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Vintners

Chono (Chile)

Alvaro Espinoza is one of the premier organic winemakers in Chile today. He is our type of artisan—a hard-working perfectionist who is dedicated to capturing the character of the land in his wines.

Espinoza's organic revelation came during a visit to Fetzer and Bonterra in California, where he worked with Jim Fetzer and Alan York. Given Chile's moderate climate and almost pest-free environment, Espinoza knew organic viticulture would be a perfect fit for Chile. Today Espinoza advises or heads a number of organic wineries (many of which are also North Berkeley parters). In 2007 Espinoza was named “Personality of the Year” for his efforts to promote organic winemaking in Chile by the International Wine Challenge board in London.

The Chono winery was founded by Alvaro's father, also an award-winning enologist. This family bodega with less than 25 acres of vineyards sits in the central Maipo Valley, just outside of the Chilean capital of Santiago.

Chono's home is on the eastern side of the valley called Isla de Maipo. Here the soils are sandy; vineyards sit between 1,800 and 2,000 feet above sea level; and temperatures are warmer than in more coastal areas, although the Andes mountains to the east play a large part in keeping temperatures moderate. Alvaro's father originally planted Carménère and Cabernet Sauvignon here, and recently Alvaro has added Syrah to the family's stable of grapes. Most of his vineyards are either farmed organically, or are currently in transition to organic farming.

The philosophy of Chono is to discover the perfect terroir for the right grape—which means Espinoza travels all over Chile in search of vineyards that match his aspirations. To be sure, there is no better terroir guide in Chile today than Espinoza! The estate's Syrah is sourced from the Elqui Valley, Chile's northernmost wine-growing region and also its highest—some vineyards here grow more than 6,000 feet above sea level. Also, mineral-driven Riesling is grown in the southern Bío Bío Valley, a "frontier" region for winemaking and one that has received high praise for its complex white wines.

QUICK FACTS:

  • Winemaker Alvaro Espinoza is Chile's leading organic winemaker. Chono is his own winery in the Maipo Valley, established by his father, also an award-winning winemaker and enologist.

  • Chono focuses on Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Carménère, Chile's signature grape. The varietal is a pre-phylloxera grape that was once grown widely in Bordeaux, but today thrives exclusively in Chile. New projects include Riesling from the Bío Bío Valley.

  • The Chono “San Lorenzo” is a special blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carménère and Syrah from the Maipo Valley. Espinoza selects only the best barrels of the vintage for this blend, and ages the wine in French oak for approximately 10 months. It is bottled unfiltered.

  • Chono is the name of an ancient native tribe that lived on the islands and fjords of southern Chile. Espinoza describes, “Brave and unique, they exemplified the strong character of their land.”

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    Regions where Chono (Chile) produces

    • Chile: World-class vineyards and varietals perfectly suited to their terroirs.…
    • Elqui Valley: There's something about the Elqui Valley that attracts visionaries.…
    • Maipo Valley: To the casual observer, Chilean wine is synonymous with…
    • Bío Bío Valley: We like winemakers who like a challenge. Which is…

    Wines by Chono (Chile)