My wife and I visited the Chilean wine country in late May, stopping at 8 wineries.
Seeing as we went to see the Argentinian vineyards two years ago
Trip to the Argentinian wine country – Bordeaux Wine Blog we really wanted to see South America’s other main vineyard region, especially since Bordeaux grape varieties have pride of place there.
I usually try to illustrate my blog posts with plenty of photos but, alas, when I changed smartphones, the data transfer from my old phone did not go well and I lost a large number of photos, including all from Chile. That will teach me to back up next time…. So, please excuse the lack of illustrations.
A brief comparison shows that Chile is the world’s 6th largest wine producer and Argentina the 8th largest. Recent trends are for greater growth in Chile as compared to its neighbor. Both countries make predominantly red wines (about 60% for both). Argentina focuses on Malbec (40%) and Bonarda AKA Charbano (9%), whereas the three leading red varieties in Chile are Cabernet Sauvignon (30%), Merlot (11%), and Carménère (9%).
Although the Carménère grape variety originated in Bordeaux, it has all but disappeared there, and now sets Chile apart from all other wine regions. It wasn’t until 1994 that a French viticulturalist identified a supposed mutation of Merlot to be a separate grape variety imported from Bordeaux in the 19th century. Chile has since capitalized on Carménère’s uniqueness and it has become the country’s most emblematic wine.
Winegrowing in Chile dates back to the 16th century. The climate is temperate thanks to its location sandwiched between the Andes and the Pacific Ocean. Furthermore, the mountains serve as a barrier to vine diseases and insect pests. Chile is one of the only major wine-producting countries in the world that has never been affected by phylloxera.
Our visits were exclusively in the Central Valley area, more specifically the Maipo, Colchagua, and Casablanca districts.
Our first stop was at Viña Maquis winery situated between the Tinguiririca River and Chimbarongo Creek in the Colchagua Valley. Maquis benefits from a sheltered microclimate with rich alluvial soil and natural protection from spring frosts and summer heat. Established by Jesuit priests in the 18th century, it was purchased by the Hurtado family in 1916 and has stayed in their hands ever since. A modern winery was built in 2002 and Eric Boissenot from Bordeaux is their winemaking consultant. Furthermore, the wine is distributed internationally via the Place de Bordeaux.
Maquis has over 100 hectares of vines, of which approximately 40 are dedicated to Cabernet Franc, the largest single-variety planting of that grape in Chile.
I tasted through several wines, starting with the 2020 Lien, the estate’s flagship wine, consisting primarily of Cabernet Franc and Carménère. This was very well-balanced and savory with fine tannin, cherry flavors, and unquestionable elegance. Only a fairly short aftertaste could be faulted. I went on to taste the 2008 and 2006 vintages of this same wine. The former was more Rhonish, with a touch too much oak whereas the latter (containing, unusually, 42% Syrah) had an interesting nose with graphite overtones and fine-grained tannin. It was just a little dry on the finish.
The 2019 Viola was 94% Carménère, and a very good one at that. This was quite an impressive wine I noted very highly. It featured a nose of clove, wildflowers, and some muskiness. It showed weigh on the palate with marked acidity – powerful, but classy, with a very long aftertaste.
The 2019 Franco was 94% Cabernet Franc. It had an understated earthy, leathery nose and was somewhat exotic. The wine was even better on the palate. This was lively and lighter than the previous wine with teeth-coating tannin. As good as it was, I nevertheless preferred the Viola, which was one of the best wines I tasted in Chile.
The next winery on our travels was Clos Apalta, near Santa Cruz in the Colchagua Valley, established by Alexandra Marnier-Lapostelle (whose family formerly owned Grand Marnier liqueur) and Michel Rolland in 1994. The grape varieties and winemaking are greatly influenced by Bordeaux. The Mediterranean climate combined with a granite and alluvial soil produce wines with good structure. The nearby Clos Apalta Residence is a Relais & Châteaux hotel-restaurant whose luxury image is shared with the wines. These have an international reputation and are quite pricey.
I tried the 2021 Petit Clos, the estate’s second wine, and the 2019 Clos Apalta. Having gone to Clos Apalta with great expectations, I have to say that I came away rather disappointed. The Petit Clos was fairly harsh, dry, and leathery. The 2019 Clos was forceful, long, and persistent on the palate, but overly concentrated and hot. There were eucalyptus overtones and an over-oaked Rioja-like aftertaste. This was unfortunately an instance where a famous name did not live up to the hype.
We went on to have a delicious lunch at Montes winery in close proximity. The arrival there was quite dramatic because the vine leaves had turned into a blaze of colour on a landscape of rolling hills. Founded in 1987, Montes has over 700 hectares of vines as well as many contract vineyards.
