South American Grapes
Hello Unrootables! Joel here 🤠. I recently traveled around Chile to explore the regions that produce the country’s best wines. I spent time in areas like Colchagua and Elqui, each offering radically different expressions of Chilean terroir.
In Colchagua, I expected polished Cabernet and Carmenère but was astonished by the deep sense of tradition and innovation at wineries like Casa Silva, where rodeo arenas and sparkling wines named after family members live alongside award-winning vineyards on granite hillsides.
Then in Elqui, everything flipped—at Viñedos de Alcohuaz, high in the Andes at over 2,200 meters, I tasted Syrah grown in granite and vinified in stone with no oak & no fluff - just explosive blueberry and mineral flavors. I then travelled west to Leyda and saw how its proximity to the Pacific creates acid-driven whites and elegant reds that are redefining Chile’s coastal identity.
Most people have a perception that Chile is just big, cheap reds, but what I learned is that it's a country of extremes: coastlines that shape crisp whites, mountain ranges that push grapes to their limits, and winemakers who are blending tradition with experimentation. I hope you enjoy this month's selections!
Cheers!
Joel Kampfe - Founder & Sommelier
Chilean Winemaking
Chile was once known for bulk wine - cheap Carmenere grown in warm, yield-friendly climates. But today, the country's most compelling wines are emerging not from the commercialized Central Valley, but from its southern and coastal zones, where old vines and Pacific Ocean influence shape wines that have recently grabbed the wine world's attention. From North to South, Chile is making a splash with their indigenous varietals and classic Bordeaux blends.
Bío Bío - One of the country’s southernmost wine regions. Here, pre-phylloxera País vines—some over a century old—are dry-farmed on granite soils, producing reds of pale color, bright acidity, and rustic grip. Corinto (Chile’s name for the Chasselas grape), Muscat, and Semillón are being co-fermented or bottled as field blends, yielding whites with salinity, phenolic texture, and aromatic lift.
Maule Valley - Winemakers like those behind No Es Pituko are leaning into skin-fermented whites and full-bodied reds, often without sulfites. These local winemakers are letting the region’s volcanic and alluvial soils do the talking.
Argentina Winemaking
High-elevation viticulture defines the modern identity of Argentine wine, especially in Mendoza, where vineyards reach 900–1,500 meters above sea level. These extreme altitudes create temperature shifts of up to 20°C, preserving acidity even in fully ripened grapes, while the arid climate and irrigation from Andean snowmelt contribute to low disease - an ideal setup for organic and low-intervention farming.
While Malbec remains dominant, lesser-known grapes like Bonarda (a.k.a. Douce Noir) are finally being vinified with intent, not as bulk blends but as structured, floral reds with natural acidity and finesse. Chardonnay and Viognier, particularly when planted in the limestone-rich soils of Uco Valley, yield whites with surprising texture and mineral tension—especially when fermented with native yeast and minimal sulfur.
What defines natural wine in Argentina isn’t rebellion—it’s precision under pressure: farming and fermenting on the edge of altitude, heat, and drought, where purity comes not from climate moderation, but from embracing the extremes.
