Vinos Baettig: exciting Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from the green south of Chile
Website: https://vinosbaettig.cl/#home
Francisco Baettig was in London to show the wines he’s been making under his own label, Baettig. I’d already tasted them with Eric Solomon, his US importer, and also with him in Chile at the home of his business partner, Carlos de Carlos, and so it was nice to have another look at these wines, which are really impressive.
Francisco is well known from this 20 years at Errazuriz, and also heading up Eduardo Chadwick’s ‘icon’ wines. But he had a desire to do his own thing. Back in 2010 he had dinner with Errazuriz commercial director Carlos de Carlos. ‘I said, I’d like to have my own wines, and I’d like you to be my partner: I’m not a commercial person,’ says Francisco. ‘So he said, let’s try.’
They decided to plant their own vineyards. In 2012 he found a place, in Traiguén in the far south of Chile. ‘We had to wait for some time for the results,’ says Francisco. They made the first experimental vintage in 2016. They also kept 2017 back. In 2020 they launched the first Baettig wines in July, in the middle of the pandemic, with the 2018 and 2019 vintages.
‘My grandparents arrived in the beginning of the 19th century in Traiguén from Switzerland,’ says Francisco. ‘It’s far south from Santiago. It’s something a bit different: a beautiful area with lakes, volcanoes and lots of rain.’ This is 650 km south of Santiago on the 38th parallel, with 25% less sun than the centre of Chile. It’s great for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Also, with more than 1000 mm of rain, they can dry farm here.
‘We saw the long-term,’ says Carlos. ‘There is no water in the central part of Chile: how can you build up a sustainable project without water?’
‘We like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir,’ says Francisco, ‘so we started to work out where to plant it,’ says Francisco. Some of the soils are rich and fertile with lots of clay, but these aren’t so good for vines. He was looking for red clay soils with less fertility. Francoise Vannier-Petit, who he’d used to help established Las Pizarros, helped on the soil side. After two years they found a place near Traiguén that was a plateau between two rivers with less fertile soils. The red clays are very ancient and are not too fertile. They planted 15.6 hectares in 2013, 9 of Pinot Noir and 6.6 of Chardonnay. Some are on rootstock, and some are on their own roots. Getting the right vine material was really hard. They managed to get clean material including some new French clones – traditionally the plant material for Pinot and Chardonnay in Chile was poor quality massal selection.
These are old volcanic soils, with clay made from decomposed lava, with some volcanic rocks still present. There are lots of stones as you go further down. The weathering of pyroclastic material has made these soils.
Traiguén is a subappellation of Malleco. Frost is a big challenge here, and they were hit in 2024 by a frost that hit on November 12th, very late – they lost 70% of the crop. Normally, though, they are more spared than other producers in the region because they are on a slightly elevated plateau at 300 m between two rivers.
Farming isn’t organic, but they don’t use herbicides which Francisco regards to be as the most contaminating chemicals. There is some variation across the site, so picking is block by block, and takes up to a month to harvest everything.
The range is split. Vino de Viñedo is the village level, made up of things that don’t go into the selections. Then there is Selección de Parcelas, which is a step up from single plots.
In general, in Chile the style of Pinots in the past was riper and more tropical with higher alcohol, but we are moving away from this to fresher wines with more balance and verticality,’ says Francisco. ‘In Chardonnay, we are a step ahead in terms of the evolution of style and quality. Pinot is more challenging as a variety and we are a step behind.’
At reception 30 ppm of sulfites are added. Chardonnay is whole bunch pressed, cold settled, then fermented in almost all used French oak, with wild yeast, mostly 400 litre barrels. He avoids racking the wines, just topping the barrels. When the free hits 15 ppm, he will add more to hit 30 ppm and then just leave it. He avoids frequent adding sulfites which increases the total, and this can add a metallic character. There’s a final correction at bottling to 28-30 ppm, when the total sulfites will be 60-80, which is low for whites. In Pinot after malolactic he adds small doses of 15-20 ppm and then a few weeks later he adds this again. Before bottling he does a final correction, and the total will be around 80 ppm.
The Pinot has a bit of whole cluster – 10-15% in Parientes and up to 20% in Primos. This gives a bit of structure, but he wants to avoid stemmy character. It’s pressed to barrel, with some new oak in Primos (300 and 400 litre).
The Cabernet comes from Cauquenes. Baettig worked with some old Cabernet from Maule from his time at Errazuriz. He liked the idea of this because it’s cheaper than Maipo. This is a very traditional area with lots of old vineyards, including lots of Pais. There are some old vineyards that were grafted onto old Pais many years ago. So they moved to Cauquenes in an area called Coronel de Maule in the foothills of the coastal range. He found 15 ha of Pais, with 2 ha of Cabernet grafted on. This would sell for very little, say $150 per ton, so Francisco offerd $1000 per ton for it, and now has 7 ha with 1 ha of Pais and the rest now grafted to Cabernet. He’s also another producer with Cabernet planted in 1971, as bushvine, dry farmed.
THE WINES
These are combined notes from the two tasting sessions, with those from earlier marked with the date in month/year format (08/22).
