Colchagua Colchagua

Regional profile The crackle of excitement in the air was palpable amid the sound of popping corks and Colchagua clinking glasses. In central Santa Cruz, 30 Colchagua-based micro-producers had at a glance gathered to showcase their wares. ‘People Area in production think that interesting small producers are only Vineyard plantings Colchagua found in the south of , in Itata and Maule, have grown from and that Colchagua is merely home to the 8,000ha in 1997 to Known for its Carmenère vineyards, Colchagua is home to some of glitzy, big producers,’ says my host and the over 30,000ha in Chile’s biggest names in wine. Yet, as Alistair Cooper MW discovers, event organiser, Francisco Zúñiga, a 2017. The Rapel dynamic boutique producers in the region are pushing boundaries passionate local sommelier. ‘This is not the Valley (Colchagua case. Colchagua is the most exciting region in and Cachapoal) with different grapes and the latest winemaking techniques Chile right now, teeming with innovation and produces over experimentation.’ Following the tasting, and one-quarter of several days visiting producers of all sizes, it’s Chile’s total volume hard to argue with this claim. Climate The sub-region of Colchagua is 160km or so Mediterranean, with south of Santiago. Together with Cachapoal to 600mm of annual the north, they form the region of Rapel. Like rainfall between other regions in Chile, Colchagua has a rich, May and August Hispanic-derived wine culture going back to Capital While San the 17th century, when País, Moscatel and Fernando is the provincial capital, Santa Cruz is the ‘Colchagua is the most unofficial wine capital and the home exciting region in Chile right of La Ruta del Vino, Chile’s oldest tourist now, teeming with innovation wine route Red grapes Most and experimentation’ widely planted Francisco Zúñiga are Cabernet Sauvignon, Torontel vines were first planted in coastal Carmenère, Colchagua. Wine production was consolidated Merlot and Syrah under a wave of immigration from the Basque White grapes Country in the 18th century, with vines Chardonnay and planted in Peralillo, Colchagua’s heartland. Sauvignon Blanc It was here that the Domaines Barons de dominate white Rothschild estate, Los Vascos (meaning ‘The plantings Basques’), would later be established in 1988. Best recent French varieties, predominantly Cabernet vintages Sauvignon, Carmenère, Malbec and Semillon, 2011, 2013, 2017

arrived at the turn of the 20th century and Wilson/Cephas Matt Photograph: built a good reputation. Land reforms in the 1960s and 1970s slowed regional growth, and Colchagua’s extraordinary boom has only occurred over the past 20 to 30 years, led by many of Chile’s most illustrious names, including: Lapostolle, Los Vascos, Montes, Ventisquero, Casa Silva and Viu Manent. With its Mediterranean climate and 600mm annual rainfall, Colchagua is fundamentally a red wine region. Typically, the wines have been fleshy, ripe and opulent with rounded tannins and moderate acidity – at times a Left: Carmenère vines little flabby and over-extracted. Encouragingly, in Lapostolle’s Apalta a host of producers have been focusing on vineyard, located high freshness and drinkability in recent years. ➢ above the Apalta Valley

