2021 Alice L'Estrange Wild Sergio
WINEMAKER: Alice L'Estrange
REGION: Itata, CL
VARIETAL: País
VITICULTURE: Organic
País from Chorrillos, Itata. South and SE facing no-till slopes. Fully destemmed using the zaranda, leaving a lot of whole berries, pressed at dry after 3-4 weeks, sous voile for 10 months before being bottled with no adds. Art by Natalie Valenzuela.
"I've been living and making wine in Guarilihue, Itata since 2019. I have finally found three growers who I can confidently collaborate with and who are invested in chemical free farming. Sergio Parra in Chorrillos grows País and Moscatel de Alejandría. 4 years chemical free, no-till trials with the País. He's a traditional grower, and an evangelical who doesn't drink. The vines are on quartz heavy granite, the slopes are S, SE and SW facing, so soils have varying levels of redder clay but all are less decomposed and mostly whiter and sandier. Proximity to the ocean also makes this a cooler site. It's in a very privileged and isolated spot with lots of fresh breeze, very little disease pressure. The no-till País is on the sth facing slope, which is very rare to find, País being so late to ripen. The old vines produce very little and live all year long with high grass. Soledad Camaaño grows coastal whites (Moscatel, Chasselas, Torontel, Moscatel Rosado, amongst other unidentified old grapes), the site has been chemical free and no-till for decades. 12km from the sea, completely granitic sand, varying levels of decomposition depending on the direction and grading of the slope. It has the most balanced temperatures and a significant coastal mist that settles early in the day and lifts late in the morning. There's always a very surprising aromatic intensity to these grapes. We don't mind a later pick to get that intensity because the acid is always there. Soledad is a sort of grape whisperer, she spends time talking to the vines, and she's more and more a part of the winemaking process as well." - Alice L'Estrange