The winery has definitely understood the concept of wine tourism and their restaurant was very good indeed, an ideal opportunity to taste the wines. We had four of these with our meal, but unfortunately not the top cuvées, which I have had elsewhere and much appreciated. Anyway the 4 we tasted were: the Kaiken Brut (70% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay, and actually from the Uco Valley in Argentina) that was not completely dry, but very good indeed, the Chardonnay (in a crowd-pleasing New World style), the Carménère (with roasted and black fruit overtones, but too rich and overripe for me), and the Cabernet Sauvignon (which was better on the nose than on the palate). Still, the experience was altogether positive and this is one of the great names in Chilean wine.
Very close by was another winery, Neyen, established in 1889, with some of the oldest ungrafted vines in Chile among the 100 hectares they cultivate. Acquired by the famous Sherry house of Gonzales Byass, the estate was one of the pioneers of organic and biodynamic winegrowing. I tried their flagship wine, Neyen, from the 2020 vintage. This consists of 45% Cabernet Sauvignon followed by Carménère, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. The Syrah came through strongly on the bouquet along with some mintiness. The flavor was more exotic than remarkable, with sweet oak and a rich velvety texture. Next up was 2022 Primus Carménère with mint and chocolate (After Eight!) on the nose. The wine was full-bodied with a heavy mouthfeel on the palate along with strong toasty oak – too much for my taste. Last up was 2019 Neyen (55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Carménère) with earthy agreeably herbaceous aromas. The wine was big and expressive, but with a hot aftertaste. Very New World in style and not particularly well-balanced.
Our first visit of the second day was to Almaviva, one of the most famous estates in Chile, a joint venture founded in 1997 by Baron Philippe de Rothschild in Bordeaux and Concho y Toro, Chile’s largest producer. Almaviva is in Puento Alto, a suburb of Santiago in the Maipo Valley. We spent most of a morning visiting this world class estate formerly belonging to the Chadwick family (who own nearby Viñedo Chadwick, whose wine costs hundreds of dollars a bottle). Almaviva’s 60 hectares of vines grow on rocky alluvial soil with considerable thermal amplitude and good ventilation thanks to wind funnelled through the Coastal Range. A beautiful winery was built in 2000. Ninety percent of production is exported, with Brazil being a major customer.
Having been to Cheval des Andes two years ago, I was delighted to visit South America’s other Bordeaux-inspired grand cru, which clearly receives careful attention. The name Almaviva has nothing to do with Chile. It comes from Count Almaviva, a central figure in two famous plays by Beaumarchais, The Barber of Seville (1775) and The Marriage of Figaro (1784), which later inspired operas by Rossini and Mozart in which Almaviva is portrayed as a stylish, cultured nobleman — sophisticated, worldly, and influential. Furthermore, the “de Beaumarchais” adopted by Julien de Beaumarchais de Rothschild (Philippine’s son) is not a family name by blood, but a cultural and symbolic tribute to Count Almaviva.
On to the three wines we tasted:
“Epu” means “two” in Mapuche, the language of Chile’s indigenous people, which is rather appropriate for Almaviva’s second wine. The 2019 vintage had a penetrating, but non-alcoholic nose of humus, leather, truffle, and subtle spice (cinnamon). It was rich and elegant on the palate with cherry-vanilla flavors and some licorice overtones. Smooth with nary a hair out of place. Superb second wine. 15 degrees alcohol by volume, but it does not seem so. Retails at approximately 50 dollars a bottle.
The grand vin, 2019 Almaviva, showed ethereal eucalyptus nuances and more obvious toasty oak, but this was unobtrusive. Like Epu, the wine was quite rich on the palate with wildberry notes and gentle grip. Also 15% alc./vol. but not hot at all. The oak comes through on the finish, but this is one to age for 10-15 years and the balance at this stage is very promising.
2020 Almaviva was the best wine we tasted all week in Chile. The bewitching bouquet expressed understated blackcurrant aromas as well as incense, cedar, and lovely black fruit. The acidity was quite marked, with refined, auspicious, teeth-coating tannin. Great length. Comparing to what I know, this was a bigger wine than most Médocs, with some exotic flavors and, unsurprisingly, toasty oak. The tannic texture was very attractive. The wine’s development on the palate was not seamless, but this will undoubtedly improve and become more focused with age.
We went from Alma Viva to Cusino Macul in Peñalolén also in the Maipo Valley district, more specifically the Alto Maipo subregion at the foothills of the Andes in the Santiago urban area. Founded in 1856, Cusino Macul remains in the hands of the Cusino family. They produce 250,000 cases a year, of which 65% are exported.
