Waddesdon Wine Club: Viña Los Vascos

History
In the 18^th century a Basque family were the first European family to purchase a vineyard in the country of Chile. As well as the first family to plant vines in the lush region of Central Chile, Domaines Barons de Rothschild, the group of wineries owned by Chateau Lafite-Rothschild, collaborated on a joint venture with the Eyzaguirre-Echenique family to create Viña Los Vascos in 1988. The Eyzaguirre-Echenique family sold their stake in 1996, leaving sole ownership to DBR Lafite.

Viña Los Vascos Now
Surrounded by mountains at the foot of Mount Cañeten, the property covers 3,600 hectares, 640 of which are planted with vines, making it one of the largest wineries in the region. Viña Los Vascos has its own view to winemaking, which is combining Chilean traditions with Lafite heritage and expertise.

Nowadays Viña Los Vascos is a leading name in the Chilean wine industry. The winery is mainly focused on the grape varieties Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Carménère. Wines produced express both the natural richness of the Colchagua area and the innovation that is brought by the Rothschild family.

We are delighted to say that Viña Los Vascos also focuses on the long-term sustainability of its operations, implementing eco-friendly farming practices, reducing water usage, and increasing the use of organic and biodynamic techniques!

The Wines
“Le Dix” – Time regained

First production began in the 1996 and first presented in the 1998. The name “Le Dix” means ‘the ten’ in French, which is made as a celebration of the first ten years of Domains Barons de Rothschild’s (Lafite) work in Chile. Le Dix is made from grapes grown in the El Fraile vineyard, the oldest vineyard on the property. The vineyard is planted with 80-year-old Cabernet Sauvignon vines, and the grapes are hand harvested and aged in French oak barrels. The aim was to create a Grand Vin, in the Chateau Lafite style, in Chile. Le Dix is also blended with Syrah and Carmenère grapes.

Le Dix is known for its elegance, depth, and complex structure. The wine undergoes a meticulous aging process in French oak barrels from Lafite’s own cooperage, imparting rich aromas of dark fruit, spice, and subtle hints of tobacco and leather.

“Cromas” – Colour

Cromas means ‘colour’ from the Greek language. At Los Vascos they see color as the language of nature. Every tone and every shade is a message to the winemaker and vineyard manager. The first release of the Cromas wines was in the 2022. The main focus for the range is on balance and harmony, the Cromas line highlights varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère, and Syrah, each benefiting from the Colchagua Valley’s unique climate and soil conditions. These wines are known for their fruit side, combining ripe berry flavors with delicate hints of spice, floral nuances, and subtle earthy undertones. The careful winemaking process, which includes fermentation in stainless steel and selective aging in oak barrels, again from Lafite’s cooperage, enhances the natural characteristics of the grapes while preserving freshness and complexity. The varietal is the star of the show here.

“Los Vascos” – The expression of the grape variety

The wines in our Los Vascos range are single varietal wines from the historic heart of our Peralillo vineyard. The soil of this valley floor is composed of alluvial soils made up by sand, clay and “tosca”, a hard rock made of compacted volcanic ash. These soils help to reflect the sunshine and retain heat for the cool nights, and the clay is especially good at retaining water for the vines during the hot, dry days. The grapes are picked early in the morning to ensure that the grapes are as fresh as possible. To further this freshness, they are fermented at low temperatures, and then aged in stainless steel tanks to preserve the maximum purity of the fruit notes. These are fresh and juicy wines which underline the beauty of each grape variety, showing amazing character and sense of place!