To fill in those knowledge gaps, many producers have turned to geologists.  

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“Geologists specialize in studying soils and their evolution,” says geologist Eder González, who has been working with wineries across Chile since 2010. Though these scientists “don’t tell winemakers what, how or where to plant vines,” oftentimes, winemakers and growers make key planting decisions based on their findings. “We can provide detailed insights into how the geology, rocks and hills surrounding their vineyards have evolved.” 

Such knowledge has translated to a growing number of single-vineyard labels, which hail from geologist-identified sites able to produce wines with distinctive characteristics. The influence of geologists, many argue, is changing the game for Chilean and Argentinian wineries, helping them reach new levels of excellence and sustainability. 

The Secret’s in the Soil 

Geologists’ central mission is to segment and classify vineyards. They harness a plethora of lab tests, soil pits and other tools to do so, singling out layers of sediment, rock and other geological features. 

For example, Gonzalez explains, he might want to know why the clay content differs in two different plots of land, despite having the same bedrock, or why some rivers created alluvial terraces while others did not. 

In some cases, these surveys have prompted the development of new wine regions. One example is Limarí Valley in northern Chile, where Gonzalez and other experts studied the abundance of limestone soils in some areas. This soil type is associated with desirable characteristics in wine, such as vibrancy and mineral texture. Limarí Valley is now recognized as one of the world’s top regions for white wines, with prominent producers such as Viña Santa Rita and Concha y Toro sourcing Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc from it. 

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Geologists are also helping the continent’s more well-established destinations grow further afield. In Mendoza, Argentina, the expansion of vineyards from the lowlands in the east to the higher altitude regions of Luján de Cuyo and the Uco Valley, which began about 30 years ago, was driven by wineries’ search for cooler temperatures. But the move brought new challenges and opportunities for professionals like geophysicist Guillermo Corona, creator of the Instagram account @geografiadelvino and author of the book Geografía del Vino. 

“As winemakers moved closer to the mountains, they encountered more stony and heterogeneous soils,” Corona says. Over the last decade, his geology research helped many wineries pinpoint the best sites to grow grapes. “If someone wants to find the best place to plant vines, and within that place, find the best patchwork of land, then they need to study the soil,” he says.  

A New Approach to Winemaking 

The benefits of understanding soil composition go well beyond texture and structure. It also has the potential to improve sustainability—specifically in the realm of water management. Knowing how soils retain moisture can help viticulturists more precisely determine the correct amount of water to deliver each vine. 

“Irrigation in vineyards with clay soil is different from those with stony soil,” says winemaker Teresita Ovalle of Viña Santa Rita, one of the largest wineries in Chile. Clay soils, for instance, retain more water than those with a higher percentage of gravel. Therefore, vines in clay soils need to be irrigated for shorter periods compared to vines on rocky soils. This not only helps wineries save water, an increasingly precious natural resource, but can also reduce energy costs. 

After working with geologists, Ovalle decided to separately vinify grapes from various geologically superior sites. Each area produced a high-quality wine with different characteristics—some muscular and tannic, others more elegant.  

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“The tannins and structure of wine are determined by the place where the vines grow,” says Ovalle. “In our Alto Jahuel vineyards in Maipo Valley, we can compare a Cabernet Sauvignon that grows on colluvial soils in the hills with one that grows on alluvial soils. The latter has silky and rounder tannins than the wine that comes from the hill.”  

Another geology convert is Andrea Ferreyra, winemaker at La Celia, which was founded in 1890 in Argentina’s Uco Valley. Though she has long believed in a holistic approach to viticulture and winemaking, geology has only recently become an integral component of her work.  

“We used to think of Uco as a region with higher altitude, a cool climate, more rainfall compared to other regions and a large diurnal temperature range,” says Ferreyra. “But we didn’t stop to think about what lies beneath the ground—currently, we consider everything as a whole.”  

To date, around 30% of the soil on La Celia’s estate vineyards has been analyzed. Those studies have already paid off: Last year was one of Argentina’s most challenging harvests, with grapes ripening unevenly due to frost. But fruit harvested from one of Ferreyra’s soil-analyzed vineyards proved her saving grace. Using knowledge from the study, she managed each plot separately as best suited them, monitoring the vines’ vigor and carefully calibrating the amount of water delivered. Even in a bad year, it yielded notably good fruit—albeit in lower quantities than had the frost not occurred. Still, in a sense, the soil analysis proved something of an insurance policy. 

Looking to the Future 

The work of geologists in South America has helped the continent’s wine industries to advance substantially over recent years—but their work is far from over. Both scientists and winemakers continue to strive for a deeper understanding of each subregion and appellation. 

“Vineyards in places like Mendoza won’t [physically] expand much more due to the lack of water,” says Corona. In other words, in general, producers won’t be able to find new sites to plant vines. But if they’re able to better utilize the resources they do have on hand—the soil, for example—they may be able to increase the quality of their products and make more terroir-driven wines. “What we need to do now is to continue studying each region in detail to fully understand it,” he says. 

Unlike those in Old World wine regions, producers in South America may not have centuries’ worth of knowledge about their vineyards. But geology is helping them gain a deeper understanding of their land and its possibilities. Already, high-quality bottlings have proved that knowledge is power. 

“The more information and data we have, the better decisions we can make,” says González. 

The post What Lies Beneath: How Geology Is Transforming South American Winemaking appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.

Violence erupts in the streets of Santiago, Chile, as protesters march for the rights of the Mapuche population. A lone figure armed with a small Mapuche flag is driven to the ground when the national police—the Carabineros—fire a water cannon.

The disintegrating effects of marginalization have pushed the Mapuche, Chile’s largest Indigenous population, to the brink of despair.

Until now, Chile has been the only South American country to exclude Indigenous people from its constitution. As of press time, Dr. Elisa Loncón, a member of the Mapuche community, is presiding over a constitutional convention to create a plurinational document for all citizens.

For centuries, the disinherited have existed without official recognition, resulting in abject poverty, loss of language, culture, and family for nearly 9% of Chileans— approximately two million people—who self-identify as Indigenous.

Given this history, imagine how surprised residents of a small Mapuche village known as Buchahueico were when a group of enologists from Viña San Pedro, a prominent Chilean winery, showed up seeking a viticultural partnership in 2014.

The agricultural community in the Malleco Valley, south of the Bío Bío River, cultivated wheat, potatoes, some cattle, and orchards. While aware vineyards exist farther north, this remote community had never actually seen one.

Without viticultural knowledge, the Buchahueico initially rejected the idea of partnering with strangers to grow an unknown crop. María Loncomilla, a Buchahueico viticulturalist, says she was surprised and nervous because the community knew nothing about grape-growing.

But the town was in dire straits. Today, 24 families live there; once, there were 64. The struggle for economic survival had been tearing the community apart. Without a steady income source, the youth had been leaving for agricultural work in the Central Valley or forestry in the mountains. The elders knew something had to be done.

“The work we were doing before was difficult,” says Pedro Curín, now a Buchahueico viticulturist. “We had a bad time at the forestry companies and plantations.”

So, they took a chance, embracing the possibility that wine can raise awareness of their circumstances, educate on the richness of their heritage and, most importantly, provide the economic stability needed to restore their community.

“This is a new line of business for us and we are really happy [to be] learning another area of business,” says Lucy Curín, Buchahueico leader and viticulturist. “We are also grateful Viña San Pedro chose our community.”

Representing about 85% of Chile’s Indigenous population, the Mapuche once populated the majority of southern Chile from the Itata River. Spanish conquistadors, epidemics, forced assimilation, and Chilean government neglect has shrunk their territory to an area south of the Bío Bío River in the Araucanía Region.

Historically, the majority of Chile’s viticulture has been concentrated in central Aconcagua and the Central Valley, around Santiago.

As the industry matures and the climate changes, the cool, wet regions of Malleco and Bío Bío Valleys have become viticulturally viable.

The Buchahueico Project started with two families. Today, it includes nine, each with around six acres of grapes. The Mapuche own the land, and San Pedro provides vineyard financing, extensive viticultural training, and ongoing support.

Here, the Mapuche have become experts at growing site-expressive Pinot Noir. The result is Tayu 1865. The name translates to “ours” in the Mapudungun language.

“Something incredible has happened,” says Viviana Navarrete, winemaker of the Buchahueico Project. “Today, I will say they are the best producers of grapes I have.”

”Meaning “people of the land,” the Mapuche’s connection to earth and sky goes beyond oenological understanding. When the vineyards need water, they hold a ceremony asking for rain. When it’s rained too much, they hold another requesting the rain to stop.

Given that their vineyards are no bigger than Burgundian climats, the Mapuche have intimate knowledge of their vines, sensing each one’s health prior to indication.