I tasted four wines. The 2022 white Finis Terrae, a blend of Chardonnay, Riesling, and Viognier had a medium-deep gold color and a nose mostly showing Chardonnay. The flavor profile leaned towards tropical fruit, a New World style with considerable oak, and a rather short aftertaste. The 2022 “W”, a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, already had a slightly orangeish rim. The bouquet displayed good varietal character, as well as a little herbaceousness with hints of dark chocolate and eucalyptus – a powerful wine with too much oak (mercifully medium-toast). One has the impression that the winemaker tried too hard here. Even so, this will reward ageing. The next two wines were in the premium and “icon” categories. The latter is a widespread term in Chile for “cuvée prestige”. The 2019 red Finis Terrae (60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, and 13% Syrah) was a definite step up, with a bouquet that was already well-developed with some muskiness. The wine was better than expected on the palate, with good acidity, black and green olive nuances, and not too much oak. The puckery finish and basic structure indicated that this will gain from another ten years’ ageing.
The final wine, 2020 Lota, was 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot. There were already tertiary notes here and a little reduction as well as pronounced cherry and prune aromatics. This was a big wine whose quality came through in the long aftertaste.
The first visit on our third and last day was at Aquitania also in Penalolen (Maipo Valley). This was started in 1990 by two Bordeaux luminaries: Bruno Prats (of Château Cos d’Estournel) and Paul Pontalier (of Château Margaux). There are just 18 hectares of vines surrounding the winery, but a further twenty in the Malleconia Valley (Patagonia), 650 km. further south. The Bordeaux influence is very strong at Aquitania (the Roman name for the province where Bordeaux is located) and you hear French more than Spanish there… I tasted four wines of their range.
The first was 2021 Sol de Sol Pinot Noir with good varietal character on the nose, but green to a degree that overpowered the smoky spicy nuances. There was lots of tannic grip on the palate. The 2020 Paul Bruno, Aquitania’s flagship wine, was 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. This proved to be a tight, herbaceous, and a little dry – not exactly a winner. The 2021 Lazuli (8,700 bottles a year), also 100% Cab, is Aquitania’s icon wine. This was a different kettle of fish with an aromatic understated nose revealing hints of candied black fruit. The wine was big and peppery on the palate, but finished soft, with fine-textured tannin. A class act. Retails at about 80 euros a bottle.
The next stop was more of a luncheon experience than a winery visit. This was to Santa Rita, founded in the Alto Jahuel district of the Maipo Valley in 1880. Owned by the Claro Group, one of Chile’s major conglomerates, Santa Rita also features a restaurant, a boutique hotel, and 40-hectares of landscaped grounds, all of which are registered historic landmarks. Viña Santa Rita welcomes about 130,000 visitors a year and produces some 12 million cases of wine annually. They own over 3,000 hectares of vines and have contracts covering another 2,300.
The touristy part of Santa Rita is quite old and charming. I sampled four wines at lunch in their excellent 19th century style restaurant. Unfortunately, I can’t say exactly which ones because when I bought a new smartphone and they transferred all the data from the old one, most of the recent photos disappeared. As usual, I had taken pictures of the labels… Suffice it to say that the quality was in the foursquare and crowd-pleasing category.
Our final visit was to Haras de Pirqué, also in Maipo, an impressive estate on the site of a former thoroughbred breeding farm established in 1802. The winery building is magnificent with a commanding view of the Andes foothills and 80 hectares of vines. Haras de Pirqué was acquired by Antinori of Italy in 2017. The winery is very geared up for wine tourism, which doesn’t come cheap: the peso-equivalent of 60 euros a person for one hour and just some of the wines.
I tasted four of them.
The 2024 Albaclara was a Sauvignon Blanc with a citrusy varietal nose and marked acidity as well as an alcoholic presence on the finish. It was too angular and not really user-friendly for me. The 2021 Hussonet Gran Reserva (100% Cabernet Sauvignon) had a biscuity black cherry nose with some graphite. It showed tremendous blackcurrant character on the palate with good acidity and ageing potential. It also had a heavy mouth feel, but a short aftertaste. Well-made nevertheless.
2021 Galantas, a pure Cabernet Franc, displayed spice and pencil shaving aromas as part of an intriguing bouquet. The mouth feel was weighty. The flavor started out big and then tapered down with some minty notes and good tannic texture. A wine to age.
The final wine was 2021 Albis, a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Carménère. The winery figures that this combines the best of the old and new worlds. To me, the scales tipped heavily towards the latter, with new oak, berry blossom, and slightly medicinal aromas. The wine was powerful and assertive, but disjointed, angular and “sweet” – in short, not in a good place at this time.
The above report covers just three days, but these were pretty intense. I can’t claim to have a meaningful grasp of viticulture and winemaking in Chile and I’ve left out most of what I did learn to concentrate on the tasting and, to some extent, the tourism aspects. Summing things up in just a few words is not easy except to say that I’m very glad I went, that I had some fascinating wines, that these were mostly very affordable, and that I encourage anyone thinking about it to go to Chile to discover the wine country for themselves. One last thing: speaking Spanish is not essential since most of the people I met could speak English or French.