The Masters of Maipo: Concha Y Toro and Viña Santa Rita
We all can be forgiven for broad generalizations of Chilean wine. The Chileans themselves long fostered an image of stability, tradition and uniformness in their wine production. For much of the 20th century, wine production here - particularly for brands exported to international markets - was led by several long-established wineries located in Chile’s long Central Valley.
While recent exploration has taken Chilean producers to cool coastal climates in search of terroir capable of producing elegant whites and savoury reds, the heart of the country’s production continues to remain in the area south of the country’s capital, Santiago, in a region known as Maipo. Two of the most prominent residents are Concha Y Toro and Viña Santa Rita, whose estates are now essentially part of the sprawling city.
MAIPO: THE HEART OF THE CHILEAN WINE INDUSTRY
Chile’s Maipo Valley is the heart of Chilean wine industry both from a geographic and historic perspective. The earliest plantings can be traced to Spanish invaders of the late 15th century and 16th centuries, but Maipo came to be known as the ‘Bordeaux of South America’ in the late 19th century. It’s here that Chile’s modern wine industry truly evolved. The first French winemakers arrived in the early 1800s and as France’s vineyards were devastated by a vineyard louse in the latter half of the century, many more ventured across the Atlantic, around Cape Horn and along South America’s coastline before eventually landing in Chile. These early winemakers brought both expertise and vine cuttings to Chile, and more specifically the fertile valleys south of Santiago.
Recently, the Maipo has expanded west towards the Pacific Ocean where cool winds allow for more elegant styles and east to the Andes where cold evening winds cascade down the mountains providing grapes rich in phenols and acidity – desirable for premium full-bodied red wine production. Yet, despite the exploration of new areas, the classics and the bulk of the wine is still made in its interior and much of it is Cabernet Sauvignon, the undisputed king of Maipo. Cabernet makes up the bulk of its production and the most iconic wines of the region are either labelled as Cabernet Sauvignon or blends made predominantly from the grape. The best are Bold & Full wines with a remarkable depth of dark berry and fig flavours. Those made closer to the coast may also show some savoury, slightly green notes reminiscent of mint, bell pepper and sometimes tomato vine. While Cabernet is king, other varietals share the royal court of Maipo, including Merlot and to a much lesser extent Carmenere.
DISCOVER CONCHA Y TORO
Latin America’s biggest producer is also one of its most historic. This venerable estate traces its history to the late 19th century when Don Melchor, a well-known, regarded politician and businessman opened Vina Concha Y Toro a few miles south of Santiago. The estate went through a major modernization process in the 1950s. Shortly thereafter the company launched its popular Casillero del Diablo brand, introducing a new level of premium quality Chilean wines to the world. Ever since, the winery has continued to expand vineyard holdings and layer in new brands continually elevating the Concha Y Toro name to new stratospheres. Their mostly lofty brand is Don Melchor, an iconic South American wine. The Cabernet Sauvignon-based Don Melchor is made from grapes grown only in the most prestigious sub-regions of Maipo including the highly regarded Puente Alto and Alto Maipo Valley. Don Melchor represents not only the pinnacle of Concha Y Toro’s production, but it has become the symbol of quality in the Chilean wine industry. However, it can also be argued that Concha Y Toro places great emphasis on the quality of its entry level wines. Product lines such as Casillero del Diablo are renowned for over delivering on quality compared to price.
DISCOVER VINA SANTA RITA
Viña Santa Rita’s roots in the Chilean wine industry run deep. The winery was started in 1880 by Don Domingo Fernández Concha. Don Domingo can be credited with bringing French varietals and techniques to Chile, a legacy that has helped shape and define not only the winery but the Chilean industry itself. Under the direction of Don Domingo’s son-in-law Vicente García Huidobro and subsequently other members of the Huidobro family, Viña Santa Rita continued to thrive and grow through much of the 20th century. Although the Huidobro family is no longer part of the ownership group, the company has continued to thrive. Their Maipo wines continue to be its heart and spirit, but the company has also invested heavily in other regions such as Colchagua and the cool environs of Casablanca. The move has allowed Santa Rita to diversify its production and maintain its reputation as one of Chile’s most beloved and respected wineries.