Vineyards and winemaking
Casa Santiago Merlot 2025 comes from Viña Requingua's vineyards in Chile's Central Valley. The Requingua estate's northern parcels have deep loam-clay soils, while the warm Mediterranean growing season is moderated by the Pacific to the west and the Andes to the east, creating a useful difference between day and night temperatures.
The Merlot receives a short maceration of around ten days, with traditional pumping over and gentle mixing during fermentation at 25–28°C. After fermentation, the wine is kept on its lees in stainless-steel vats for two to three months before blending and bottling, preserving its soft texture and fruit-led character without oak.
Tasting notes
Appearance
Deep red with bright violet highlights.
Nose
Blackberry, plum and cassis are lifted by mint, dried leaf and a small twist of black pepper.
Palate
Smooth and medium-bodied, with juicy dark fruit, soft tannins and enough acidity to keep the wine lively. A savoury herbal note checks the ripeness, leaving a balanced finish of plum skin and blackcurrant.
Food pairing
A versatile red for cottage pie, tomato-rich beef lasagne, grilled Cumberland sausages or roasted aubergine with lentils. It is equally comfortable with a simple cheeseboard of Red Leicester and mild blue cheese.
Background story
Viña Requingua was founded by Santiago Achurra Larraín in 1961 in the Curicó Valley; its name means 'Corner of the Winds' in Mapuche. The Achurra family remains closely involved, with a third generation joining the business in 2018.
Casa Santiago is the winery's straightforward, varietal-led range, intended to show Chilean fruit with clarity and dependable balance. This description has been aligned with the current 2025 vintage shown in the product title, replacing the obsolete 2024 reference that remained in the earlier copy.