This groundbreaking project brings the entire family into the vineyard—creating a viable and sustainable business model, replicable with future winery or other crop contracts, helping to end community and cultural disintegration.

“This is giving us another way to make a living here, a way to have a better life,” says Pedro Curín. “We are pleased and hope there will be even more of this work in our community.”

Navarrete feels working with the Mapuche has deeply impacted her.

“I have grown as a professional and as a person,” she says. “Although I always work with wine, I am in a rush. They have taught me to slow down, to better observe the terroir and the place. To be more connected.”

A Matter of National Pride

Carlos Cardoen was once a notorious weapons manufacturer who, in the 1990s, shifted his attention to agriculture, and particularly, viticulture. Along the way, he has long held a passion for Chile’s Indigenous people. Over decades of travel, he collected art, history, documents, fossils, and artifacts of ancient cultures.

Concerned that Chileans cared more about foreign cultural influence than their own history, he opened the Colchagua Museum in Santa Cruz in 1995, in an effort to illuminate and teach the rich history of Chile’s Indigenous people.

Today, the Cardoen Foundation curates three museums focused on Indigenous cultures, and Viña Santa Cruz, which gives visitors an interactive experience in honor of Chile’s Indigenous people.

“Each time a Lickan Antay drinks wine, before their first sip, they pour wine to the soil twice: The first is a thank-you gift for Mother Earth, the second a thank you gift for their ancestors.” —Sergio Jara, winemaker, Ayllu Winery

“Viña Santa Cruz’s culture is based on three main Indigenous Chilean cultures,” says Emilio Cardoen, director of Viña Santa Cruz. “First we take visitors into our cellar to show them our heart, then we head up the mountain to demonstrate our soul.”

Three structures reside at the top of the mountain—an Aymara (Lickan Antay) home from the Atacama Desert, a traditional Mapuche home, and a moai statue of the Rapa Nui of Easter Island. Through expert guides, guests learn about the history, culture, and practices of these Indigenous people through sight, smell, sound, and taste. Santa Cruz also produces wine inspired by each culture.

Yes, this is a tourist destination, created by settlers to celebrate Indigenous culture. But Emilio believes it brings visitors one step closer to understanding something they may have only read about in books. Furthermore, local schools utilize this experience as a means of furthering knowledge and understanding of Indigenous people.

“Visitors can take a picture of moai without going to Easter Island, or stand inside a house of the Aymara made of stone, mud, and cactus wood,” says Emilio. “We built it to be an experience. Guests leave with more respect and understanding of these cultures.”

Imported Identity and Economic Survival

In contrast to lush southern and central Chile, the northern territory of the Atacama Desert is a land of conflict: Barrenness and desolation juxtapose beauty and life. This oldest and driest non-polar desert on earth is between 20 and 40 million years old and is 50 times drier than Death Valley, California.

Yet, for centuries, the Lickan Antay have been growing Vitis vinifera here.

The tribe is believed to be one of the world’s oldest civilizations, and it has called this land home for millennia. In ancient times, its members sought the mystical interconnectedness of earth and sky through hallucinogens. Upon their arrival in the mid-1500s, the Spanish opposed this worldview. By means of cross and sword, the Lickan Antay’s spiritual practices were condemned, and wine was introduced for sacramental purposes.

“Viticulture in the Atacama Desert arrived with the first Spanish settlers and Jesuits through the Inca Trail,” says Wilfredo Pablo Cruz Muraña, CEO of Cooperativa Campesina Lickan Antay. “Our ancestors were evangelized by priests with wine.”

Relying on the rhythms of the sun and moon to guide viticultural practices, they have been producing wine from native Criolla grapes for personal consumption for centuries.

“I think the most amazing aspect for me is the Lickan Antay’s relationship with wine,” says Sergio Jara, winemaker of Ayllu Winery. “They use wine for their rites and to say ‘thank you’ to the earth. Each time a Lickan Antay drinks wine, before their first sip, they pour wine to the soil twice: The first is a thank-you gift for Mother Earth, the second a thank-you gift for their ancestors.”

Like the Mapuche, this marginalized community is among Chile’s poorest. Therefore, in 2017, 20 families banded together to form a cooperative, taking the community into commercial wine production for survival. Ayllu Winery was born.

“We feel responsible for maintaining our culture, traditions, and respect for the environment,” says Cruz. “We have an identity and history here.”

Leaving  Maule Valley to join the Ayllu team, Jara was lured by the location. “The middle of the desert is an ecosystem unknown to most Chilean winemakers,” and people, he says.

After he arrived, Jara noticed the Criolla wine suffered from oxidation and spontaneous bottle refermentation. He has enjoyed collaborating with longstanding community members to incorporate modern methods into their local wine.

The Ayllu project is thriving. Twenty more winegrowers are poised to join the cooperative. Tourists are venturing out from San Pedro de Atacama to visit, shop, and attend harvest festivals in Toconao, boosting the local economy.

“Wine is a beacon that brings people to us,” says Jara.

Thankful the community’s winemaking heritage is providing economic sustainability, Cruz wishes the market sought to understand the Lickan Antay through their historic varieties—País and Muscat de Alexandria, vinified off-dry— rather than market-driven globalized grapes.

Some see wine as a marker of class, building cellars for aging coveted purchases, while others view it as an agricultural product bought and promptly consumed. Critics deconstruct it to determine its subjective worth. But for some Chilean Indigenous communities, this Western product, imposed by conquerors, provides a gateway for their survival.

The post The People and Lands of Chile’s Indigenous Wine Movement appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.

Originally brought to Chile by mistake from its native Bordeaux, these dark-skinned grapes have become a global favorite and are treasured for their plush tannins, deep berry fruit flavors and herbal tones.

Try these twelve Chilean reds that span from smooth to bold.

Casas del Toqui 2018 Gran Toqui Cabernet Sauvignon (Cachapoal Valley); $35, 93 Points. Aromas of iron and minerals open this full and ripe Cabernet, then come leathery berry and black plum scents. This is full, smooth and a bit jammy and chunky in feel. Ripe, lusty black cherry, dark plum and oaky chocolate flavors finish with a dash of Chile’s patented herbal spice. Drink this smooth operator through 2024. Via Pacifica Imports. Editors’ Choice. —Michael Schachner

François Lurton 2018 Hacienda Araucano Gran Araucano Cabernet Sauvignon (Colchagua Valley); $35, 92 Points. The nose of this Cabernet gives way to red bell pepper, brick dust and baking spice aromas. A lush, deep and layered palate is jammy and thick, while flavors of peppery blackberry, fresh herbs and spicy oak arise. On the finish, coffee and mocha notes mix with ripe berry flavors. Drink through 2025. Winesellers, Ltd. —M.S.

Santa Rita 2018 Floresta Cabernet Sauvignon (Maipo Valley); $35, 92 Points. Earthy blackberry and cassis aromas are backed by textbook Chilean notes of tobacco and cedary oak. On the palate, this is lively, with bright acidity offering lift and balance. Lightly baked cassis and plum flavors finish a bit flat. Drink through 2024. Delicato Family Wines. —M.S.

Undurraga 2018 T.H. Terroir Hunter Cauquenes Cabernet Sauvignon (Maule Valley); $30, 92 Points. Smooth and spicy black cherry, cassis and herbal aromas are muscular but not heavy. Lively acidity adds punch to the palate, while this dry-farmed Maule Cabernet tastes of red plum, currant and spicy oak. Drink through 2026. Freedom Beverage Co. —M.S.

Casa Silva 2018 S38 Los Lingues Single Block Cabernet Sauvignon (Colchagua Valley); $30, 91 Points. Off the blocks this is oaky, highly herbal and pushing up against green, which is typical for Los Lingues. An intense palate is saturated and woody, while this tastes of oak grain, sawdust, berry fruits and tobacco. This is a potent Cabernet with a ton of barrel influence. Drink through 2026. Vine Connections. Cellar Selection. —M.S.

Primus 2019 Carmenère (Apalta); $19, 91 Points. Ripe plum and blackberry aromas come with ample oaky wood grain scents as well as hints of Band-Aid and latex. A flush palate is what Apalta is known for, while this warm-year Carmenère offers baked black fruit flavors touched up by chocolaty oak. A slightly sticky and grabby finish confirms the wine’s heft. Gonzalez Byass USA. —M.S.

Bodega Volcanes de Chile 2019 Tectonia Carmenère (Maule Valley); $25, 90 Points. Herbal berry aromas are clipped and tight, with a mild green note. Grabby tannins and raw acidity pump up the mouthfeel on this Maule Valley Carmenère, while flavors of coffee, mocha, blackberry and brown sugar finish with some heat and acidic push. Vias Imports. —M.S.

