“The South is a new world and I think winemakers will move further south to produce fresher wines, which everyone should do.
“Southern Chile receives 1,200 mm of rain every year, so it does not suffer from the drought situations of the central areas, and we must not forget that the freshness is not as fresh as before,” Navarrete told db.
“We are entering into a more erratic truth and it will be more difficult to show the terroir and respect the fragrant profile of the wines of the north and center of the country.
“You have to be closer and more hooked to the winery every year. Last year one of the driest in Chile and many wineries are being started by drought.
“I would love to experiment more with Riesling in the south. Chile has smart situations for this. We currently sell 70% red wine and 30% white wine in Chile, but we have a maritime-influenced coastline that can produce charming whites,” he added.
Navarrete said the 2020 harvest was one of the most difficult he has experienced in his 19 years as an winemaker.
“Covid arrived in mid-March, so thank God the harvest was anticipated. Almost all our grapes were in the winery when the virus arrived; there was only a little pinot and syrah left in the vines, so we were very lucky,” he said. While its Pinot Noir” looks promising,” Chardonnay has been the ultimate strain affected by the crisis.
For Chilean wine to consolidate around the world, Navarrete supports the concept of stricter regulations on viticulture and winemaking.
“I think the whole country is moving towards more regulations. I hope we can have stricter regulations in the San Antonio Valley in terms of yield, types and style, because that’s the only way to ensure the quality of all producers’ grapes. “She said.
“Most valley manufacturers need more regulation because it will affect the price of the area, which will help others to have more confidence in the wines and allow us to increase our prices. I don’t think consumers perceive the effort of our wines,” she added.
Members of the Vias del Valle de San Antonio Group have lately run a soil map listing the other of the soils discovered in the seven subnames of the region, and how they influence the taste of pinot noir that is made there.
“We still have pictures to do about regionality and highlighting the divisions between the mountains and the coast. We also want more separation between the Maipo Valley subregions. The more main points you pass, it’s for consumers to perceive the wines,” Navarrete said.