Viñedos Herrera Alvarado: a remarkable natural wine project in Chile
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There’s natural wine and there’s natural wine. I had a very special visit to Viñedos Herrera Alvarado with Carolina Alvarado and Arturo Herrera. They are based in the beautiful Marga Marga valley just in land from Valparaiso near Quilpué in Chile.
This was originally a classic Casablanca Valley vineyard, with Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, but they decided to change things, adapting it to the natural ecosystem in this beautiful, secluded valley. The vineyard is surrounded by a very special sort of forest, unique to areas with this sort of Mediterranean climate, called schlerophyllous. This means the trees are adapted to drought, and even though they are deciduous carry leaves all year round and the leaves are smaller, using less water. They have planted more of this sort of local vegetation in the vineyards.
In the vineyards they have taken a biodiverse approach. A few years ago they cut all the grasses back, and then found that they had problems with birds and rabbits, but once they let the grass grow back they had fewer problems, a testament to the benefits of biodiversity. They don’t cultivate, and this permaculture-style approach has meant that they now see nests and small snakes in the vineyard.
The sclerophyllous forests moderate the climate and encourage mycorrhizal associations.
The winery is traditional and rustic in all the best ways. It’s made of red-clay adobe (the vineyard has red clay soils). Cow hides are used to ferment reds and bamboo screens are used for hand destemming. There are also some rauli barrels (a native Chilean wood).
As well as making their own wines here, they believe strongly in community and act as a small cooperative. Nothing is added in the winemaking process: these are zero-zero natural wines.
The Marga Marga valley has a long history of winegrowing, and the first wines were made here in 1586 by the Spanish who came here looking for gold. There were some larger wineries here, but after the Pacific war between Chile and Peru, winemaking was left in the hands of small families. The way of making wine was handed down from generations, and this is the approach that Herrera Alverado are taking.
The forest here has a special connection with the vineyard. In the winter they take sticks from the soil which they arrange to form the bed of the compost. This array helps with aeration of the heap, but also brings in mycorrhizal fungi from the forest.
The vineyard here is self-sustaining. Nothing comes into the vineyard from outside the valley.
THE WINES
Vinos Herrera Alvarado Sauvignon Blanc 2023
This is made in a rauli barrel and has a layer of flor over the top. Cloudy yellow/gold in colour. This is rich, textured and complex with ripe apple and pear fruit. There’s a really nice density here with some oxidative character but also some fresh fruit. Textured and spicy with a hint of marmalade. Complex spicy notes and some honey. 94/100
Vinos Herrera Alvarado Oro Negro País 2021
Fermented in cow hide for 15 days with some destemming by hand. Cherry red with a slight cloudiness. This has a lively, spicy acidity, and the palate is nutritious and vital with red cherries and strawberries. This is nicely complex with some density to it. The slight volatile acidity isn’t too much of a distraction. 93/100
Vinos Herrera Alvarado Rancio Sauvignon Blanc 2020
This is a complex, intriguing win. Nicely textured with notes of cherry, marmalade, honey, pear and apple. Oxidative in style, and quite delicious. 92/100
Vinos Herrera Alvarado Pinot Noir 2017
This is a pale colour and is more orange than red, and it’s really lovely. Complex and finely spiced with nice acidity, some richness, and some density. It has some fruit, some spice and a rich vitality. No volatile acidity detectable, and not overly oxidative. 93/100
Vinos Herrera Alvarado Pinot Noir 2021
Cherry red in colour. Highly aromatic, lifted and quite spicy. The palate shows vivid red cherries. Lively with some volatile acidity, adding a sweet spicy edge. This is alive, very natural and quite delicious. The volatile acidity is just acetic, without any ethyly acetate, and it works. 93/100
Vinos Herrera Alvarado Cabernet Sauvignon 2020
Vivid and dark with a blackcurrant and spice nose. The palate is spicy and dense with nice acidity. Bold, spice-laden blackcurrant fruit is the main theme here with some dusty tannins. Alive and vital. 93/100
Vinos Herrera Alvarado Sauvignon Blanc Amphora 2021
Macerated on skins in amphora. Hints of mint, clay and table grape on the nose. The palate has some structure with hints of earth and clay, some rich pear and apple fruit, and also lovely balance. Vital, chalky and stony. 94/100
