Primo Cinsault

Primo de Los Vascos is about going into our roots and exploring the land we inhabit to discover new Chilean terroirs and grapes. This inspires us to find new expressions of wines and spark collaboration with local growers who feel like family.

Itata, nestled in the southern region of Chile, stands as the country's oldest wine region. Our vineyard is situated in the coastal enclave of Coelemu, known for producing nearly half of Chile's Cinsault grapes. Located just 30 km from the Pacific Ocean and near the Itata River, it benefits from the influence of morning fog and "La travesia," a cool afternoon wind that enhances vine health. During summer, significant cloud cover provides filtered light, enabling slow grape ripening and preserving delicate fruit aromas. The grapes come from a plot called Manzano de San Antonio, home to 3000 bush-trained vines. Planted two decades ago from a massal selection of 80-year-old vines, the vines flourish in deep red clay and granite soils adorned with mica sparkles. Situated on the steep slopes of Guarilihue Alto at 300 meters above sea level, all vineyard tasks are carried out either by hand or with the assistance of horses. The vintage was characterized by moderate rainfall and a very cold spring. The summer began cool but then temperatures became stable allowing grapes to obtain an ideal ripeness resulting in great balance and quality. The entire block was hand-harvested on March 25th.

The grapes are harvested by hand and destemmed before being placed in small stainless steel tanks for fermentation, followed by about 20 days of maceration. The goal is to get a gentle extraction of the tannins and obtain a balanced wine with good volume and the characteristic aromatic expression of the variety. After maceration, the wine is aged for 12 months in concrete vats.

Intense ruby colour with violet hues. Fruity notes such as raspberry, strawberry and watermelon dominate, complemented by blackberry yogurt and very subtle herbal notes of laurel, green tea and hibiscus. On the palate, it presents a vibrant and refreshing character with well-balanced acidity and a smooth texture. The tannins are delicate, giving it a pleasant grip.