Cigar Box 2019 Old Vine Hand Harvested Cabernet Sauvignon (Maipo Valley); $12, 90 Points. Lightly herbal blackberry and plum aromas are typical for quality Chilean Cabernet, while this feels full and fresh, with a seamless blend of pulpy fruit, tannins and acidity. Black cherry and cassis flavors are herbal and lightly chocolaty, while this finishes smooth and steady. Drink through 2023. Santa Rita USA Corporation. Best Buy. —M.S.

Viñedos Marchigüe 2019 Panilonco Chief of Lions Reserve Carmenère (Colchagua Valley); $20, 90 Points. Herbal black plum aromas are inviting in a textbook way, while this shows the pop and energy of Marchigue, a coastal-influenced subzone of Colchagua. Black cherry and herbal notes and notable oak fill out the flavor profile on this savory tasting Carmenère with latent burn. Evaki Imports Inc. —M.S.

Viña Tarapacá 2019 Gran Reserva Carmenère (Maipo Valley); $18, 89 Points. Aromas of herbal blackberry and dark plum come with notes of beef broth and gamy leather. This Carmenère from a hot and dry year feels full and edgy. Herbal plum and blackberry flavors lean toward spicy and slightly green, while catchy tannins make for a grabby finish. Brotherhood Winery. —M.S.

Apaltagua 2019 Reserva Apalta Valley Estate Grown Carmenère (Colchagua Valley); $13, 88 Points. Leathery black fruit aromas are smoky and a touch burnt, while this opens with a reduced scent of peanut that blows off in due time. Rubbing tannins tighten the palate feel, while flavors of coffee and herbal blackberry finish with cheek-starching tannic roughness. Global Vineyard Importers. Best Buy. —M.S.

Concha y Toro 2019 Casillero del Diablo Reserva Carmenère (Central Valley); $12, 88 Points. Spicy, minty green notes are a big part of this Carmenère’s blackberry and black plum aromas. A full and solid palate is round and generous. Mint and blackberry flavors blend with peppery notes that spice up the finish. Fetzer Vineyards. Best Buy. —M.S.

The post Bursting with Flavor: 12 of Our Favorite Chilean Red Wines appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.

But Chardonnay can take on many forms, from deliciously delicate sparklers to still wines that run the gamut from crisp and steely to robust and round.

While many American wine drinkers connect Chardonnay to California, its roots are in Burgundy, France. The grape is planted to nearly half of the region’s total vineyard area. Its expression varies as a result of the area’s range in climate, from cool northerly Chablis to more moderate temperatures in the Mâconnais to the south.

Burgundian winemakers paved the way for modern winemaking practices like malolactic fermentation and barrel aging that tend to give Chardonnay a full-bodied, oaky and buttery texture.

Those techniques found their way to America. The grape started to gain popularity, particularly in California, around the 1970s. Winemakers experimented quite a bit, and the American style of Chardonnay became defined largely as a high-alcohol, low-acid wine with minimal fruit expression and oodles of oak influence.

Today, California winemakers have moved away from the butter bombs of the 1980s. They now produce wines, both unoaked and oaked, that showcase the variety’s diversity when crafted in different parts of the state.

If you’re curious to understand the grape’s varying expressions and find the perfect Chard for your palate, dive into these matchups: unoaked versus oaked Chardonnay; warm-climate versus cool-climate Chardonnay; and Burgundy versus California. As you taste each wine, make sure to jot down any specific flavors or aromas that you experience.

And it’s fine if you can’t find the exact bottles we suggest. Your local wine retailer should be able to point you in the right direction of something similar.

Unoaked vs. Oaked Chardonnay

When it comes to these two types of Chardonnay, the biggest difference is that one has been fermented in stainless steel and the other fermented in oak barrels. While the average consumer may believe that California is only capable of making full-bodied and buttery wines, the truth is that Chardonnay which embodies rich oak and creamy texture can be found anywhere in the world.

Chile, Australia, Argentina, and of course, France, also use a number of winemaking techniques that include oak to add hints of vanilla and toast to Chardonnay.

When it comes to unoaked, lighter and zesty Chardonnay, stainless steel fermentations allow for the resulting wines to taste very crisp, clean and minerally. These offer typical flavors of green apple, lemon and pear.

What ultimately makes the difference between unoaked and oaked Chardonnay is the way they are made and aged. Winemakers can choose between new French or American oak for the wine to embody certain toasty and nutty flavors.

In addition to the type of oak used, timing is everything when it comes to oaked Chardonnay. It can be aged for as little as three months or as long as a year. It all depends on the style that the winemaker hopes to achieve.

Malolactic fermentation also takes place during oak barrel fermentation, which contributes the creamy flavor and texture that many people enjoy. With unoaked Chardonnay, fermentation happens in stainless steel tanks, which allows for the fruit character to shine bright.

The Sonoma Coast and Russian River Valley in Sonoma County will showcase California Chardonnay at its best.

Unoaked vs. Oaked Chardonnay Flight

Wine 1: Choose two bottles from the same region, or possibly even the same producer, to highlight the differences in winemaking technique. For a non-wooded selection, aside for “unoaked,” look for other common descriptors like “steel” or “unwooded” on the label.

Wine 2: For the oaked selection from your region of choice, look for key words like “reserve,” “wooded” or “barrel fermented” on the label.

Cool Climate vs. Warm Climate Chardonnay

No matter where in the world a vine grows, it needs five things: heat, sunlight, carbon dioxide, water and nutrients from the soil. A wine region’s climate is defined by its annual pattern of temperature, sunlight and rainfall over the course of several years. Chardonnay expresses itself differently based on the type of climate where the grapes are grown.

In cool climates like the South Island of New Zealand, Chablis or Oregon’s Willamette Valley, Chardonnay will express itself generally with higher acidity, more citrus-fruit flavor and minerality. It will also be lower in alcohol and zesty on the palate. Lower temperatures allow the grapes to retain their natural acidity and produce a Chardonnay that’s lighter in body.

Grapes grown in warmer climates like California, South Africa, Australia and Spain will generally be lower in acidity and higher in alcohol, but they’ll bring forth richer, riper fruit flavors like pineapple, apple and lemon.

Cool- vs. Warm-Climate Chardonnay Flight

Wine 1: Choose a Chablis, which is an iconic example of cool-climate Chardonnay.

Wine 2: Select a Chardonnay from South Australia to taste a sun-soaked, warm-climate version.

Burgundy Chardonnay vs. California Chardonnay

These are the two regions most famous for Chardonnay production. Burgundy is known for its vast, varying appellations and pioneering winemaking techniques. California is known for its history of “butter bombs,” but now takes advantage of cool-climate areas to produce zestier, lighter-bodied wines.

What makes Chardonnay a great grape is its ability to adjust to a variety of soil types. In Burgundy, terroir can change over the course of small areas, which can create unique expressions of the grape. Winemakers in France produce a number of quality levels, or crus, to best showcase the fruit’s quality.

In the Golden State, altitude and vineyard aspect can play a major role in the grape’s exposure to the sun. It gives Chardonnay the opportunity to ripen and produce full-bodied wines that are high in alcohol.

Price can often help to determine the quality of a good white Burgundy or California Chardonnay, but it’s important to note where the wine was sourced. Regional wines, like those that are labeled Bourgogne, tend to be inexpensive, while bottlings from site-specific premiers or grands crus will be more expensive. For California Chardonnay, Napa Valley and Sonoma County will be the American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) to seek out for high-quality examples.

Burgundy vs. California Chardonnay Flight

Wine 1: A white wine from any of the regions in the Côte de Beaune will provide a benchmark example of Burgundian Chardonnay. Look for bottles from Meursault or Puligny-Montrachet.

Wine 2: The Sonoma Coast and Russian River Valley in Sonoma County will showcase California Chardonnay at its best.

The post A Six-Bottle Master Class to Chardonnay appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.

Here, some of the country’s more intrepid winemakers sound off on their favorite natural places to explore.

Cristián Vallejo

Chief winemaker

Viña Vik

Vallejo’s favorite Patagonian trails are both in Torres del Paine National Park, each a popular draw for local and visiting hikers alike. For him a four-day adventure, the W Trek Circuit winds in a W-shaped route around the Paine Massif and visits park highlights like the Grey Glacier. For a longer trek, he likes the O Trek Circuit that encircles the Massif and ultimately connects the two ends of the W trail. The key, says Vallejo, is rewarding yourself after either journey. He recommends dinner in nearby Puerto Natales.