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Colchagua, along with Cachapoal, is the traditional heartland of Carmenère. Undoubtedly, the region is capable of producing some of Chile’s finest examples of this late-ripening variety. ‘Site is key for Carmenère. While you need warm areas to achieve phenolic ripeness, moderating influences help retain freshness and purity, and prevent over-ripening and overly alcoholic, jammy wines,’ explains Arnaud Frennet, commercial director of Casa Silva, whose estate is planted in the Andean foothills near San Fernando. ‘This may be diurnal temperature difference, or as we have in our Los Lingues estate, a cooling mountain breeze from the Andes. This means we can achieve ripe, spicy Carmenères with a beautiful freshness behind them.’ Spotlight on Apalta ‘In Santa Ana, one of Colchagua’s most Colchagua’s most famous terroir is undoubtedly Apalta. This stunning horseshoe- vibrant, eclectic and quirky winemaking shaped valley rises with steep hills in the east, west and north, and flatter land sloping communities is beginning to surface’ towards the Tinguiririca River. ‘Apalta is unique, with its south and southeastern hillside exposure key to quality. The vines are Above: Carmenère silex. This mosaic of soils has seen a host of protected from several hours of afternoon grapes planted in grape varieties show superb results, as Felipe sunlight, creating fresher conditions for the Colchagua, where site Tosso, chief winemaker of Viña Ventisquero vines,’ says Andrea León, technical director is key to producing explains. ‘While Apalta started with Cabernet, and winemaker of Lapostolle. wines with freshness the development of warmer varieties like Petit The soils in the majestic amphitheatre of Verdot, Mourvèdre and Grenache is notable. Apalta are generally well drained and a Also, for us, Syrah and Carmenère from our mixture of volcanic, decomposed granite and highest Apalta vineyards produce our top wines Vertice and Pangea.’ Vineyards in Apalta are among the most SAN ANTONIO/ LEYDA VALLEY Ovalle expensive in Chile and produce many of the N San COQUIMBO country’s iconic wines including Clos Apalta, Antonio CHILE 78 ANDES Montes Alpha M, Montes Folly and Pacific Ocean River VALPARAISO Ventisquero’s Pangea. Yet there is more to Maipo San 5 Valparaíso Felipe Colchagua than just icon wines – a host of Pacific 66 Santiago small producers experimenting with new Ocean MAIPO MAIPO VALLEY VALLEY techniques, grape varieties and new areas are RAPEL VALLEY San beginning to make waves. Limit of Fernando Rapel Valley Curicó Rancagua Talca The innovators Lake MAULE Rapel VALLEY CACHAPOAL ANDES The area of Marchigüe, 38km from the Pacific

ARGENTINA 66 5 Ocean, was first planted in the mid-1990s, and MARCHIGUE its cooler, coastal-influenced site has produced 2 6 Colchagua vineyards superb Syrah and Carmenère over the years. River 1 Fanoa Tinguiririca 5 Nearby in Santa Ana, one of Colchagua’s most LOS 1 2 Clos Santa Ana Santa San 3 OWM APALTA Fernando vibrant, eclectic and quirky winemaking Cruz 4 Viu Manent 5 communities is starting to surface. ‘We’re one 3 4 COLCHAGUA Koyle 6 Beso Negro of five small-scale wine producers, all located River Tinguiririca 500m away from each other. Within four years Limit of there will be at least another four, maybe five,’ Curico Rapel Valley 0 10 20 30 40 50 explains Matt Ridgway of La Despensa winery. 5 kilometres CURICO VALLEY ‘I’m English, and we have Bolivians,

