The Old Valley 2023

“ El Viejo del Valle ” or “The Old Man of the Valley” pays homage to Chilean street graffiti from the 1950s. This mountain range is an exciting discovery from deep within Chile. This Pinot Noir comes from a small hacienda in the Andes where the 40-60 year old vines benefit from stony soils, glacial streams and clean mountain air. The grapes are harvested during the coolest part of the day to ensure they arrive at the winery in perfect condition. Temperatures are kept quite low throughout the winemaking process, allowing the grapes to express their natural fruity characters. A Pinot with notes of red currant , raspberry, wild strawberry, fresh cherry, licorice and spice. The palate is juicy and indulgent, with fine, supple tannins, providing texture without heaviness.

It was Hernán Cortés who ordered, upon the conquest of Mexico, the cultivation of vines in 1524. It gradually extended from Mexico southwards to reach Chile in 1555. During the first 3 centuries of colonization, there was no Cultivated in Chile as país, a black grape variety without character and very productive. It was not until the middle of the 19th century that noble varieties were introduced: mainly cabernet sauvignon, merlot, syrah, sauvignon blanc and chardonnay. Twenty years later, winemaking was modernized under the leadership of wealthy owners and French experts who were forced into unemployment by phylloxera in Europe. Chile stretches 4,300 kilometers from north to south. It is wedged between the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Andes Mountains to the east, the Atacama Desert to the north, the Patagonian plains and glaciers to the south. These natural barriers prevented phylloxera from entering the country. Although the country is only 160 kilometers wide, it has ideal conditions for growing warm, intermediate and cool grape varieties, so much so that it is often described as a paradise for growing grapes. With nearly 300 properties producing bottled wines, Chile fluctuates between 6th and 8th place in the world.