Garage Wine Co. País 215 BC Ferment
WHY WE LOVE IT
- País (aka “Mission”) first came to Chile as raisins on-board Spanish ships in the 1600’s, and vineyards were planted from the raisin seeds to make wine for Catholic mass.
- Some of these age old vineyards have survived since colonial times and now form the background of “Pipeno,” which over the last century is to Chile what Beaujolais is to France – fresh, fruity, everyday wine for the masses.
- This example is sourced from old vines in three organically farmed Maule Valley vineyard sites.
- Winemaking is as natural as it gets in order to showcase this historical grape in the most pure context possible.
Varietal Composition: 100% País (aka Mission, aka Pipeño)
Elaboration: Fermented naturally, caps were punched down by hand and pressing was strictly manual. The wine was barreled in neutral oak over two winters and then bottled in recycled glass. Unfined and unfiltered.
Tasting Notes: “Produced with País grapes and has a very faint rose tint. It has notes of small flowers and a nice mouthfeel. Like the rest of their wines, the process is not important and is not marked in the wine, which feels aromatic, approachable and complex but not complicated, with notes of pollen and dried flowers. It’s bottled without malolactic, to keep the freshness.” – Wine Advocate
PRESS
2015 – 90 Wine Advocate
2016 – 91 Wine Advocate
2017 – 91 Wine Advocate
2018 – 91 Vinous | 92 Wine Advocate
2021 – 93 Wine Advocate
PRODUCER BACKGROUND
Derek Mossman, his wife Pilar Miranda, and Dr. Alvaro Peña are producing 1,500 cases total per year of old-vine Carignan, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, with fruit sourced from small growers in Maule and Maipo.
Winemaking here veers towards the “natural” spectrum – all wines are fermented with native yeast, see no additions of any kind, very little new wood, and are low in sulfites. Punch downs are by hand, and pressing is done in a small traditional basket. You may notice slight variation in bottle thickness and shape if you were to open up cases, as Derek Mossman takes recycling to the next level and actually reuses old bottles, bottling in salvaged, used wine bottles in partnership with a recycling company located near the winery. Derek is also the founder of M.O.V.I. (Movimiento de Viñateros Independientes), Chile’s exciting, fast-growing association of independent vintners.