Itata is one of Chile’s most unique wine regions with some of the highest concentrations of old vines in the Americas. With bucolic green hills dappled with old vines and colourful farmhouses sitting at the top of each pasture, Itata is a stalwart of artisanal winemaking in Chile.
Guide to Itata in Southern Chile
If you drive around Itata, you’ll pass people travelling by horse and cart, families who make their living by selling their garden vegetables by the side of the road, and craftswomen who make ceramics just as their forbears did. Part of Itata’s charm is this simple way of life, and these small, idiosyncratic vineyards and wine families are a complete contrast to the manicured vineyard rows, industrialised estates and ginormous wineries further north.
The combination of old vines, milder temperatures and this authentic way and pace of life has attracted many of Chile’s top winemakers to venture into Itata to make a host of interesting wines. With a patchwork of coastal hills and river valleys, and a mix of very old and very new vineyards, there is quite a lot of diversity to Itata as a wine region.
Old vines in Itata Valley
Old País and Moscatel de Alejandría vines together account for 70% of Itata’s vineyard area (each with around 3,500 hectares), and are often made into natural or low-intervention wines. There are also excellent wines being made from old vine Semillon, Cinsault and some field blends. Naturally low vigour means these old vines are offering some of the most distinctive, and concentrated, wine styles of Itata.
There are, however, also a handful of new vineyards planted in Itata: including notable wines made from Chardonnay and Riesling.
Quick Guide to Itata Valley
Hectares planted in Itata
10,172 hectares of vineyards
Soils in Itata
Granitic soils in the coastal mountain range, which extends from the coastline about 20 km inland; and mainly alluvial river terraces further inland, with a high proportion of pebbles and sand, and mixed soils with volcanic sand and granite
Most-planted grape varieties in Itata
Moscatel de Alejandría, País, Cinsault, Cabernet Sauvignon, Corinto
Vineyard management
The oldest vines are typically ungrafted and bush-trained, and account for over two-thirds of plantings. However those vines planted since the 1970s are VSP-trained. Itata is typically a dry-farmed region with no additional irrigation, but the drier conditions caused by climate change are leading to some producers implementing drip irrigation
Terroir Selection: Wines to try from Itata
DE MARTINO, Viejas Tinajas Muscat
Guarilihue / $$ / Drinking window <15 years
One of the stars of Itata, this orange wine is made from old-vine Muscat left on its skins in traditional clay tinajas for six months. Abounding with orange blossom, bergamot, green apple and a mille feuille of other aromas, this hay-coloured wine is thrillingly dry and grippy with a creamy finish. Their Viejas Tinajas Cinsault is also an Itata icon.
A LOS VIÑATEROS BRAVOS, Las Curvas
Tinajacura Alto / $$ / Drinking window <15 years
Inspired by the time he spent in South Africa’s Swartland, Leo Erazo has been on a mission to show the stellar quality of Itata’s old bush vines and this Cinsault reveals the finesse that Itata wines can have. Elegant, floral and mineral, with fine-grained tannins and a fresh, lasting finish. One of my favourite Chilean Cinsaults.
CARMEN, DO Loma Seca
Itata / $$ / Drinking window <15 years
Carmen’s DO series is one of the most exciting terroir series out there, and this Itata Cinsault is one of the best in the line-up. Beautifully aromatic with blue flowers, red cherry and wild herbal notes. A juicy, feminine style of Cinsault with tension, length and a little bit of Chilean flamboyance. Simply gorgeous.
MIGUEL TORRES, La Causa de Itata Rosé
Itata / $ / Drinking window <5 years
There is a lot of old-vine Cinsault in Itata and this light, mouth-watering rosé is a really fabulous way to use it: notes of white cherries, blossom and flint. This stylish pink is Chile’s answer to Provence!
LONGAVÍ, Glup! Cinsault
Itata / $ / Drinking window <8 years
A gorgeously gluggable light red from Julio Bouchon’s personal project in which he sources old-vine Cinsault in Itata. Juicy, crunchy, floral and fresh — this is the ideal wine to drink chilled on a warm summer’s evening with friends.
ROBERTO HENRÍQUEZ, Molino del Ciego
Itata / $$ / Drinking window <10 years
Natural winemaker Roberto Henríquez puts Semillon on the label, but there’s Corinto and many other old vines in this field blend with its complex nose of wild herbs and white fruit, and its textural finish. An intriguing wine showing the wilder side of Itata’s whites.
PANDOLFI PRICE, Los Patricios Chardonnay
Bulnes / $$ / Drinking window <15 years
This is a modern take on Itata’s white wines. The grapes come from new(ish) vines and are vinified with a Burgundian philosophy. The result is sublime: a full- bodied yet linear wine with notes of butter, stone fruit and almonds. One of my ‘go to’ Chilean Chardonnays.
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Map of Itata Valley wine regions
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