Emma Florensa Bournazeau

Partner

Viñas Las Niñas

There’s more to Torres del Paine than the W and O treks, Bournazeau points out. “I chose the Paso de Agostini because I think it is less known,” she says. “I like it because very different landscapes intersect with the backdrop of Torres del Paine.” With the Paine mountains in the background, the trail leads through the park’s grasslands, passing several beautiful lakes and offering opportunities to see local wildlife like guanacos, which are closely related to llamas.

María Luz Marín

Founder/CEO

Viña Casa Marín

The lesser-known adventures through Torres del Paine are also a favorite of Marín. She enjoys the day hike to the French Valley in the heart of the Paine Massif. “After two hours of traveling through forests and lakes, you arrive at Camp Italiano, the gateway to the incredible French Valley,” she says. “You begin to see the imposing hanging glaciers of Paine Grande, the highest mountain in the park.” After you ascend further through lenga and coihue forests, the hike culminates at the French Valley Lookout, “where you enjoy a wonderful panoramic view.”

Ricardo Baettig

Head winemaker

Viña Morandé

A born adventurer, Baettig recommends the rugged Dientes de Navarino Circuit, on Navarino Island in Tierra del Fuego. Recognized widely as the southernmost trek in the world, this epic backcountry journey calls for “a little more experience in navigation with GPS, or a good guide,” he says. The effort rewards with a route marked by jagged peaks, wind-sculpted forests, lakes, peat bogs and top-of-theworld views of the Beagle Channel. “It is spectacular because of its isolation, colder and harsher climate, and wild beauty.”

Grant Phelps

Owner/winemaker

WineBox Valparaiso

Phelps a New Zealand transplant, prefers to escape the crowds of southern Patagonia. He looks toward the Aysén or Lakes District regions of the north, renowned for forests, snowcapped peaks, lakes and rivers. “The park I really, really love down there is Conguillio,” he says. “The Sierra Nevada hike is wicked, as is the traverse of Volcan Llaima.” Conguillio National Park is perhaps best known for its forests of Dr. Seusslike, spindly Araucaria, or “monkey puzzle,” trees.

Aurelio Montes Del Campo 

Chief winemaker

Viña Montes

Another fan of northern Patagonia, Montes enjoys the peaceful trails of Alerce Costero National Park near Valdivia. The routes there are lined by towering, ancient Fitzroya trees. “It is a much easier…path, ideal for going with children,” he says. “The end of the trail takes you to a larch tree that’s over 2,000 years old, which is simply breathtaking.” He also recommends Futange Park, a private nature reserve on Ranco Lake. Its lengthy trails lead through Valdivian temperate rainforests.

The post The Best Hikes in Patagonia According to Chile’s Wine Professionals appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.

Today, roughly one of every three bottles of wine produced in Chile is varietal Cabernet Sauvignon. And while much of it is pedestrian and priced to sell, the country ranks among the global kings of Cabernet at the value-rich middle tier as well as the ultrapremium level. Ask winemakers what they believe are the world’s best regions for growing potentially great Cab, and you’re likely to hear three names: Bordeaux, Napa Valley and Chile’s Maipo Valley.

Maipo, you say? Let us tell you more.

About halfway between the Andes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean, surrounding the capital city of Santiago, the Maipo Valley is Chile’s original commercial wine region. It’s blessed with warm days, cool nights, a prevailing dry climate, high elevations and alluvial soils that have been fed for millennia by the Maipo River.

Other regions in Chile, like the Aconcagua Valley to the north of Santiago and the Cachapoal, Colchagua and Curicó valleys to the south, also boast quality Cabs. But no place in this sliver of a country produces Cabernet like Maipo, just like no place in California does Cabernet Sauvignon like Napa, and no place in Europe makes it like Bordeaux’s Left Bank.

Cabernet Today

The signature Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon is intense and generous, with firm yet pliable tannins, herbal overtones and loads of dark-fruit aromas and flavors. These wines are plusher than those from cooler climate Bordeaux, but less opulent and more spice-based than the fruit-forward Cabernet from Napa. The current vintage for high-end Chilean Cabernet is 2017, but wines from 2018, especially those priced from $15 to about $30, are now coming into the market.

The 2017 vintage was marked by intense summer heat and a very early harvest. But for some winemakers, it proved that established terroirs and vines of a certain age (30 years or older) impact the wines even more than weather.

“Vintages like 2017, ones that you know are coming in warm, force you to pay attention,” says Rafael Urrejola, winemaker for Undurraga. Its 2017 T.H. Cabernet, from an Alto Maipo vineyard planted three decades ago at about 2,200 feet, is tightly wound and a prime candidate for the cellar.

“If you understand the ripening process and pick at the right time, the results should still be good,” he says. “But if you are late in this type of year, you will end up with overripe, cooked and flat wines. The harvest window gets really narrow. For T.H. 2017, we picked by the second week of March, very early compared to other years.”

Only 7.6 inches of rain fell from May 2016 through April 2017, according to the Servicio Agrícola y Ganadero, a government agency. The prior year saw 17.5 inches of El Niño-driven rain, much of it in April when Cabernet Sauvignon harvests generally reach their peak.

As for 2018, Chile’s winemakers call it the best year in a decade or more, for all varieties and styles of wine. It was normal in terms of daytime and nighttime temperatures—meaning excellent for Cabernet—with an average amount of rainfall for the year, about 13.5 inches.

What made it especially great for Cabernet, according to Sebastian Ruiz, winemaker with Viña Tarapacá in the Isla de Maipo subzone, was that it allowed for a long hang time.

“The Cabernet grapes were so healthy, with beautiful berries and bunches,” he says. “The yield was 26% higher compared to 2017, but perfect temperatures during the maturation period determined a later than normal harvest. This always helps Cabernet Sauvignon wines to have good color, freshness of fruit, good natural acidity and elegant tannins.”

Marcelo Papa, technical director at Concha y Toro, called 2018 “fantastic, probably the best year in the last 10. The wines are refined, with great precision of fruit. They are juicy and display magnificent balance.

“Something I recall noticing was that the vines looked very comfortable throughout the season, and experience has taught us that a happy vine produces a happy wine.”

Winemakers noted that 2019 was a good year for Cabernet, but one where drought conditions returned. A mere 6.4 inches of precipitation fell during the May to April measuring period.

The 2020 vintage was one of the driest years on record with only 3.5 inches of rain, nary a drop during the growing period.

Lorena Mora, who heads the Terrunyo program at Concha y Toro along with veteran winemaker Ignacio Recabarren, says that until the past year, drought conditions in Chile have been manageable due to modern irrigation. But how long that can continue remains to be seen.

“We are getting to the point where we cannot replace the lack of rain,” says Mora. “In 2020, many vineyards had problems irrigating. It is a problem that has been intensifying year after year. In Maipo, the situation has us worried. We irrigated much more this past season, and we will have to adapt to this new reality.”

With droughts come lower yields, something that hurts wineries that produce inexpensive wines designed for mass consumption. On the other hand, small yields tend to result in more concentrated wines.

Fernando Espina, head winemaker at Viña Chocalan in the Maipo Valley, whose 2018 Gran Reserva Origen Cabernet Sauvignon offers great value, put Chile’s reduced rainfall into terms we all can understand.

“Today, we can talk about lower rainfall like the coronavirus pandemic,” he says. “We are dealing with a new normal. But extremely low yields are not necessarily synonymous with good quality. Rather, it can translate into drying tannins, overripe fruit, dehydration and high alcohol.”

Fortunately, the best of Chile’s Cabernet Sauvignons deliver plush tannins, perfectly ripe fruit, juicy acidity and alcohol levels of about 14%. Wines like these are plentiful and calling your name.

A Dozen Stellar Chilean Cabernets

Pick up an old favorite, or try something new.

Six Well-Known Names

Viña Don Melchor 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon (Puente Alto); $120, 95 points. A full, spicy nose is packed to the brim with smoky, toasty oak and earthy black-fruit aromas. A ripe, full and chewy palate is smooth in feel, while this classic Cabernet from Puente Alto in the Maipo Valley tastes of coffee, rich chocolate, toasty spices and blackberry. A lush, bold finish runs long, indicating that this will age well. Hold through 2040. Fetzer Vineyards. Cellar Selection.

Concha y Toro 2017 Terrunyo Cabernet Sauvignon (Pirque); $40, 93 points. Dark berry, rubber and brambly notes of wild brush open this well-built, saturated Cabernet. Spicy blackberry and herbal flavors are pure Maipo-Pirque, while this shows integrated oak, chocolate and a mix of ripeness of fruit and freshness on the finish. Drink through 2028. Fetzer Vineyards. Editors’ Choice.

MontGras 2017 Intriga Cabernet Sauvignon (Maipo Valley); $40, 93 points. Hefty dark-fruit aromas are earthy, moderately complex and exhibit total ripeness. On the palate, this is full but fresh, with a nice balance between tannic grip and purity of fruit. Blackberry, dark cherry, oak spice and chocolate flavors are focused on a dry, firm finish. Drink through 2030. Guarachi Wine Partners. Cellar Selection.

