The best of the old and new world winemaking
The Vineyards
In 1998, after more than 100 years in the Casablanca Valley, our family decided to plant 20 hectares of vineyards, with a strong focus and interest in cool-climate red varieties, though at the time little explored in this new and fledgling oenological destination.
25 years later, our focus and promise continue to be the same, producing Pinot Noir, Syrah, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot of national renown. This has led Kingston to position ourselves as pioneers and one of the major references in quality grape production in the valley, with more than 140 cultivated hectares.
Our home is located in Las Dichas, in the heart of the Coastal Mountains, just 12 miles from the Pacific Ocean, surrounded by hills dotted with native forests. The coastal influence is reflected in cool, humid, and cloudy days, perfect for our grapes. This unique and singular setting resembles a more dramatic version of California!
Winemaking
The world of wine is a long-term game, and at Kingston, we believe that, after years of testing, studying, and learning, we’ve been at our peak for over a decade. We produce wines from specially selected grapes and varieties that express both the character of the place and the identity of our family, giving life to authentic terroir wines.
Our winemaking is gentle and respectful. We work exclusively by hand/artisanal methods and in small batches, using only native yeasts and on a human and family scale, intervening only when necessary, allowing the expression of this wonderful corner of Casablanca alongside our winemaking tradition and experience, with fresh, vibrant, profound wines with great aging potential.
Pinot Noir
After years of experimentation — and with a steadfast focus on Pinot Noir since day one — we now craft five distinct expressions of the variety. Each wine reflects a unique idea and a specific set of conditions, shaped by different sectors of our vineyard.
Tobiano and Alazán are our original labels. They offer the most approachable, youthful, and affordable expressions of Pinot Noir — an authentic introduction to this delicate grape as it grows in our valley.
CJ’s Kingston comes from the hills where it all began. It reflects the greatest potential of the variety in Casablanca: serious, deep, and concentrated wines with impressive aging capacity. The presence of granite on the surface plays a key role in achieving this complexity.
The Single Blocks, ‘La Cantera’ and ‘Block 8D,’ are our most distinctive wines — where the expression of place speaks for itself and shines in a singular way. Both are sourced from specific sites, chosen after years of trials and detailed vineyard study.
“The wines are made from blends of different blocks and different lots that are barrel-selected in the winery”
Syrah
Syrah is perhaps the variety best adapted to our granite soils and cool climate. Today, it’s represented by three labels of deep historical significance to our family.
Lucero is the youngest of the three — a fresh expression of Syrah under these conditions, resulting in a light, smooth wine that highlights the grape’s varietal character.
Bayo Oscuro comes from steep hillside blocks, where the terrain allows for greater concentration and depth. It showcases Syrah’s wilder, more structured side.
CJ’s is sourced from a block with a pronounced slope, granite-rich soils, and north-facing exposure. The result is an elegant, long-aged wine that brings out the most refined, noble character of the variety.
“Comes from the highest, steepest hills in the vineyard with the most sun exposure and leanest soils.”
Chardonnay
Chardonnay has been present in our vineyard since the beginning, though we only decided to include it in our wine lineup relatively late — around 2014. It’s a particularly sensitive and delicate variety, both in the vineyard and in the cellar. Over the past decade, our greatest challenge has been learning its rhythms, understanding its processes, and identifying its “favorite” sites. This journey led us to craft two distinct Chardonnay labels.
Sabino represents the purest and most honest expression of Chardonnay. It consistently displays vibrant fruit aromas — especially pineapple and orchard fruits. The wine is aged in neutral vessels, such as concrete eggs and used barrels, to avoid interfering with its natural character.
CJ’s reveals a more complex and intriguing side of the variety. It comes from our steepest slope, with eastern exposure and extremely poor soils that produce highly concentrated grapes. This wine can withstand long aging in new oak barrels, resulting in a singular Chardonnay for the valley — with remarkable aging potential.
Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc is the most important variety in the Casablanca Valley. At Kingston, while our primary focus has always been on reds, we’ve never neglected our whites. This versatile and adaptable grape is ideal for crafting fresh, high-acid young wines that also have the ability to evolve — expressing the best of our cool climate and the natural lightness of this region.
Today, our Sauvignon Blanc is represented by two labels:
Cariblanco comes from the lowest and oldest part of the vineyard. These are old vines planted in the warmest area of our estate, yielding wines with good flow, classic varietal expression, and a balance of tropical aromas and freshness — all while highlighting the valley’s potential.
CJ’s, by contrast, was born from years of trials across different vineyard sectors until we identified a south-facing hillside with slow ripening and low yields. This block produces more concentrated wines with a more neutral aromatic profile, subtle green notes, and a structure that allows them to evolve for a decade or more.
Merlot
Our most recent wine is Merlot, which joined our portfolio only in 2017. This variety has been part of the vineyard since the beginning of the project, but for many years, the mixed plantings made it difficult to produce a wine that truly represented both the place and the grape.
After years of work, we established a vineyard planted entirely to Merlot — which gave rise to Pangaré. This label originates from the careful selection of four rows located at the foot of a century-old native Quillay tree.
The wine is the most fruit-forward expression of Merlot in our range — fresh, flowing, and with a delicate, velvety texture. With time, it improves and evolves beautifully. Without a doubt, it’s a variety worth watching closely, especially in the context of climate change.