Map: Maggie Nelson Maggie Map: Malaysians, Spanish, Americans, Italians, ➢

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Chileans, Portuguese and more. It’s a community of friends, all working towards high-quality, small-production organic wines,’ Colchagua: six names to watch he adds. La Despensa currently focuses on Beso Negro Rhône varieties, producing a juicy Syrah- A venture between Kiwi winemaker Grenache blend, with Roussanne and Cinsault Grant Phelps (ex-Viu Manent and on the way. Two noteworthy neighbours Casas del Bosque), Princess Tunku already producing sublime wines include Clos Soraya Dakhlah of Malaysia and her Santa Ana and Beso Negro. husband Sharif Majid (who bought Koyle The development of coastal vineyards in land here a decade ago), plus Chile has been a significant feature in recent business partners. Two wines are Koyle years. The quest for freshness and cool-climate currently made from differing Founded in 2006 by the Undurraga sites in Colchagua has seen Paredones prosper. blends of Carmenère, Petit Verdot family in Los Lingues, in the Andean Just 6km from the coast, on rolling hills of and Petite Sirah: El Libertino and foothills. Thanks to head winemaker decomposed granite with a high quartz El Decadente. They are full-bodied Cristóbal Undurraga, great purity content, these deep soils are producing some and powerful yet with real elegance. shines throughout the range, and of Chile’s finest Sauvignon Blancs. the coastal project in Paredones is The best examples are from Estampa, Koyle producing compelling Sauvignon (Costa Cuarzo Sauvignon Blanc) and Casa Silva Blancs under the Costa label. Koyle (Cool Coast Sauvignon Blanc). Syrah and Pinot makes excellent-value Syrah, while Noir plantings also show promise. One of the the premium Auma is a muscular most exciting wines from Paredones is Semillon blend of Carmenère, Malbec, Merlot, 1928 Vines by Maturana Wines. Sourced from Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Clos Santa Ana vineyards planted in 1928 and boasting six Franc and Petit Verdot. It also has an months’ skin contact, this shows just how Clos Santa Ana excellent Muscat and Cinsault from good Chilean Semillon can be. Luiz Allegretti and Roberto Ibarra’s Itata under the Don Cande range. young organic project is already Problems and promotion producing stunning wines. The OWM When discussing problems facing Colchagua, talented duo of Luca Hodgkinson Own Wine Makers was founded in a common theme arises. ‘By far the biggest and José Miguel Sotomayor (‘the 2009 by cousins Jaime Núñez weakness is water,’ says Ventisquero’s Tosso. Wildmakers’) are consultants, with (viticulturist) and José Antonio ‘The Tinguiririca River is an important three wines currently produced. Bravo (winemaker). Today they resource. However, there are areas far away Old foudres made of raulí (a type of make five wines – a total of 20,000 with no river access.’ Montes has reduced beech wood) and amphorae are bottles. Carmenère, Petit Verdot, water consumption by 65% on its Apalta estate used for fermentation and the wines Syrah, Petite Sirah and Cabernet by switching to sustainable dry-farming. are unfiltered. The flagship is Sauvignon are the main focus. The Export manager Dennis Murray explains: ‘We Aralez, a blend of Carmenère, wines are classically Colchagua: irrigate minimally, only when required. ➢ Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet ripe, succulent, deep and brooding Franc and Malbec; while Velo is a but with great focus and acidity. Below: Felipe Tosso is chief winemaker at Viña flor-aged, old-vine blend of Pinot Ventisquero, one of Colchagua’s leading wineries Noir, Chardonnay and Riesling. Viu Manent Under head winemaker Patricio Fanoa Celedón, Viu Manent has pushed Raúl Narvaéz and Angeles Ovalle towards lighter styles over the past bought 11ha in 2009 in , 8km five years, picking earlier and using north of Santa Cruz, but didn’t plant older foudres and less new oak. until three years later so they could It owns 254ha over three sites in get biodynamic certification. Just Colchagua, and Malbec is a focus, 2.3ha are under vine – mainly though the ViBo Punta del Viento Malbec and Carmenère – yet they GSM blend is worth seeking out. are experimenting with Sangiovese, Tempranillo, Grenache and Carignan among others. Fanoa’s aim is to produce fresher styles, with little or no oak used in the winemaking. Currently it produces the Seis Tintos blend, plus a Sangiovese and Malbec – all show great promise. Viu Manent Photograph: Sara Matthews Sara Photograph:

44 | June 2018 • DECANTER Colchagua The Right: tourists enjoying a horse carriage Yet, in a historically introspective society, ride around the vineyards at Viu Manent perhaps the greatest development is that of camaraderie; the sharing of knowledge and Covering rows with wood bark has seen a 19% cooperation among winemakers, both new water saving, and the use of a shorter canopy a and established. ‘We winemakers are good 21st further 13% reduction in water usage.’ friends, we share what we’re doing,’ says Tourism has played an important part in Lapostolle’s León. ‘We taste together, discuss Colchagua’s development, being the first together – and being not so close to Santiago Chilean region to develop a tourist route with we are more connected to nature. That is key La Ruta del Vino in 1996. Some of Chile’s great to making interesting wines.’ The welcome Interwine boutique hotels – such as Viña Vik and Clos addition of a vibrant cohort of young producers Apalta Residence – are found here, and the to complement Colchagua’s existing order has region’s gastronomic offerings are rapidly truly transformed the region, and I expect improving. Santa Cruz, with its wine museum, great things to come over the next decade. D China wine festival and casino, has long attracted visitors. Alongside this, Chile’s premier surf Alistair Cooper MW spent years working for spot, Pichilemu, attracts vast numbers of both wineries in Argentina and Chile. He is a regular domestic and international tourists, offering a Decanter contributor and judge, and the resident captive market for producers to exploit. wine expert for BBC Radio Oxford Nov.9-11th,2018