Undurraga 2017 T.H. Cabernet Sauvignon (Maipo Alto); $30, 93 points. Patented Chilean Cabernet aromas of spices, purple flowers, fine herbs and berry fruits form a fine nose. On the palate, this is juicy and air tight. Herbal berry flavors are lightly oaked and spicy, while hints of wood spice and clove on the high-energy finish suggest that further aging will only help. Drink through 2029. Undurraga USA. Cellar Selection

Santa Rita 2017 Medalla Real Gold Medal Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (Maipo Valley); $20, 92 points. Plum, berry and cassis aromas give this single-vineyard sibling of Medalla Real Gran Reserva a riper nose than its brother. A fruity palate is fleshy and bursting with plum, berry and chocolaty flavors, while this Cabernet is medium in depth on the finish. Drink now through 2024. Delicato Family Wines. Editors’ Choice.

Viña Tarapacá 2018 Etiqueta Negra Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon (Maipo Valley); $35, 92 points. Full and complex aromas of hot stones, black fruit, wood spice and char are compelling in front of a youthful palate. Blackberry, coffee, chocolate and peppery wood-spice flavors hum with residual ripe-berry notes on a deep finish. Drink from 2021–2028. MundoVino–Winebow. Cellar Selection

Six Names to Know

Casas del Toqui 2017 Court Rollan Pater Alto Totihue Cabernet Sauvignon (Cachapoal Valley); $45, 93 points. This small-production Cabernet is muscular on the nose, with dusty, spicy berry aromas. A full yet fresh palate is balanced and healthy, while this tastes of spicy currant and plum. A smooth finish with silky tannins isn’t overly demanding, indicating that this is more or less ready to drink; enjoy through 2025. Via Pacifica Imports.

François Lurton 2016 Hacienda Araucano Gran Araucano Cabernet Sauvignon (Colchagua Valley); $35, 92 points. Spicy plum and berry aromas are just ripe enough to include a note of prune. On the palate, this wet-year Cab is chewy and showing good body and ripeness. Plum, berry, spicy oak and cocoa flavors end with dry notes of oak spice and residual berry fruits. Drink through 2026. Atlas Imports.

Maquis 2017 Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon (Colchagua Valley); $20, 91 points. Aromas of plum, cherry, oak and leather require airing to find their stride, while this is concentrated on the palate. Mild oak flavors frame black fruit, resulting in spice and chocolate notes. A tight finish with a grip of tannins is lasting and structured. Drink through 2023. Global Vineyard Importers.

Siegel 2016 Single Vineyard Los Lingues Cabernet Sauvignon (Colchagua Valley); $30, 90 points. Berry and plum aromas include notes of spicy oak, and overall, this Cabernet opens with good ripeness for an El Niño vintage. A fairly tight body is more racy than dense, while spicy berry and plum flavors are a bit chocolaty prior to a finish with prune notes. Drink through 2024. Kysela Père et Fils.

Viña Chocalan 2018 Gran Reserva Origen Cabernet Sauvignon (Maipo Valley); $18, 91 points. Spicy cherry and berry aromas come with common Chilean sidenotes of eucalyptus and mint. A juicy palate shows a firm grip, good structure and slight tannic bite. Black-fruit flavors come with spicy oak accents and a finish with mocha and clove notes; drink through 2022. Chocalan USA.

Haras de Pirque 2018 Hussonet Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon (Maipo Valley); $15, 90 points. Wiry berry aromas include herbal notes and a hint of animal on what amounts to a fresh, welcoming nose. A tight and direct palate is well balanced, while this everyday Cabernet arrives at excellence via ripe blackberry and cassis flavors that are lightly oaked and warm on the finish. Drink through 2021. Michelle Wine Estates. Best Buy.

The post Chile’s Cabernet Country is Ripe with Winemaking Innovation appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.

It’s true that Chilean wine has experienced its greatest period of evolution and growth over the past quarter century. But the country’s commercial wine industry can trace its roots as far back as the 1800s, when a number of major producers were founded.

Jump ahead more than 100 years, and Chile’s largest and most prominent wineries continue to set the pace for an industry that’s expanded greatly in number of producers, areas of production and, most importantly, quality wines offered.

Learn about the early days and key moments at six of the country’s heritage wineries, and discover which wines will give you a taste of history in the making.

Viña Santa Rita

Alto Jahuel, Maipo Valley
Year Founded: 1880
Current Ownership: María Luisa Vial de Claro via the Claro Vial Foundation

Viña Santa Rita, a nominee for Wine Enthusiast’s 2019 New World Winery of the Year, is arguably Chile’s quintessential wine estate. Founded by businessman and senator Domingo Fernández Concha, the property features a colonial-era mansion that operates as a hotel (Hotel Casa Real), nearly 100 acres of immaculate, European-influenced grounds and a meticulously designed chapel. It also features a restaurant located in refurbished cellars that once served as a hideout for Chilean soldiers during their fight for independence from Spain.

Fernández Concha’s early use of cal y canto (egg whites mixed with limestone mortar and sand) to join bricks in the original winery, as well as his import of both French vines and winemakers, got Santa Rita off to an auspicious start. When he died in 1910, his son-in-law, Vicente García Huidobro, took over and became the king of wine distribution in Chile as well as expanded international export markets. Today, the label can be found in more than 70 countries.

García Huidobro’s children and grandchildren ran the winery next, from 1949 through 1979. Under these successive generations, the estate’s historical buildings were designated as National Heritage Monuments in 1972.

Businessman Ricardo Claro acquired a major stake in Santa Rita the following year, and would eventually consolidate ownership under his own name. As part of the Claro Wine Group, now also called Santa Rita Estates, the winery joined brands like Viña Carmen and Sur Andino in Chile, along with Doña Paula in Argentina. Claro passed away in 2008, but his widow, María Luisa Vial, remains in charge via a trust.

Worldwide, sales of all Santa Rita Estates brands topped 12 million cases last year. Its top-selling wine is Santa Rita Medalla Real Cabernet Sauvignon, while its prestige wine, Casa Real Cabernet Sauvignon, is perennially one of Chile’s best wines.

Santa Rita 2014 Casa Real Estate Bottled Cabernet Sauvignon (Maipo Valley); $80, 93 points. Concentrated aromas of plum and berry fruits come with a note of charred oak. On the palate, this is grippy, but pulsing with bold fruit. Blackberry, cassis, toast and chocolate flavors finish with intensity. Drink through 2040. DFV Wines. Editors’ Choice.

Viña Errázuriz

Panquehue, Aconcagua Valley
Year Founded: 1870
Current Ownership: Eduardo Chadwick

The latter half of the 1800s was the time of “Los Dones” in Chile. These were wealthy land owners whose families originally hailed mostly from Spain. “Santiago was filled with them,” says Eduardo Chadwick, the fifth-generation owner of Errázuriz, based about 70 miles north of Chile’s capital city.

One of those 19th-century dons was Maximiano Errázuriz Valdivieso, Chadwick’s great-great-grandfather. An adventurous entrepreneur and politician, Don Max led a horseback expedition up to the Aconcagua Valley town of Panquehue, the “place of parks,” in search of land to start a winery. As with many of Chile’s heritage wineries, Errázuriz’s original vineyards were started with vine cuttings from Bordeaux.

But the 20th century saw what Chadwick called “a drought for wine” in Chile. Domestic consumption plunged and wineries suffered until after Augusto Pinochet’s military dictatorship took hold. While the regime is reputed for abusing human rights, the economic policies implemented are believed to have opened up and aided the country’s economy. It was during Pinochet’s rule, which was from 1973 through 1990, that wine production returned as a viable industry with long-term potential.

“From 1968 to 1983, Errázuriz was almost closed,” says Chadwick. “In 1983, I returned from a stay in France and implemented a revitalization program based on top wines from top terroirs.”

Part of this sea change included a period in the mid-1990s in which the Mondavi family from Napa Valley owned shares in the winery. That led to the creation of Seña, a joint-venture red blend that’s now one of Errázuriz’s signature wines. In 2004, Chadwick bought out the Mondavis.

Production now stands at about 450,000 cases annually, with exports going to 78 countries. Head Winemaker Francisco Baettig is regarded as one of Chile’s best. Under his watch, wines like La Cumbre Syrah and Las Pizarras Pinot Noir and Chardonnay have been introduced. Meanwhile, Viñedo Chadwick, a Cabernet Sauvignon from Puente Alto in the Maipo Valley, ranks as Chile’s most expensive wine at around $400.

