MW Chile trip in pictures

Day 6: Casablanca Valley. Biodynamic Veramonte winery played host to a morning spent discovering ‘Cool Climate Wines’. Pictured above are a trio of South American wine experts, from Argentina’s only MW, Marina Gayan MW (left) to Sweden’s Malbec specialist Madeleine Stenwreth MW and Angelica Valenzuela from Wines of Chile.

More grilled food ensued, with the Wines of Chile team caught behind the roasting veg as lunch began. (left to right) Anita Jackson, Angelica and Claudia Soler.

This is what they do to pumpkins in Chile.

Surprising the MWs was the lunchtime appearance of Spain’s Mauricio González-Gordon y Díez, who is head of the sherry and wine business González Byass, which bought Veramonte in 2016 – marking the group’s first venture outside Spain.

Staying within Casablanca, but moving on from Veramonte, we visited another biodynamic producer, Matetic, where we were shown the different preparations used to treat the vines.

Of course no visit to a biodynamic producer is complete without handling at least one cow horn.

And on this occasion I was also made to dig my own soil pit.

It was then time for another seminar, this time on Sauvignon Blanc, where producers proved there’s little need for PowerPoint.

Matetic also laid on dinner at their restaurant, even though the owner’s daughter was getting married at the same place the following day.

Apparently strawberries from the cool climate of San Antonio are Chile’s best, and were delicious served on ice with a generous sprinkling of rock salt.