Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
What an exciting vermentino. Aromas of smoke, coriander and hints of cream and burnt feathers. Quite flavorful, with an almost full body and a fresh, lengthy finish. I love the seriousness and the creamy texture. This beats many of its Italian counterparts. Aged in one foudre and the rest in used oak barrels.
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Vinous
The 2024 Vermentino del Maule hails from Loncomilla in the Maule Valley and was fermented in barrels. Pale green in hue, it opens with soft aromas of white peach and a hint of herbs. Sapid, slightly oily and saline, this delivers concentration and a broad, textured palate. The 13% alcohol supports its weight without detracting from its balance. The 2024 is distinctive and well structured.
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Wine Spectator
Intriguing, with subtle, spicy floral and almond hints to the lively core of preserved lemon and green apple that lingers around a salted melon note.
A fantastic, aromatic white grape that grows with great success in Sardinia, Tuscany and in lesser proportions on the island of Corsica. Somm Secret—Vermentino is thought to be genetically identical to Liguria’s Pigato grape and Peidmont’s Favorita. It comprises a large proportion of the whites in southern France where it is called Rolle.
Maule is the Central Valley’s most southern and coolest zone, reaching a southern latitude of 35°S, yet it is still warmer and drier than Bío-Bío to its south. The Maule Valley enjoys success with a unique set of grapes.
It lays claim to the local variety, Pais (synonymous with Tinta Pais, which is actually Tempranillo), which has dominated much of the region’s area under vine until the recent past. Now many growers, not confined by the tradition and regulations of the Old World, also successfully grow Cabernet Sauvignon.
While Maule’s total area under vine remains relatively static, its old Carignan vineyards are undergoing a great revival. The VIGNO (Vignadores del Carignan Vintners) group, an association in charge of promoting this long-forgotten variety, is getting fantastic results from the old vines in its dry-farmed coastal zones.
The Maule includes the subregions of Talca, San Clemente, San Javier, Parral, Linares and Cauquenes.