Vino de Viñedo Los Parientes Chardonnay 2020 Traiguén, Chile
This is fresh and direct with good acidity supporting fresh, incisive pineapple and lemon fruit. There’s a lovely brightness with some sour cherry notes on the finish and a twist of bitterness adding bite. Notes of honey and fine spiciness, too. Good acidity and concentration. Vivid. 92/100
Vino de Viñedo Los Parientes Chardonnay 2021 Traiguén, Chile
Lovely aromatics here with fine toasty detail and a note of baked bread as well as ripe yellow fruits and a twist of lime. The palate has nice energy with good acidity and lemony detail, as well as subtle peachy, bready richness. There’s some pineapple in the mix, too, and a bitter edge to the finish that counters the ripe fruit. 93/100
Vino de Viñedo Los Parientes Chardonnay 2021 Traiguén, Chile
Taut, focused and mineral with good acidity and crystalline citrus fruit. Very precise with hints of pear and white peach. Refined with a sense of precision. 93/100 (08/22)
Vino de Viñedo Los Parientes Chardonnay 2022 Traiguén, Chile
Fresh, vivid, primary nose of citrus and pineapple, with lovely brightness. The palate is lively and energetic with fresh citrus fruit, showing keen acidity and a mineral twist at the end, with a hint of sour cherry and pineapple. 93/100
Selección de Parcelas Los Primos Chardonnay 2016 Traiguén, Chile
Complex but still fresh with some toast and honey, as well as ripe lemon and melon fruit with some orange peel character and a touch of hazelnut. Lovely depth and intensity here with nice bright acidity on the finish. This is evolving in nice ways. 94/100
Selección de Parcelas Los Primos Chardonnay 2020 Traiguén, Chile
Toasty, mineral and intense on the nose with pear, spice and peach. Juicy and fine, showing good concentration with some richness. Very fine and detailed with lovely complexity and focus. 95/100 (08/22)
Selección de Parcelas Los Primos Chardonnay 2021 Traiguén, Chile
Bright, energetic but complex with pear, peach and lime, as well as some nut and toast complexity. There are layers of flavour here with nice acidity under the fruit, with some fresh grapefruit and citrus pith, as well as a bit of peachy richness. Nice sour acid on the finish adds balance. 94/100
Selección de Parcelas Los Primos Chardonnay 2022 Traiguén, Chile
Taut and fine on the nose with fine spices, subtle toast, and vivid citrus fruit. The palate has some rich nutty, honeyed notes, as well as lively lemon and pear fruit, just a touch of pineapple, and precise acidity. Nice finesse here, combining richness with some freshness, finishing tart. 94/100
Vino de Viñedo Los Parientes Pinot Noir 2020 Traiguén, Chile
This is ripe and aromatic with sweet floral cherry fruit, and then sweet fruit on the palate, but there’s a combination of sweet ripe fruit but also lovely freshness. There’s a nice silky mid-palate with a hint of cured meat and lovely flesh. It’s all about the exuberant fruit. 93/100
Vino de Viñedo Los Parientes Pinot Noir 2021 Traiguén, Chile
There’s a nice spicy framing, with a touch of undergrowth, alongside the sweet black fruit here. Ripe and fruit-driven but with some nice savoury notes framing the fruit and then a fine spicy finish. Tangy with a sour cherry finish. Lovely wine. 94/100
Vino de Viñedo Los Parientes Pinot Noir 2022 Traiguén, Chile
This is really nice: sour cherry, plums, a touch of beetroot, and nice structure and acidity. Nice purity of fruit, with a slight bitterness on the finish, and a twist of green, that’s really nice. Really satisfying: it’s not just about sweet fruit, but it has edges. 94/100
Selección de Parcelas Los Primos Pinot Noir 2016 Traiguén, Chile
There’s nice spicy savoury detail here as well as ripe berry and cherry fruit. Bold and rich with good structure and firm berry fruits. A big style of Pinot with some oak in the mix. It’s ageing nicely. 93/100
Selección de Parcelas Los Primos Pinot Noir 2020 Traiguén, Chile
This is concentrated and intense with nice structure and a savoury iron and mineral character, as well as some sternness. There’s structure and freshness here with good acidity. Vibrant raspberry and cherry fruit with lovely density. Taut, structured and mineral. 94/100 (08/22)
Selección de Parcelas Los Primos Pinot Noir 2021 Traiguén, Chile
Supple, fresh and concentrated with dense cherry and berry fruits, with nice spicy detail. This is a bold, ripe wine, full of fruit, but it’s also well structured with lots of stuffing. There’s some floral cherry fruit here, but also dense berry fruit and some spicy intensity. Unfurled, but full of promise. 94/100
Selección de Parcelas Los Primos Pinot Noir 2022 Traiguén, Chile
Floral, expressive nose of black cherries and spice. The palate has subtle green hints and nice detailed spiciness, and vivid fleshy black cherry and blackcurrant fruit. Supple and lively with real intensity and freshness. Concentrated, with lots of ageing potential. A beautiful wine. 95/100
Vino de Viñedo Las Compadres Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 Cauquenes, Chile
Dry farmed. Complex and taut with blackcurrants and cherry with some green hints, and a touch of bay leaf, as well as rosemary and mint. Lovely supple, pure black fruits dominate with precision and tension. 94/100 (08/22)
Vino de Viñedo Las Compadres Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 Cauquenes, Chile
Great concentration and freshness here with supple blackcurrant fruit framed by nice green notes. Fleshy and detailed with lovely fruit purity. This is quite lovely, with a real honesty to the fresh fruit character. 93/100
Selección de Parcelas Los Padrinos Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 Cauquenes, Chile
Wonderful concentration here with bright blackcurrant fruit supported by some spicy detail. There’s a leafy green edge and then lovely sweet, concentrated cherry and blackcurrant fruit. Really fine and with some potential for ageing. 94/100
