This week there’ll be a flurry of small, independent Chilean producers at London Wine Fair showing a niche collection of boutique, old vine and family wines.
Supported by ProChile, which often champions and funds small, entrepreneurial producers, there are six wineries making their way to the UK’s capital for the three-day wine show — all of which are worth popping in for a taste:
Vinos Copa
I met winemaker Sebastian Paganelli a few months ago in Itata where I tasted his excellent line up of old vine Itata wines in the atelier of Francois Massoc. With fellow winemaker and partner in the project Rodrigo Concho, Sebastian makes old vine wines of elegance and finesse. The Cinsault and Semillon are particularly delicious to explore.
Gustavo Martinez
Gustavo is a young winemaker who has been making notable natural wines from old vines in Itata, which include Pet Nat bubble, old vine País and old vine Chasselas. He’s been making wines in the area of Portezuelo for several years and launched his own eponymous label in 2012.
http://www.vinosgustavomartinez.com/
L’Entremetteuse
I first came across the tongue-in-cheek Four Skin wines of L’Entremetteuse while visiting Colchagua a couple of years ago, and loved this grippy orange wine. Today L’Entremetteuse makes a host of micro fermentations, all from Colchagua and ranging from red to Pet Nat.
Viña Männle
Männle has a bit of a cult following in Chile, sought after for showing Itata’s fuller-bodied side. This family winery in Itata offers a very different interpretation to this valley with bold yet juicy red being their forte.
Zaranda
Zaranda holds a dear place in anyone’s heart who knows and loves Itata. Viña Zaranda was the fine wine pioneer of the region back in 2011 when chef and sommelier Juan Ignacio Acuña resettled in Guarilihue with his family and started making fine wines (rather than the table wines common at the time), helping put the region back on the map.
Tierra del Fuego
This is a new line of wines from the Cremaschi Furlotti family which I’m looking forward to tasting. Maule is always capable of surprising you, and with a history of over a century there I’m looking forward to seeing what the new generation of the family have up their sleeve!
Supported by ProChile, the winemakers will all be flying into London from Chile in order to present their wines at London Wine Fair in London Olympia from 7 – 9 June.
To book a meeting email Andrea Paniaggua [email protected]
