Sommelier Masterclass: The old vines of South America

South America is home to some of the oldest productive vines in the wine world and has a wealth of vineyards over 100 years old. In this Sommelier Masterclass on the Old Vines of South America presented at the Somm Con Virtual Summit 2021, Amanda Barnes interviews a panel of expert winemakers and agronomists on the value of old vines in Latin America and specifically focuses on Torrontés, País, Semillon, Carignan and Malbec.

In this hour-long masterclass, the panel guide us through some of the key varieties and old vine terroirs of Chile and Argentina:

• Overview of South American wine and old vines in Bolivia, Peru and beyond with Amanda Barnes
• Old vines and Torrontés in Cafayate with Francisco Tellechea of El Esteco
• País – the first vine of South America and its role in Maule, Itata and Bio Bio with Julio Bouchon of Bouchon Family Wines
• Field blends and old vines of Semillon, Cinsault and other varieties with Emily Faulconer of Viña Carmen
• Old vine Malbec and other old vine Bordeaux Varieties in Mendoza with Andrés Vignoni of Viña Cobos
• Carignan and VIGNO – an appellation for old vines with President of Vigno, Julio Bouchon
• Q & A and the challenges of protecting old vines in South America with the panel

Sommelier masterclass speakers

Julio Bouchon, owner at Bouchon Family Wines & President at VIGNO

Fourth-generation vigneron in Maule, Julio Bouchon, of Bouchon Family Wines, has been leading the País renaissance in Chile and is President of VIGNO, an old vine Carignan association in Chile’s Secano Interior.

With his exciting portfolio of wines at Bouchon Family Wines as well as his personal project with South African winemaker David Niewoudt, Longavi Wines, Julio has been instrumental in putting País – the first planted in the Americas in the 1500s – back on the map for quality wine, as well as championing old vine Semillon, Chenin Blanc and Cinsault. Today he is also leading Chile’s old vine Carignan association, VIGNO, which has 16 member wineries and is the closest to an Old World appellation or DOC in Chile.

Emily Faulconer, Winemaker at Viña Carmen

One of the leading and most innovative winemakers of her generation, Emily Faulconer is the Chief Winemaker of Viña Carmen.

Born in Temuco, in southern Chile, Emily studied winemaking in Santiago and has extensive experience across Chile having worked as the winemaker for Viña Arboleda in Aconcagua, Viñedos de Alcohuaz in Elqui and Maquis in Colchagua. Today she specialises in driving forward Viña Carmen’s extensive portfolio with a special emphasis on old vine field blends in southern Chile as well as premium Cabernet Sauvignon from the Maipo valley.

Andrés Vignoni, Viña Cobos

A sixth-generation wine grower in Mendoza, Andrés Vignoni is today one of the leading winemakers of the new generation and a specialist in working with old vine Malbec as winemaker of Viña Cobos.

Having grown up among the vines in Mendoza, after graduating from university as a winemaker Andrés worked vintages abroad in New Zealand and Italy before coming back to Mendoza where he has forged his way as one of the most promising winemakers of his generation. Working with Paul Hobbs, Andrés is winemaker for Hobbs’ winery in Cahors, France, and also in Galicia, Spain, as well as leading production at Viña Cobos in Mendoza where the single-vineyard portfolio focuses on old vine Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay from special plots around Luján de Cuyo and the Uco Valley.

Francisco Tellechea, El Esteco

Born in Salta, Francisco is the Vineyard Manager of El Esteco winery which has some really old vines in Cafayate in the Calchaquí Valley.

Having worked in Salta, Catamarca, Mendoza and Peru, he has a wide range of viticultural experience and is passionate about preserving the old vines of northern Argentina to make top quality wines under the El Esteco Old Vines label.

Amanda Barnes, South America Wine Guide

Amanda Barnes is one of the foremost experts on South American wine having been based in the region since 2009. An award-winning journalist and Master of Wine student, she is author of the South America Wine Guide set to be published in Spring 2021.

A key contributor for Decanter and SevenFifty, she also writes about South America for Hugh Johnson’s Pocket Guide and The World Atlas of Wine, and is Editor of the Circle of Wine Writers’ magazine, The Circular.

Main photo by Matt Wilson

Find out more about the old vines of South America:

• Video interview with Andrés Vignoni on old vine Malbec
• Old vines in Maule with Christian Sepulvida, Bouchon Family Wines
• Old vines in Itata with Leo Erazo, A los Viñateros Bravos

View our old vine register for South America