Errázuriz 2017 Las Pizarras Pinot Noir (Aconcagua Costa); $135, 91 points. Aromas of plum, spicy currant and iodine carry the nose. The racy palate is pumped full of red-berry acidity, while this coastal Pinot tastes of salty currant and raspberry along with barrel spice and dried earth. A compacted palate is tomatoey and savory, with bold acidity keeping everything in order. Vintus LLC.

Viña San Pedro

Molina, Curicó Valley
Year Founded: 1865
Current Ownership: Compañía de Cervecerías Unidas (CCU), S.A.

Even in its earliest days, San Pedro was destined to become a benchmark Chilean winery and a leading exporter. Originally, it relied on the lowly País grape, but cofounders Bonifacio and José Gregorio Correa Albano would turn to known French grape varieties to push their fledgling winery in the Curicó Valley to new heights.

San Pedro became a registered brand in Chile in 1885, and by the time of World War II, the wines were exported to the U.S. and Canada, as well as Germany and Japan. Over the following decade, approximately 15% of sales came from outside the country.

In the 1940s, a German firm, Wagner and Stein, bought the winery and ran it until 1960. Fourteen years later, San Pedro was sold to a Spanish corporation. In 1994, it changed hands to Chile-based Compañía de Cervecerías Unidas (CCU), which took the company public as Viña San Pedro S.A.

Today, San Pedro is part of the VSPT Wine Group, which is 83% owned by CCU, controlled by the Luksic family. Another 12.5% of VSPT Wine Group is owned by Chinese-based Jiangsu Yanghe Distillery Co., Ltd, while the remaining 4.5% is owned by other shareholders.

Wine Enthusiast’s 2011 New World Winery of the Year, Viña San Pedro now produces more than four million cases annually across multiple quality tiers and price points.

From its entry-level GatoNegro wines up to its signature Cabo de Hornos Cabernet Sauvignon, San Pedro relies on grapes from nearly every winegrowing spot in Chile. Its home remains Molina, in Curicó Valley, however, where it maintains more than 2,400 acres of vines.

Under CEO Pedro Herane, the VSPT Wine Group has consolidated and refocused in recent years. For example, Altaïr in the Cachapoal Valley, which VSPT acquired some years ago, is now a San Pedro wine.

Other San Pedro wines of prestige are Tierras Moradas Carmenère from the Maule Valley and Kankana Syrah from Elqui Valley. Brands like Viña Tarapacá and Santa Helena in Chile, and Finca La Celia in Argentina, round out the VSPT family.

San Pedro 2017 Cabo de Hornos Cabernet Sauvignon (Cachapoal Valley); $60, 91 points. Aromas of tobacco, green herbs, spice and black fruits open this full-bodied Cabernet that’s saucy in feel. Grainy oak, mint and herbal berry flavors are familiar for Chilean Cab, while this tastes lightly herbal and minty on a plump, warm finish. Drink through 2025. Shaw-Ross International Importers.

Viña Concha y Toro

Pirque, Maipo Valley
Year Founded: 1883
Current Ownership: Guilisasti, Larraín and Fontecilla families, and publicly traded

Founded in the Santiago suburb of Pirque, Viña Concha y Toro is now the biggest name in Chilean wine. In fact, it’s one of the five biggest wine producers in the world. It was named Wine Enthusiast’s New World Winery of the Year in 2004, and currently produces more than 15 million cases annually.

Vineyard holdings are at the heart of Concha y Toro’s clout. It owns more than 21,000 acres, and its wines reach more than 130 countries.

Much of what Concha y Toro bottles is mass-market wine—a winery cannot be expected to pump out more than 15 million cases of ultrapremium wine per year, after all. But within that figure you’ll find some of the most iconic wines in Chile.

Benchmarks include Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon, which, starting with the 2017 vintage, will be labeled as an independent winery called Viña Don Melchor. There’s also Almaviva, a joint venture with Baron Philippe de Rothschild of France that began in the 1990s.

Marcelo Papa, who built the Marqués de Casa Concha midtier line from a startup into a powerhouse, is the head winemaker. He is a terroir hunter, and wines made by him are fresher and more consistent than those at any time in Concha y Toro’s history.

Founded by Don Melchor Concha y Toro, shares of Viña Concha y Toro were issued to a slew of family members in 1921. The winery then went public in 1933, with shares traded on the Santiago Stock Exchange. Today, three prominent families control 39% of the company.

Concha y Toro 2016 Don Melchor Puente Alto Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (Puente Alto); $120, 93 points. Well-concentrated berry aromas include rich notes of chocolate, tobacco and earth on this plush yet restrained Cabernet. Spicy berry and cocoa flavors finish dry, long and with a hint of clove. Given the documented difficulties in Chile during 2016, this can hold its head up. Drink through 2026. Fetzer Vineyards.

Viña Santa Carolina

Santiago, Maipo Valley
Year Founded: 1875
Current Ownership: Larraín family

Decades ago, a humming wine industry existed within the city limits of Santiago, Chile’s capital. Modern-day realities saw almost all of the city’s bodegas and vineyards converted to housing or other commercial ventures. Not so with Santa Carolina, one of Chile’s last urban wineries.

Part of Carolina Wine Brands and Wine Enthusiast’s 2015 New World Winery of the Year, Viña Santa Carolina has been owned by the Larraín family since 1974. It no longer maintains vineyards in Santiago proper, but its underground cal y canto cellars within the city enjoy National Heritage Monument status. They are the only original buildings to have survived an 8.8-magnitude quake in 2010 to still be used today.

Founder Luis Pereira named the winery after his wife, Carolina Iñiguez, beloved for her romanticism and big heart. The brand’s first winemaker was Germain Bachelet, an antecedent of Chile’s recent two-term president, Michelle Bachelet.

From the earliest days of Santa Carolina, Reserva de Familia Cabernet Sauvignon has been its flagship wine. One of the first bottlings won a gold medal at the 1889 Paris Exposition Universelle, and the 2015 vintage ranked third in “The Enthusiast 100 of 2018” top wine list.

Andrés Caballero, the head winemaker, oversees production of 2.2 million cases per year that are sold in 80 countries. One of Caballero’s goals is to pay homage to Santa Carolina’s rich heritage via a range of new yet traditional wines.

One example is a throwback ultrapremium Cabernet Sauvignon that he introduced. Called Luis Pereira, it’s made with little new oak and alcohol levels as low as 12.5%. For a bigger taste of Chile, Herencia, which means “heritage,” is a full-bodied Carmenère, one of the best that the country produces.

Santa Carolina 2015 VSC (Cachapoal Valley); $70, 93 points. Smooth blackberry and cassis aromas are spicy and only slightly herbal. On the palate, this blend of Petite Sirah and four Bordeaux grapes is flush, with a cheeky acidic bite. Blackberry, black cherry, chocolate and baking spice flavors extend onto a long finish propelled by acidity. Drink through 2027. Carolina Wine Brands USA.

Cousiño-Macul

Peñalolen, Maipo Valley
Year Founded: 1856
Current Ownership: Carlos, Emilio and Arturo Cousiño Valdés

Among Chile’s heritage wineries, Cousiño-Macul, headquartered on the outskirts of Santiago in an area called Macul, is the only one that has remained entirely in the hands of its founding family.

Matías Cousiño purchased nearly 2,500 acres and began to raise cattle and tend to tree fruits and table grapes 163 years ago. That property, originally known as Hacienda de Macul, became a serious wine estate under his son, Luis, and his wife, Isidora Goyenechea.

“In 1862, Luis Cousiño and his wife came back from a trip to France with vine cuttings from Bordeaux, Alsace, Graves and other parts of the country, with the idea of starting an industry capable of producing fine wine” says seventh-generation owner Veronica Cousiño. “We say there were actually two generations of founders: Matías bought the land, but Luis planted the vines. And we can’t forget Isidora. She was our ‘Dama de Plata,’ or ‘Lady of Silver.’ Her stewardship in the early years after her husband died made the winery what it is today.”

Things are now run by Veronica Cousiño’s father and two uncles, with her generation next up. Cousiño-Macul produces about 250,000 cases per year, which doesn’t necessarily make it a big winery by Chilean standards. However, its wines have always been quintessentially Chilean in style, intense and structured, with aromas and flavors of mint, spice, tobacco, eucalyptus and bold berry fruit.

While Cousiño-Macul maintains its original winery and beautiful gardens in Macul, its vineyards have all but gone away. Decades of urban expansion has forced the Cousiños to sell off much of their land.

That said, they still maintain around 200 acres of old-vine Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in Macul, which yield the winery’s top wines, Lota and Finis Terrae. And to augment production, the firm now also has a modern winery and about 1,000 acres of vines in Buín, located further south in the Maipo Valley.

