Granítico Blanco 2023

ProducerA Los Viñateros Bravos (Leonardo Erazo)RegionItata, ChileGrapeMuscat of Alexandria, SémillonGeologyWeathered graniteFarmingOrganicVintage2023CertifierUncertified

AbstractFloral, honey, beeswax
An old-vine field blend from southern Chile, combining Muscat’s fragrance with Sémillon’s weight, kept fresh by cool Pacific breezes.

Winemaker
Leonardo Erazo studied agronomy and winemaking at the University of Chile, then spent ten years working in vineyards around the world. He returned to Itata to work with its old vines and the small growers who have kept them alive.

A Los Viñateros Bravos means “to the brave winegrowers”: a tribute to those families and their work. The steep vineyards are farmed organically, without irrigation. Much of the work is done by hand or with horses, on ground tractors cannot reach. Leo combines his knowledge of soils and geology with the experience of the local growers.

Wine
Granítico Blanco is an old-vine field blend based on Muscat of Alexandria and Sémillon, with Corinto among the other varieties. The grapes come from bush vines growing on granite, including plantings dating back to the 1940s.

The fruit is picked by hand and basket pressed. Fermentation starts with the grapes’ own yeasts, and the wine ferments and ages in concrete vats. There is no oak flavour to cover the fruit.

Peach, orange blossom and grapefruit, with bright acidity, a little grip and a saline finish. Muscat gives it its floral lift; Sémillon brings breadth. Aromatic and textured, but still fresh.

Origin
Itata is one of Chile’s oldest wine regions, with vineyards dating back to the sixteenth century. Around Guarilihue, old bush vines grow on steep hills shaped by weathered granite. Granítico takes its name from this ground.

Cool winds from the Pacific slow ripening and help the grapes retain their acidity. These vineyards are dry farmed: the vines rely on rainfall rather than irrigation. Old mixed plantings remain an important part of the region’s winegrowing history.