Discover the best wineries in Chile, including all the top wineries to visit in Elqui, Limari, Maipo, Aconcagua, Colchagua, Casablanca, Curico, Maule, Itata, Bio Bio.
In our ultimate guide to the wineries in Chile, you will find all the information you need to know related to wineries, wine tourism, winery restaurants and wine hotels in Chile’s wine regions, including Aconcagua, Maipo, Casablanca, Curico, Itata.
Berta was founded in 1997 by Don Pedro Pablo Errázuriz Ossa. A successful businessman, Don Pedro decided to start in the wine industry looking to combine his business skills with his passion for architecture, arts, construction, and innovation.
The winery is focused on growing Pinot Noir, Malbec, Cinsault, Moscatel and Riesling, and takes advantage of the distinctive climate and character that Itata provides.
Berta
Founded in 2015, Massoc Frères as a project has always been guided by the family’s affection for their Chilean and French roots, their faith in the Itata and Bio Bio valleys, and their desire to produce excellent wines from the old vines of southern Chile.
In 2017, the family bought an old winery located on the slopes of Cerro Cayumanqui, in the municipality of Quillón in Itata and restored it to adapt it to their small-scale winemaking style. All the Massoc Frères wines are made, aged and bottled on the estate.
Massoc Frères
Mayu winery is one of the modern wine pioneers of Elqui Valley, making premium wines from the region since 2005. A family enterprise, Viña Mayu is owned by Mauro Olivier and the winemaker is Elqui’s most experienced winemaker Giorgio Flessati.
Mayu is the Inca name for the milky way, literally translating as “creek of stars”. Viña Mayu is an independent venture founded in 2005 by Mauro Olivier, the son of Viña Falernia founder Aldo Olivier Gramola. Mauro was raised in Elqui valley and spent his summers working in the family fruit business, which led him into a lifetime career and passion for viticulture and wine. Mauro pioneered Carmenere and Syrah in the Elqui valley, which he planted in 2000.
Viña Mayu has vineyards across a range of different terroirs in the Elqui Valley and the wines are made in the Falernia winery in Vicuña, benefitting from the winemaking expertise of Aldo’s cousin, Italian winemaker Giorgio Flessati.O
Within the vineyards of Mayu there is also an observatory for star gazing!
These vineyards are close to the coast and the mornings are foggy but in the afternoons the skies are very clear and sunny and there is a significant temperature difference between daytime and nighttime. The terrain is a mixture of flat land and slopes and there is even an observatory at the highest point on the hill known as Cerro Mayu. The soil is of alluvial origin, mainly comprising granite. The plantings here are of Sauvignon Blanc, Pedro Ximenez and Syrah.
Mayu has three areas of vineyards in the El Tambo sector, which is further inland and so experiences warmer, sunnier and drier weather. The mornings can be a little foggy thanks to the moisture from the Puclaro Lake, but this is burned off by the sun during the course of the morning. These vineyards are located at 550 to 650 m (1800-2130 ft.) above sea level. The Yungay Vineyard is planted with Pedro Ximenez with a north-south exposure; the San Carlos Vineyard, which is adjacent to the River Elqui, is planted with Sangiovese and Pedro Ximenez, while the stony alluvial soils of the Rio Vineyard are planted with Carmenère.
These vineyards are also inland, near to the town of Vicuña, at an altitude of 650 m (2132 ft.) above the sea level. They are close to the riverbed of the River Elqui River and have clay soils with lots of gravel and are planted with Syrah and Malbec.
These are two of the highest altitude vineyards in Chile: La Huanta at 1925 metres above sea level and Dimaro at 1000 metres, planted with Pedro Ximenez grapes.
The range includes crisp, monovarietal whites from Pedro Ximenez, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling, along with warm-climate reds from Carmenère, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese.
The Reserva range also consists of monovarietal reds from Carmenère, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Malbec, plus a Carmenère-Syrah blend. A novelty in this line is Mayu Carménère Appassimento made from 40% normal Carmenère grapes and 60% Carmenère grapes that have been air-dried using the “Appassimento” method commonly associated with wines like Amarone.
There are two wines under this label – a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère and Syrah.
Also a range of warm, comforting monovarietal reds from Carmenère, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah.
Italian-born Giorgio Flessati started making wine in Elqui in the late 90s and is the most experienced winemaker in the valley, pioneering premium wines in what was traditionally a Pisco region. He has been winemaker for Viña Mayu since it was founded in 2005. In the video below he explains some of the unique conditions which make Elqui valley an attractive wine region to produce wine in:
Altaïr wine and winery is the fine wine arm of Viña San Pedro making complex and full-bodied red wines from Cachapoal Andes. Altaïr is the top wine and Sideral is their second-label, but just as complex and ageworthy. You can visit the winery in Cachapoal for a tasting and even stay for lunch.
Named after one of the brightest stars in the sky, Altaïr is the top wine of Viña San Pedro and a renowned red blend from Cachapoal Andes. Coming from select plots from their 93-hectare vineyard estate, this Cabernet Sauvignon blend includes Cabernet Franc and Syrah, proportions of which change each vintage. With the cool mountain breeze and deep volcanic soils of Cachapoal Andes, the wine reflects its mountain terroir harnessing both concentration and freshness.
Much more approachable in its youth today is the second-label, Sideral, but just as complex and ageworthy.
The Cachapoal Andes winery was founded in 2002 and it is located in the Cachapoal Andes Valley at the foot of the Andes Mountain Range. This winery is focused on making Viña San Pedro’s fine wines: Altaïr, Cabo de Hornos, Sideral, Kankana del Elqui and Tierras Moradas.
The soil from the Cachapoal Andes Valley is quite diverse because of its geological and geomorphological origins giving wines a lot of complexity. The grapes for Altäir are sourced from three select plots in the vineyard, characterized by volcanic soils on a slope, alluvial gravel deposits, and volcanic soils decomposed in clay.
The Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc grapes are planted on volcanic soils containing fractured yellow basalt, with minerals mixed with sand and clay, as they provide minerality and structure to the wine. The deposits of alluvial gravel range from irregular and medium-sized to fine gravel with sand. These soils give wine structure, elegance, volume and are used for Cabernet Sauvignon vines. Finally, the volcanic soils decomposed in clay are used for Syrah vines as they contribute fresh fruit and structure.
This Cabernet Sauvignon blend includes Cabernet Franc and Syrah, proportions of which change each vintage. The wine is increasingly elegant each vintage under the hand of winemaker Gabriel Mustakis, although it remains one of Chile’s most collectable wines that will cellar well.
Sideral is a blend of five grape varieties grown in their Cachapoal Andes vineyard. It is their second-label, but just as complex and ageworthy.
Cabo de Hornos is a Cabernet Sauvignon that grows in volcanic soils. The grapes are planted at the foothills of the Andes in the Cachapoal Andes Valley and are affected by winds that come down from the mountains, allowing for slow ripening, concentration and character.
Gabriel graduated in Agricultural Engineering with a special mention in winemaking from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. He joined Viña San Pedro in 2018 after working as a winemaker both in Chile and abroad.
His passion for wine and his vision for the iconic wines of Viña San Pedro has given him the opportunity of becoming the manager of the Cachapoal Andes winery, where San Pedro’s five icon wines: Altaïr, Cabo de Hornos, Sideral, Kankana del Elqui and Tierras Moradas are made.
You can taste a vertical of the Altaïr and Sideral wines while visiting the handsome winery and vineyard, with options for lunch, picnics and biking among the vines.
The restaurant is open from Tuesday through Saturday.
Click here to book your visit to Viña San Pedro or email the winery at [email protected]
