First and foremost, the wines from Rogue Vine are meant to express the true character of the Itata Valley. Itata was the center of viticulture in Chile in the early colonial period. As winemaking modernized... Read More

First and foremost, the wines from Rogue Vine are meant to express the true character of the Itata Valley. Itata was the center of viticulture in Chile in the early colonial period. As winemaking modernized and commercialized in the 20th century, the region was largely abandoned due to the difficult hilly landscape. Today the area is home to tiny plots of old vines that are randomly dispersed and often far from each other: an industrial winery’s nightmare.

But for those who like “real” wine, this setup is a dream! Microclimates abound in the mountainous terrain and the 60- to 300+-year-old bush vines (yep, that’s not a typo) seem to be almost falling down the steep gravel hillsides. Leonardo Erazo Lynch and his partner Justin Decker knew the potential when they first saw these unkempt plots.

Their winemaking is simple, as it should be: native yeast, neutral old oak, no “correcting” techniques and minimal sulfur at bottling. What you get in the bottle is the straight liquid essence of this incredible region, exalted vales of minerality gently dusted with rolling glades of wild herbs and brambly thickets of flowers. A vinous trek worth taking!