A Sit-Down with Chile's Marcelo Retamal
The winemaker is using old vines in Maule to create a new range of single-vineyard bottlings
Posted: Jun 14, 2010 9:52am ET
Marcelo Retamal has quietly become one of Chile’s best winemakers. As winemaker at Chile’s De Martino, he’s been on a real terroir kick, developing wines based on varieties that perform best in certain areas—the winery’s $15 Legado line features a Choapa Valley Syrah and a Limarí Valley Chardonnay that offer a rare combination of value and legitimate complexity. Now, Retamal is turning his attention to some of Chile’s old, overlooked vineyards for his next project. Retamal plans to release a lineup of single-vineyard wines based on old-vine vineyards mainly in the southern Maule Valley, where there are 500 hectares of old-vine, head-pruned Carignane vines. It’s a vinous treasure that has long been bypassed by Chilean wineries as the grapes from these vines often wound up in indiscriminate blends.
To continue reading this page, become a WineSpectator.com member today!
Do you have a Wine Spectator magazine subscription? Save 50% on your Online Membership right now!
Log In If You're Already a WineSpectator.com Member
