottling. This wine, like a walk through a damp forest, displays an earthy flavor with light floral notes, making it incredibly drinkable and delicious.

Pewën De Apalta 2022: This 100% Carmenere is a true star from Chile's prestigious Apalta Valley. A delicately crafted red, it underwent spontaneous fermentation, early, gentle extraction, and vertical pressing, then aged for 18 months in French oak (40% new, 60% second use) before bottling. It bursts into the glass with an alluring, inky purple-carmine hue that hints at the depths within. Inhale its intoxicating aromas—a symphony of luscious dark fruits like black cherry, blackberry, and plum, dancing alongside those quintessential Carmenere whispers of fresh green bell pepper, fragrant bay leaf, and an intriguing touch of spice (black pepper, licorice, a hint of tobacco). And just beneath it all? A fascinating graphite or mineral streak that adds another layer of intrigue.

Casa Real Cabernet Sauvignon 2021: This is Santa Rita's flagship wine, made from 90-year-old vines in a 20-hectare parcel divided into 8 blocks and further into 25 sections. Each is fermented and pressed separately, using both free-run and press juice (for structure and complexity)—a concept similar to Champagne production. This meticulous detail prevents aggressive tannin extraction, resulting in a more elegant wine. Aged for 20 months in French oak barrels (85% new, 15% second year), it's the very soul of their wine. Expect concentrated aromatics of resinous herbs (mint, rosemary, eucalyptus), bramble, cherry, savory graphite, cedar, espresso, and leather. It offers fine-grained tannins with significant weight, a supple and silky texture, and an overall highly complex profile.

Challenging Perceptions and Embracing the Ocean

Sebastián's vision for Chilean wine extends beyond crafting exceptional wines; he seeks to challenge preconceived notions and pave the way for future generations of winemakers. "I was tired about this stereotype of Carmenere being big, rich, flat, slightly herbal, ripe with a ton of oak," he admits, expressing his desire to showcase the true potential of this iconic Chilean variety. He advocates for earlier harvesting, fermentation in concrete tanks, and a judicious use of oak to allow the purity of the fruit to shine through. “There is a big difference, and I still find between herbal characteristics and vegetated characteristics. I think this one is freshness, and the other is under-ripeness.” His continuous challenge is to fine-tune the wines without compromising the house style, especially when dealing with eight subdivided blocks—a challenge he consistently meets head-on. He vividly recounts Chile's geological history, explaining how the formation of the Andes Mountains and the presence of calcium carbonate deposits in the Limarí Valley contribute to the wines' unique character. “So that might have that kind of a beautiful tension, but they got a little bit more checks at the same time.” This deep understanding of terroir isn't merely academic; it informs every decision he makes in the vineyard and the winery.

As for advice to future oenologists, he implores them to travel and immerse themselves in the diverse realities of the wine world. Experiencing winemaking firsthand in different regions is crucial for gaining wisdom and unlocking future potential.

In a personal choice that speaks volumes about his values, Sebastián recently moved back to the ocean. "After a pandemic, I said, I wanted to return to my roots, closer to the ocean," he shares. For him, the ocean is more than just a scenic backdrop; it's a source of tranquility and inspiration, a constant reminder of the natural forces that shape his wines.

This profound connection to the ocean, coupled with his global perspective and unwavering commitment to terroir, defines this exceptional Chilean winemaker. He isn't merely producing wines; he is crafting narratives, each bottle telling a unique story of tradition, innovation, and the vibrant spirit of Chile. Thank you for this unparalleled opportunity to explore, learn, and celebrate Chilean winemaking.

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