Following the wildfires that spread through Chile’s Itata region in February, there are “miraculous” signs of hope in the vineyards, db can exclusively reveal. In February this year, one of Chile’s oldest wine producing regions was left reeling after fires ripped through Itata’s vineyards. More than 3,000 people were evacuated from their homes and many Itata growers, known for their modest-sized plantings of around one hectare each, but boasting precious old bush vines aged more than 150 years, had vineyards completely wiped out. In total, an estimated 150,00 ha were impacted. Speaking exclusively to the drinks business at an event in London yesterday, Alejandro Galaz, winemaker at Ventisquero, said there have been promising signs of life in the region during the last month. “Someone sent me a photo of blackened, burned plants but with little green shoots sprouting through,” he said. Galaz estimates that around 30% of Itata’s vines were destroyed in the fires, and more still were damaged when rains flooded the region in June. Ventisquero has been buying grapes from Itata for around 12 years, paying a premium for its exceptional berries, which are drawing producers from every corner of Chile. “When we first arrived in Itata we offered to pay growers double the price they had been receiving for their grapes,” Galaz told db. “Then we offered to pay them three times that amount if they stayed with us for another year. The year after that, we were paying four times more than the original price for
This Article was originally published on The Drink Business - Wine
