We first met Polkura Proprietor/Winemaker Sven Bruchfeld on a trip to Chile not long before the global pandemic shut down the world in terms of travel. We recently sat down with him again (virtually) and covered everything from Harvest 2021, to dry farming (combined with creative irrigation techniques), the purpose behind MOVI (the Movement of Independent Vintners) and what he’s working on next. Click on the video below for the full interview:
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Montes Winery in Chile.
Winemaking in Chile dates back to the 16th century where at that time production was largely by way of unsophisticated techniques that resulted in simple wines meant to be enjoyed young, with little thought to cellaring. As a result, the country became well known for decent value wines, but it was a rarity to see a Chilean bottle within a fine wine collection. That started to change in the 19th century when wealthy businessmen travelling to Europe started bringing Bordeaux varieties back to Chile to plant on their properties. They also brought with them French winemaking techniques that has since transformed Chile’s wine reputation from quaffable to world-class.
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Chile’s climate provides ideal conditions for Carménère.
There are certain wine regions in the world that are known for a particular grape variety. For example, the Napa Valley is synonymous with Cabernet Sauvignon, Burgundy for Pinot Noir and Argentina for Malbec. Then there are the regions that have so many different unique micro-climates they can produce a much greater variety of high-quality wines. Sonoma is one that comes to mind with its 17 different AVAs and 259 different soil types. On a recent trip to Chile, we discovered that although it’s a place often associated with Carménère, it’s finally gaining notoriety for its quality with respect to a diverse range of varieties. For the last 3 decades, Viña Montes has been at the forefront of this transformation helping to reposition the country’s reputation worldwide both with quality and diversity.
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The stunning view at Altair.
Altair is a special winery project within the much larger Vina San Pedro, Chile’s second largest winery. The project was formed in 2000 as a joint venture between Vina San Pedro and France’s Laurent Dassault. The idea was to combine some of Chile’s top terroir with top winemaking techniques coming out of Bordeaux to make world class wines from Cabernet Sauvignon dominated blends.
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Casa Real Hotel
Chile’s Maipo Valley is home to some of the most recognized wineries in the country. Arguably one of the most famous is Viña Santa Rita which is not only one of the oldest and largest wineries in Chile, it is home to one of the most spectacular hotels we have ever had the pleasure of staying at.
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