Cousiño-Macul 2014 Finis Terrae (Maipo Valley); $25, 90 points. Ripe, earthy, mature aromas of berry fruits, prune and forest spice are true to what is quality Maipo Valley red wine. This blend of 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot and 11% Syrah is wide in body, while flavors of raisin and plum are touched up by chocolate and herbal notes on a finish that’s not shy with the oak. Drink now. MundoVino–Winebow.

The post As Chile’s Wine Industry Evolves, These Six Heritage Estates Offer History in a Glass appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.

Now you can add wine to the list for both.

Located at 42.6 and 45.6 degrees latitude south of the equator, respectively (parallel to the middle of the southern island of New Zealand), fledgling wine projects have been undertaken by Montes in Chiloé and Alejandro Bulgheroni’s Grupo Avinea in Chubut. They mark a new southern frontier for grape growing and wine production in South America.

These projects, risky and experimental in nature, come on the heels of pioneering deep-south ventures in Chile from the likes of Viña Aquitania, Casa Silva, Viña San Pedro and Miguel Torres Chile, and others in Río Negro, Argentina.

What makes these austral wine projects stand out is that, given the likelihood of soaking rains, frost and strong winds, nothing grown that far south is guaranteed. Even as the impact of global warming and drought conditions have gripped both sides of the Andes over the past few years, we are talking about extreme winemaking country.

And the wines from these terroir hunters show it. Made mostly from proven cool-climate grapes like Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc, generally, the wines from South America’s southern fringe are fresh to the point of prickly, with aromas and flavors that scream “cold conditions.”

Following are overviews of six projects that, taken collectively, are redefining what “south” means for South American wines.

Viña Aquitania

The property producing Viña Aquitania’s critically acclaimed Sol de Sol Chardonnay is called Malaco, and it’s located near Traiguén, part of the Malleco Valley in northern Araucania.

Originally, the space was used for growing grains, but Aquitania co-founder Felipe de Solminihac persuaded his father-in-law to use portions of the land for cool-climate grapes. This was in 1993, when no Chilean winery dared to plant this far south.

Having found success at Malaco (38 degrees south latitude), especially with fast-ripening Chardonnay, in 2009 Aquitania acquired a 100-acre adjacent plot and planted the La Esperanza vineyard with Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Together, Malaco and La Esperanza have 55 acres of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir.

All Sol de Sol wines are made at Aquitania’s winery on the outskirts of Santiago. Grapes are trucked north at night, about a 10-hour trip, according to Felipe’s son, Eduardo de Solminihac. As with many southern Chilean wine projects, Indigenous people descended from the native Mapuches handle all the work in Traiguén.

Casa Silva

When the Silva family bought the Futrono Estate on the banks of Lago Ranco (Lake Ranco) in Chile in 2004, the intent was to raise polo ponies and cattle.

“Northern Patagonia and the Lake District is a place full of native virgin forests and wild flora and fauna,” says Mario Pablo Silva, the fifth-generation owner of the Colchagua Valley-based winery known for its intense Carmenère. “We wanted to have a place to enjoy all that beauty. Once we were there, we began to think about planting vineyards to make the first wines ever from this area.”

In 2006, the Silvas planted about five acres of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. They’ve since expanded their lakeside vineyard, which now includes Riesling, to about 35 acres. The wines carry the newly minted Austral Region denomination, and the range includes a traditional-method sparkling wine.

Futrono Estate, located at 40.3 degrees south latitude, is about eight hours by car from the Los Lingues section of Colchagua, where Casa Silva makes its wines. Silva says the large lake is key to the terroir.

“It works as a buffer and regulates temperatures,” says Silva. “[The] vines were planted on a hillside facing north-northwest. It offers the best sun exposure and creates a special microclimate that allows us to avoid frost problems. Also, the area’s windy conditions help to preserve the health of the vines during the ripening season.”

Tending the vineyards are Indigenous Huilliches, Mapuches from the southern Andes.

“Our vineyard manager is a young [Huilliche] guy who is the son of a couple that has been with us since we bought the property,” says Silva.

San Pedro

The Buchahueico Project, in the village of Purén in northern Araucania (38 degrees south latitude), is an unprecedented public-private Pinot Noir joint venture. It’s a shining example of collaboration between a major Chilean wine company, Viña San Pedro, and the Indigenous Mapuche community.

In 2015, San Pedro approached leaders of the Mapuche Community of Buchahueico to collaborate on a wine project. At first, the locals declined, not trusting the company’s intentions. They also had no experience planting and managing a vineyard. San Pedro persisted and explained that the concept would give the people new sources of income as well as pride.

After San Pedro finally obtained approval to proceed, it provided 10-year loans at 0% interest to finance every aspect of planting and maintaining Pinot Noir vines about 25 miles inland from the Pacific coastline. The area is known as the Cordillera de Nahuelbuta, part of Chile’s coastal mountain range.

“We have been working hand-in-hand with the community, teaching them how to grow and harvest the vines,” says Carolina Gotuzzo, a spokesperson for VSPT, San Pedro’s parent company. “Local producers have received continuous training and technical assistance from San Pedro [as well as payment for their crops]. Today, [about 37 acres] have been planted, and early in 2020 we will release the first wine, called Tayu 1865 Pinot Noir Malleco Valley.”

Viviana Navarrete, chief winemaker for Viña Leyda, part of VSPT, heads up winemaking and makes the wines at Viña Tarapacá in the Maipo Valley, about 375 miles north of Purén.

Montes

Aurelio Montes, one of the driving forces behind Chile’s 30-year rise to prominence as a world-class producer of wine, is many things besides a winemaker. He’s a helicopter and small-plane pilot, an officer in the Chilean Navy as well as an avid sailor. For decades, his favorite place to captain his sailboat has been in and around Chiloé Island, the main land mass in the archipelago of the same name.

Known for its brightly colored houses and delicious seafood, oysters in particular, grapevines have never been planted on Chiloé because it was thought to be too wet and cold at 42.6 degrees south latitude.

Enter Montes and his son, Aurelio Montes del Campo. Together, they’re trying to produce the first wines on these mystic islands. And it’s proving to be a challenge.

According to Montes del Campo, father and son planted five acres of Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, Albariño, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir on the tiny island of Mechuque in 2018.

“After one year, I can tell you that we have learned a lot,” he says. “Our big problem is not the rain or cold weather.” He says that due to the prevailing Humboldt Current, the temperature of the Pacific Ocean is warmer by 2 degrees Celsius in protected Chiloé than in Valparaiso 650 miles to the north. “Still, it seems like we need even hotter weather to ripen the grapes.”

With Mother Nature not fully complying, the Montes team invented some tricks to increase the temperature in the vineyard. Similar to how rounded galets (rocks) reflect heat onto the vines in places like Côtes-du-Rhône and Châteauneuf-du-Pape in France, the Aurelios piled seashells at the base of their vines to generate more warmth from the fickle sun.

“We are very excited for the 2020 harvest,” says Montes del Campo. “We want to get some wine from there.”

Miguel Torres Chile

The 2018 Cordillera Sauvignon Blanc that Miguel Torres Chile (MTC) is making from a contracted vineyard in Osorno (40.6 degrees south latitude, about 40 miles from the Pacific Ocean) is striking in its lack of vegetal aromas and flavors. But Eduardo Jordan, appointed recently as MTC’s head winemaker, wasn’t surprised.

“Over the past few years, the rain in the central-south part of Chile has been decreasing, and we have also noticed a rise in temperatures during the prime ripening period,” he says. “Last season, we had 60% less rain than a normal year. This past winter, we were at the same minus-60% level. This shortage of water has created an opportunity in the southern regions.

“Where before it was unthinkable to have vineyards in a place like Osorno, the higher temperatures and reduced rain levels are allowing us to achieve good ripeness and mitigate the risk of fungus,” he says.

To make wine at the gateway to Patagonia constitutes a pioneering effort, and MTC is one of the very few producers attempting to harvest this terrain. Jordan noted that only Montes’s Chiloé project is located further south than Osorno.

“We have even bought land in Coyhaique (at 45 degrees south latitude),” he says. “We planted the first vines there to evaluate if they will be able to grow and develop. But this is a project for the future.”

As for the present, the Cordillera Sauvignon Blanc and a traditional-method sparkling wine that will be released in two years are MTC’s response to a changing wine world where what was once down—figuratively and literally—is on the rise.

Otronia

The combination of baby buds that freeze after popping, winds that howl at 65 miles per hour and a location in the middle of nowhere would cause most wine producers to say, “this place isn’t for us.”

But when you are an oil magnate and global vintner like Alejandro Bulgheroni, and you own giant swaths of Patagonian land used primarily for petroleum exploration, you might be willing to push the boundaries of so-called “sane” winemaking.

