Tinto de Rulo, Chile

Tiny plots of Pais and Malbec, ranging from 70 to 200 years in age, are spread across Itata and Bio Bio. They have a little plot of Carignan from just over the hills in Maule as well. Fruit from these pristine organic vineyards is fermented in clay amphorae and very old native rauli pipes with only minimal sulphur added at bottling – these wines are a proper introduction to this wilder side of Chile.

Viticulture

All the fruit comes from very old vines and the wines made in such a way they show the essence of the vineyards. According to the Drinks Business, a rescue project is under way to revive Chile’s Malbec heritage after the discovery of 140 year old Malbec vins in Bio-Bio, which aims to establish the San Rosendo region in Bio Bio as the centre of old-vine Malbec production in Chile and South America.

Winemaking

All work in the vineyard is carried out by hand, and traditional wooden crates used to collect the grapes. Open top fermentation is carried out in the raulí (native beech) lagars.