Alistair Cooper MW’s picks from Colchagua roses and violets, followed by a fresh and mouthwateringly juicy palate that’s led by Estampa, DelViento Syrah Rosé, Clos Santa Ana, Aralez, Peralillo 2015 zippy acidity from the Carignan really shine vibrant dark fruit. Drink 2018-2021 Alc 12.5% Paredones 2017 90 93 through here. Drink 2018-2021 Alc 12.5% £17 Seckford Agencies N/A UK [email protected] Viu Manent, Viu 1 2013 92 Very pale salmon pink, with enticing and A very attractive nose, with pure aromas of Lugarejo, Merlot, Peralillo £59 Hedonism, Louis Latour, Saxtys Wine subtle red fruit aromas. Firm and racy cedar spice, damp tobacco and a subtle hint 2016 92 Cigar box and dried fig aromas on the acidity on the palate, with a beautiful hint of of pyrazine. The ripe, dark fruits on the N/A UK [email protected] nose, along with a dash of violets. The pepper and cinnamon spice over mulberry palate have a wonderful cooling feel to Wild berries and strawberry brooding and dark palate shows forest fruit. This is a very elegant style of rosé. them, backed by lively acidity and rounded aromas dominate the beautifully fruits and boasts wonderfully fine Drink 2018-2021 Alcohol 12% tannins. A full-bodied but effortlessly perfumed nose. Meanwhile the tannins. This is a big powerful wine, with elegant wine. Drink 2018-2023 Alc 14% palate is marked by floral notes, a perfectly judged acidity and a lingering Clos Apalta, Apalta 2015 95 crunchy texture and some lively finish. Tightly wound at the moment, £85-£95 Berkmann Wine Cellars, Fanoa, Seis Tintos, Palmilla acidity. This is a really juicy, soft with many years of life left ahead of it. Laithwaite’s 2016 93 and mouthwatering Merlot, with a Drink 2018-2028 Alc 13.5% China Intense aromas of baked earth, N/A UK [email protected] smattering of vanilla to finish. liquorice, spice, cassis and A blend of six grapes. Pure Drink 2018-2021 Alc 12.3% Lapostolle, Collection Petit Verdot, Apalta blueberry. Tightly wound, rich graphite, cassis and bramble 2015 91 （Guanghzhou） palate which is sleek, polished fruit aromas. Medium-bodied, Ventisquero, Pangea, £20 Berkmann Wine Cellars and shows fine-grained tannins. seductive and soft, with fine Apalta 2013 92 Deep graphite aromas, dark plum and mulberry International This opulent and dense wine has powdery tannins. Excellent £40 Kingsland Wines with a hint of violet. Dense mouthfeel, with lifted polished oaking and a focused spice, with real minerality and a Made with Australian balsamic notes and superbly sculpted fine tannins. finish. Drink 2018-2030 Alc 15% long finish. A great first effort consultant John Duval. Tight Excellent acidity keeps this crackling along. Wine & Spirit from this new biodynamic nose of black fruits, plums and Supreme Petit Verdot! Drink 2018-2022 Alc 14.5% Beso Negro, El Decadente, Peralillo winery. Drink 2018-2022 Alc 13.5% blueberries. A dense core of 2015 93 fig, Christmas cake spices and Montes, Outer Limits Wild Slopes, Exhibition N/A UK www.besonegrowines.com Javiera Ortúzar, Después de la Lluvia dark chocolate, with chewy, Apalta 2016 90 A full-throttle blend of 63% Carmenère, 2016 92 rounded tannins. Still young, £20-£22 Exel Wines, Liberty Wines, 28% Petit Verdot and 9% Petite Sirah. A N/A UK www.facebook.com/ this will improve over the The Wine Reserve, Waitrose Pazhou Import seductive nose of tobacco spice, graphite javieraortuzarwines coming years. Drink 2018-2028 Alc 14% Carignan, Grenache and Mourvèdre. and Chinese five spice. The palate brims A delightfully refreshing, light and fresh Wild dark fruit and spice dominates with dark fruits and freshly ground coffee, blend of Petit Verdot, Carignan and Villalobos, Carignan Reserva, the lively nose. There’s a rounded and Export Fair underpinned by soft, rounded chalky Cabernet Sauvignon, from this energetic 2014 92 mouthfeel on the palate, along with tannins. The 14.5% alcohol is very well young producer. Vibrant and juicy style, £22-£24 Exel, Joseph Barnes, Caves de Pyrene zippy acidity and soft, textured integrated. A classy and hedonistic wine. with a lifted nose that has hints of leather, From a wild, uncultivated vineyard, this is tannins. A lovely liquorice and red fruit Complex,Axea B Drink 2018-2023 Alc 14.5% spice and iodine. Tight tannins and lively, purity in a glass! Stunning floral nose of finish. Drink 2018-2022 Alc 14.5% Photograph: Matt Wilson Matt Photograph: (30,000m) 46 | June 2018 • DECANTER