Located about five miles from the town of Sarmiento, Argentina (45.6 degrees south latitude), and more than 100 miles from the closest airport, Bulgheroni’s Otronia project lies in the southern reaches of Chubut. Here, between a pair of lakes named Colhué Huapi and Musters (the latter called Otron in the native language), Bulgheroni’s wine team planted 125 acres of vines in 2012.

At a tasting last June, Otronia’s commercial director, Máximo Rocca, showcased the four Otronia wines he hopes will be available in the U.S. in 2020. First was Block Series Chardonnay, which is crisp and rather green in character, and it was followed by 45 Rugientes Corta de Blancas, a blend of Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer and Pinot Gris that showed notes of celery, lime and pyrazines.

On the red side, it’s all Pinot Noir, both in the Block Series and the 45 Rugientes Corta de Tintas. If you’re wondering, the 45 refers to the latitude, and rugiente means “roaring” in Spanish. In Chubut, the winds roar more often than not.

Your Map to Patagonia’s Deep South Wine Regions

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That’s right, Chile is in the midst of a red-blend moment, and why not? Bordeaux has long been about blends, as has ­the southern Rhône. In the New World, Australian winemakers are known as big-time blenders, while across the Andes in Argentina, blends consisting of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and other red grapes often outperform varietal Malbec.

What a good blend offers is aromatic harmony, textural balance and greater depth and complexity of flavors 

What a good blend offers, potentially more so than a varietal wine, is aromatic harmony, textural balance and greater depth and complexity of flavors. Think of a soup with salt as its lone seasoning versus one with generous dashes of various herbs and spices: That’s the core difference between varietals and blends.

Among the best-scoring blended wines in this report is Ventisquero’s 2014 Carmenère and Syrah blend called Vertice. It expresses the ripeness and power common to wines from Apalta, but it’s also silky smooth and balanced to a tee. Casa Donoso’s 2015 Sucesor Blue is as solid as a brick house but ideally structured and complex. From Cachapoal Valley come two top-tier blends: Santa Carolina’s 2014 VSC, made from mostly Petite Sirah and Petit Verdot as well as Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère and Malbec, and Viña Vik’s 2014 Milla Cala, composed mostly of Cabernet Sauvignon and Carmenère, with Syrah, Cabernet Franc and Merlot filling out the roster.

Chile’s red blends to look for

Ventisquero 2014 Vertice Apalta Vineyard Carmenère-Syrah (Colchagua Valley); $30, 94 points. Ventisquero may make more expensive wines but none are better than this version of Vertice Carmenère-Syrah, from the winery’s best slopes at Apalta in Colchagua. Foresty aromas of cool underbrush, mint, menthol and blackberry feed into a palate with steely acidity, which this full-bodied red needs. Cassis, blackberry, mocha and tobacco flavors wind down on an appealingly oaky finish. Drink through 2030. Austral Wines. Editors’ Choice. —Michael Schachner 

Casa Donoso 2015 Sucesor Blue Limited Release (Maule Valley); $47, 93 points. Bold black currant and wild berry aromas are made complex by oaky tobacco scents on a nose that’s clicking at all levels. In the mouth, this Carmenère blend is lush and powerful, but balanced like a brick house. Blackberry, coffee, vanilla and mocha flavors finish warm and spicy. Forget about bashful; this is a flamboyant red wine to drink through 2026. The Imported Grape LLC. Editors’ Choice. —M.S.

Santa Carolina 2014 VSC (Cachapoal Valley); $50, 93 points. Despite a saturated black color and deep aromas of raisin, fig and chocolate that push the level of acceptable ripeness to the hilt, this is a delicious multigrape blend to drink now. A fleshy, voluminous palate holds ripe flavors of blackberry, black plum and prune. Coffee and chocolate flavors are more than background notes on a smooth finish with silky tannins. Carolina Wine Brands USA. Editors’ Choice. —M.S.

Vik 2014 Milla Cala (Cachapoal Valley); $45, 93 points. Ripe, spicy and elegant from the start, this Cabernet blend captures the essence of what Vik is doing in the Cachapoal Valley. Blackberry, prune, cedar, cigar tobacco and chocolate flavors are all noted, while this finishes with good clarity and body along with latent coffee, tobacco and oak flavors. Drink through 2024. Guarachi Wine Partners. —M.S.

Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) 2015 Le Dix de Los Vascos Estate Grown Red (Colchagua Valley); $65, 92 points. Complex aromas of mocha, oak grain and chocolate boost scents of berry fruits and cassis. The jammy palate offers several layers of blackberry, chocolate and spice flavors. A steady finish with no peaks or valleys keeps this tasty number on path. Drink through 2025. Cellar Selection. —M.S.

Oveja Negra 2015 The Lost Barrel (Maule Valley); $27, 92 points. A sizable but controlled nose smells minerally and stony on top and fruity like cassis and berries below. A saturated, flush palate is bulky and generous, with flavors of blackberry, fig and chocolate. A smooth, oaky finish will lose no friends. Drink this blend of Carignan, Cab Franc and Petit Verdot through 2024. Old Bridge Cellars. —M.S.

P.S. Garcia 2014 Facundo (Maule Valley); $35, 92 points. Ripe black fruit aromas are tarry and lean toward prune on a nose that falls squarely on the dark end of the aromatic spectrum. A muscular palate is tannic and blazing with tartaric acid, which makes this Cabernet-led blend robust and fruit forward. Rubbing tannins create roughness on a powerful finish. Drink through 2025. Vine Connections. —M.S.

Valdivieso 2014 Caballo Loco Grand Cru (Sagrada Familia); $35, 92 points. Foresty, herbal aromas include notes of balsamic vinegar and black olive. This blend is heavy on Malbec, and the palate feels jammy, plummy and bumpy. Blueberry flavors are a touch gummy and sweet, while this is sappy, chewy and thick on a saturated finish. Drink through 2024. El Catador Corp. —M.S.

Viña Chocalan 2014 Vitrum (Maipo Valley); $29, 92 points. Cool, dense aromas of raisin, blackberry and chocolate are relaxed and in a fine state. Acidity is lively on the palate, so there’s angularity and jolt to this Cabernet Sauvignon blend. Tangy currant and plum flavors are accented by coconut and spice notes, while this is still a bit wild and jumpy on a finish that tastes of mocha and ripe black fruits. Drink through 2030. Chocalan USA. —M.S.

Conde de Velázquez 2014 Capa (Aconcagua Valley); $50, 91 points. Spicy cherry and coffee aromas drive a traditional dry nose. Choppy tannins pull the palate inward, while this tastes of cassis and cherry, with savory spice and maple notes picking up steam on the finish. This Bordeaux blend is in good shape but will continue to age well through 2026. WTWM Imports. —M.S.

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Researchers link Carignan’s origin to 15th-century Cariñena in Aragon, Spain, and it was introduced to Sardinia sometime before the 18th century. But it’s best known as a workhorse and a key component of red-wine blends in Southern France, especially those from Languedoc-Roussillon.

These days, thanks to better vineyard management and lower-yielding old vines, varietal Carignan wines from all over the world tempt with tart red-fruit notes, baking spices and savory smokiness.

California

The Mendocino American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) of Redwood Valley, Potter Valley and Eagle Peak are best suited for Carignan. Their old vines, combined with warm summers and autumns, mean long hang time, phenolic (tannin) ripeness, balanced acidity, soft tannins and blue fruit notes, says Bob Blue, winemaker at 1000 Stories Wines in Hopland, California, which produces the acclaimed Batch Blue Carignan. “The wine fairly pops with fresh fruit,” he says. “It can still be a bit racy as reds go, [but] it’s an exciting varietal [wine].”

Chile

There are now 16 member wineries of Vignadores de Carignan (VIGNO), Chile’s first official appellation association, centered around old-vine, dry-farmed vines in Maule. The long ripening season there allows for full-bodied, robust Carignan-based wines with cherry notes, ripe tannins and restrained acidity. The bottlings draw comparisons to Priorat, says Felipe García of winery P.S. García. “A perfect balance of structure and soft tannins.”

Mexico

After Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan accounts for the second-highest number of red grape plantings in Mexico. It’s grown mostly in the Valle de Guadalupe region of Baja Peninsula, where the Mediterranean climate and Northern Rhône-like granite and alluvial soils result in highly structured, powerful and jammy wines.

Croatia

Though still a minor player here, Carignan makes up a smattering of plantings, probably holdovers from cooperative days. It’s found mainly in Dalmatia, a narrow belt on the eastern shore of the Adriatic Sea. “These vines are likely scattered in field blend plantings,” says Cliff Rames, founder of the blog Wines of Croatia.

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