País—The Forgotten Chilean Grape

19 Jul 2021

País is a living heritage of Chile. It’s the oldest grape variety grown in the country, believed to have been brought by the Spanish conquistador, Hernán Cortés, in the 16th century. País was the most planted variety in Chile up until the 21st century, when it was overtaken by French varieties Carménère, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Merlot.

Viña Bouchon family-owned estate dates back to 1887, when Emile Bouchon left his home of small winegrowers in Arveyres, France, to board a ship to Chile. Here he went from a winemaker’s assistant to an owner of one of the most prominent vineyards of that age which would later be carried on by his children.

The organic grapes for País Viejo come from wild, uncultivated vines in the Maule Valley, giving you the most authentic expression of this variety while capturing the essence of rustic Chile.

Currently the estate is run by the fourth generation, siblings Julio, Juan and María, who perfectly complement each other, giving Bouchon a new innovative direction by experimenting with different grape varieties and vinification methods