Exploring the diversity of Los Chacayes

Amanda Barnes tours us through the new, but highly sought-after, appellation of Los Chacayes in the Uco Valley. This article and video first appeared in The South America Wine Guide.

Since the first pioneer of the wine region, François Lurton and his family, planted here in 1996, Los Chacayes has exploded to become one of the hotspots of the Valle de Uco today with over 1,800 hectares of vineyards. It is also home to hundreds of vignerons, either making small-production wines from less than a hectare of vineyards, or larger scale wineries and projects.

As well as having its own association of producers in the GI, Los Chacayes has also become home to some of the most glamorous vineyard resorts and restaurants in the Uco Valley. François Lurton, in fact, likens it to a younger Napa Valley.

All of this is quite remarkable really, considering that this region was bare desert just over two decades ago. In this interview, I sit down with François as well as his winemaker at Piedra Negra Thibault Lepoutre to talk about the early days and the intricacies of Los Chacayes terroir.

I also meet with one of my favourite new producers in Los Chacayes, Mariana Onofri, who I think really embodies the movement of innovative, independent producers that is so prevalent in the region too.

 

Read a full guide to Los Chacayes in The South America Wine Guide.