Chile has a wealth of old vines, and most of them are cared for by small growers. If we don’t value those growers, we run a very high risk of losing these old vines. Caring for old vines is backbreaking work, and often for very little acknowledgement. Those concerns are what is behind the ethos of Miguel Torres new range of sustainable wines, Titanes del Vino, as winemaker Eduardo Jordan explains in this interview.
Celebrating the growers, or wine titans and heroes, is what this line is all about. The first wine to be launched is Tenaz. Tenaz is a wine made from old vines of Cinsault from the vineyard of Jose Miguel Castillo, a grower in Itata. Jose Miguel is pictured on the label and celebrated for his tenacity in caring for these old vines.
The wines are not only a celebration of the growers and their exceptional old vines, but they are economically sustainable as each grower is paid a fair price (Torres is also certified Fairtrade) as well as a commission on each bottle of wine sold.
The wine is also delicious… fresh and crunchy with notes of wild herbs, spices and black forest fruit.
The story behind Miguel Torres’ Titanes del Vino line with winemaker Eduardo Jordan
Video highlights: Amanda Barnes interviews winemaker Eduardo Jordan
Eduardo, we are tasting a new line of wines from Miguel Torres and one that I am really excited about not only because it’s delicious but also because there is a very interesting story behind it, part of the ethos I think of Torres. Tell us who Titanes del Vino or Titans of Wine are?
For me, this is one of the most important projects we have in Miguel Torres Chile because it’s part of what Miguel Torres tries to do every year, which is working closely with old growers we have in the south of Chile. In Titans of Wine, we work with one of these growers who has a long history in wine. In this case, this is Jose Miguel Castillo, the one in the cape, who manages the vineyards. This wine is 100% Cinsault from Itata, particularly from a small area close to the sea. The Cinsault is very special, we get herbs, spices, and menthol.
It’s juicy, fresh, and slightly crunchy, and it’s got a delicious nose. Besides wild herbs, you get floral and fruity notes.
Usually, they can make their own wines but have difficulties selling the wine so we have a contract with them, where we pay a fair price plus a commission for every wine that is sold. So he participates in every step of the process, from growing the grapes to selling the bottles of wine.
I love the idea behind the project and I think this is a great way to preserve these old vines. Tell us how old these vines of Cinsault are.
They are very old vines, they were planted in 1955.
Great way to promote the producers who are real titans of vino…
Read more about Miguel Torres in our winery guide online!
Want to know more about the
wine regions of Chile?
ORDER YOUR COPY of The South America Wine Guide now!
E-book AVAILABLE ONLINE too.
Interested in watching more videos?
Aconcagua terroir: From Costa to Andes with Viña Errazuriz winemaker Francisco Baettig
Exploring Miguel Torres’ Escaleras de Empedrado in Maule
The extreme terroir of Calchaquí with Colomé winemaker Thibaut Delmotte
Cellaring wine under water… A tasting of Bodega Oceanica’s Ultramar Albariño in Uruguay
