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The terroir-driven wines of Clos de Fous may be named ‘Clos of Fools’ but this is actually a very smart set up focusing on making distinctive wines on some of Chile’s most interesting vineyard soils. The Clos des Fous winery is in Maule but the wines are made from grapes sourced in several different terroirs including Malleco, Itata, Bio Bio, Aconcagua Costa and Cachapoal. Soil specialist Pedro Parra and Burgundy-trained winemaker François Massoc are behind the location hunting for Clos des Fous, along with other founders Albert Cussen and Paco Leyton, and winemaker Felipe Cartes.

About Clos des Fous winery

Clos des Fous started in 2009 by partners Francois Massoc, Pedro Parra, Albert Cussen and Paco Leyton. The four of them wanted to show the world the great diversity of soils and climate that exists in Chile and try to change the idea that Chilean wine was industrial and standardized.

They decided to go against what was customary (i.e. making wine in warm and sunny regions) and looked for cooler and rainy places in the south of Chile, on the Andes Mountains, and at higher altitudes. Today they practice dry-farming and make wine from some of the oldest vines in Chile as well as pioneering new regions.

They got the name “Fous” because they were called “crazy” and were told that grapes would not ripen on such extreme terroir.

Clos des Fous is part of the Chileno Sur association in southern Chile.