Casa Marin, one of Chile’s top boutique wineries making cool climate gems in their own DO, Lo Abarca
Website: https://www.casamarin.cl/
Casa Marin is one of Chile’s success stories. It’s a boutique winery based in Lo Abarca, which is one of the three subregions of San Antonio (the other two are Leyda, which makes up 90% of the vineyards in San Antonio, and Rosario, where Matetic are based). Casa Marin are the only vineyard owner in Lo Abarca, so this is their own DO.
It was founded by Maria María Luz Marín, who was the first female founder of a winery in Chile. She’s now stepped back a bit and operations are in the hands of her two sons and daughter in law. I met with Felipe Marin and Jamie Verbaak.
This is one of the coolest wine regions in Chile, with around 950 Growing Degree Days (GDDs). The warmest it gets is 26 C, which is perfect for vines, but this is only once or twice a year. Santiago can be 15 C higher in temperature in the summer. Since 2010 early season frosts have become an issue.
María Luz began making wine for San Pedro, but she always saw that there was a glass ceiling for female winemakers in Chile, so she set up on her own, in the bulk wine business, and did really well. One of her early clients was PLB in the UK, who were one of the main suppliers to Tesco. She didn’t come from a wealthy background, but she had a dream of starting a winery in Lo Abarca, where she grew up. It’s a small valley, surrounded by hills. She was advised against it, because it’s so cold, but was determined, and bought the property in 1998. This hilly site was previously eucalypt forest, and she wasted two years while she was waiting for permission for land use change. In the end she gave up waiting and just planted, in 2000. She may not have had permission, but she bought employment to a village of 500 people, and made some progress in the region.
While it’s a very cool climate, Felipe says that the main challenges have been drought. It’s not so much temperature, because of the proximity of the ocean. Yields are 2-6 tonnes per hectare for Sauvignon Blanc, which is very low. For Pinot Noir, they are 2.5-4.5 tonnes/hectare, and because this buds earlier it’s more susceptible to frost.
The vineyard is 57 hectares, with 98% on hillsides. Below 120 m there are marine deposits, and above this the soils are mainly granite and red clay.
They’ve had some issues recently with rabbits girdling the trunks, and lost an old block of Riesling this way.
THE WINES
Casa Marin Viñedos Lo Abarca No 5 Pet Nat 2024
This is Syrah, and it has no added sulfites. Wild ferment. The cellar is quite cool and when the density gets to about 1000 they bottle it, after settling the heavy sediments and chilling down to slow the fermentation. It’s then racked off its lees. This is disgorged after the second fermentation. Bright pale red in colour. This is juicy and tart with nice cherry and plum fruit, with a hint of pepper. Some lively citrus fruit, too.
Casa Marin Sauvignon Blanc Cipresses Vineyard 2024
Marine deposits, own roots, Clone 1, older vines, harvested first week of April (the harvest can take two weeks, harvesting by block, and they like to have different components). Vibrant grassy lime fruit on the nose, with a lovely chalky, mineral edge. So tight on the palate with vibrant acidity and a strong mineral character. Lean and subtly grassy with some richer fruit notes in the mix, finishing with spice-laden grapefruit. Remarkable. 94/100
Casa Marin Viñedos Lo Abarca No 2 Sauvignon Blanc 2024
13% alcohol. Clone 108 on Paulsen, remove some leaves to get sun exposure. Barrel fermented in old 500 litre oak. The aim is to get something not as linear as Cipresses with some more depth. Refined and textural with keen acidity but also some nice depth, showing pear and citrus with some richer elements, but it stays linear, focused and quite mineral with a long, salty finish. Such energy here. 94/100
Casa Marin Sauvignon Blanc Les Cipresses Vineyard 2013
13.5% alcohol. This has a yellow/gold colour and a distinctive waxy, honeyed, toasty nose, with a touch of green. The palate is powerful and layered with good acidity and a long, spicy finish with some saline twists. Some peachy richness here. Bold, richly textured with some pear and fig notes, still fully alive with lots of depth. 93/100
Casa Marin Miramar Vineyard Riesling 2024
12.5% alcohol. This is the one was hit by rabbits in the following year. Very pure, fine and limey with amazing tension but also harmony. The fruit has lime, lemon, but also some peachy richness and a twist of apricot. Lovely crystalline citrus notes. Dry but full, this is fantastic, with great concentration. 95/100
Casa Marin Viñedos lo Abarca Riesling 2025
8.5% alcohol. The year of the rabbit attack, picked early and made in a Kabinett style. Juicy, lively and complex with sweet citrus fruit, a hint of apricot, some fine spiciness, and good acidity countered by a touch of sweetness. Amazing tension here, finishing juicy, mouthwatering and with high acidity. Some salinity. 95/100
Casa Marin Jeronimo Vineyard Chardonnay 2024
This is in the old vineyard, on Paulsen. Granitic soils. Full MLF, 18 months French oak, used oak. This is lean and focused but also has some depth to it. Vivid with good acidity and notes of honey, butter and toast. There’s richness on the mid palate but it finishes fresh and linear. Distinctive and quite delicious. 93/100
Casa Marin Pinot Pinot Noir Litoral Vineyard 2023
Some limestone here. 777 clone own rooted. Harvested late March. Destemmed, 3 d cold soak then ferment starts on its own. Punch down 1-3 per day depending on fermentation stage, takes 7 days. Drained to barrel, light press. No sulfites over winter then malolactic in spring. Used oak 14 months. Concentrated but fresh with lovely vivid raspberry and cherry fruit with some fine spicy notes. Such tension on the palate with good structure and nice acidity. Very subtle herbal hints in the mix: this is very stylish. Good concentration of fruit here. 94/100
Casa Marin Viñedos Lo Abarca No 1 Pinot Noir 2022
14% alcohol. This is ripe and textural, and quite broad, with sweet black cherries and plums as well as subtle olive and meat notes. Concentrated and flavourful with lovely depth. Subtle green notes, too. 94/100
Casa Marin Miramar Vineyard Syrah 2015
12% alcohol. This is the current release. Three years in barrel, and time in bottle. It’s quite harsh when it is young. This has high acidity and it’s really vivid and intense with some blood, iron and white pepper. It’s vivid, focused and taut with some good acidity and a bit of structure, as well as vivid red and black fruits. Just a hint of green. Finishes firm. A beautiful expression of Syrah. 94/100
