Sebastián Labbé

The Path

The discipline behind that position starts with formal study. Labb trained at Lincoln University, building the base for a career shaped by precision and patience. He then spent 2005–2017 as chief winemaker at Viña Carmen in Chile, a long stretch that broadened his command of the work and raised his profile. The line from study to cellar to senior responsibility is direct: a career built through accumulation rather than noise. Today, Sebastián is winemaker for Casa Real and ultra-premium wines and Head Winemaker of Viña Santa Rita (since 2017), with responsibility that sits squarely in the premium tier of the portfolio. The language is formal, but the practice is straightforward: sustain quality, protect house style, and repeat the standard vintage after vintage.

The Work Today

At Viña Santa Rita, Labb’s role since 2017 has been defined by two titles that overlap in practice: Head Winemaker and winemaker for Casa Real and other ultra-premium wines. The remit is concentrated on the upper range of the portfolio, where detail carries more weight and decisions are felt more sharply. Casa Real sits at the center of that work, anchoring both the style and the expectations attached to the role.

Signature

Sebastián’s signature wines include Casa Real, Casa Real Reserva Especial Cabernet Sauvignon, Triple C, Bougainville, and Medalla Real Cabernet Sauvignon 1984. Taken together, they show the range of the portfolio he works within and the level at which his practice sits. Casa Real remains the clearest marker of his current role, but the full list points to a winemaker operating across a focused, high-end set of cuvées.

In Their Words “It gives us a unique signature.”