In Chile, it might be not easy to know where to begin while travelling. Organising a trip that includes all of the top attractions in a particular region or location, like the central valleys, can be challenging because there are so many different activities to do and places to see. Chile is home to some of the world’s greatest wine regions.
With cool and warm climates across hilly, lush mountains and valleys, the lands of Chile offer some of the most fertile fields in South America for growing wine. Winemaking is a historic pursuit in the country, and some Chilean wineries date back to the 16th century, but did you know that Chile is also one of the world’s most innovative and environmentally-conscious winemakers?
The country is not only home to some of the oldest wineries in South America but is also leading the way in sustainable, organic wines – a creation that is equally as delicious but far less destructive.
Here are the top organic wineries in Chile you must visit:
Emiliana Vine
The Guillsasti family founded Emiliana Vineyards in 1986 with the goal of producing environmentally friendly wine from organic grapes. The company is so committed to producing organic wine, in fact, that they are the first in South America to produce a biodynamic wine. Approximately 1,470 acres of the 2,812 acres of the vineyard are entirely organic and biodynamic, with the remaining portion undergoing transition and presently holding an ISO 14.001 certification. Alvaro Espinoza, one of the world’s foremost experts in organic and environmentally-balanced winemaking, supervises every step of their celebrated winemaking process.
Lapostolle
After years of effort to become an organic vineyard, all three of Lapostolle’s farms were granted full organic accreditation in 2011. As a result, every grape that is grown and used to produce wine at Lapostolle is 100% organic, meaning that no artificial fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides, regulators, or genetically modified organisms are ever used. Lapostolle has created Cuvee Alexandre Syrah Los Kuras 2009, its first organic wine, which uses recycling, composting, and bees to help grow its vineyards.
Miraflores Del Maipo Viña
Viña Miraflores Del Maipo crafts each wine by hand with an innate regard for the natural surroundings of breathtaking Chile. Situated in Chile’s oldest wine-producing region, the Maipo River Valley, Viña Miraflores Del Maipo boasts an organic winemaking expertise and produces two distinctive wines: Sol y Viento and Gil Ferrer. In an effort to safeguard and conserve the environment, every wine is made with the utmost care and respect for Chile’s natural culture. The company also places a strong emphasis on ethics and provides job security for all of its employees.
Cono Sur
Cono Sur, one of Chile’s top producers of organic wine, is situated in the Valparaiso region and is well-known throughout the world for its wine. The company has optimised vineyard management to lower their carbon footprint and produce eco-friendly wines since they take sustainability very seriously. The workers utilise natural alternatives to keep pests and disease out of the grapes and pedal bicycles to traverse the vineyard. Cono Sur was the first winery in the world to achieve CarbonNeutral delivery status and the first in South America to acquire a double ISO accreditation for quality assurance and environmental policy. Taste the organic Cabernet Sauv/Carmenere, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc.
Chile Vina Nativa
The renowned organic winery Nativa was founded in 1995 as a branch of Vina Carmen, one of Chile’s most well-known and storied wineries. The first organic Chilean wine to be exported was the 1999 Nativa wines, which made history. Prior to 2008, when they obtained their first organic grape harvest, the company had a tight working relationship with organic grape growers. Since then, they have been cultivating their own organic grapes.
