Los Vascos
Los Vascos is the Chilean estate of Domaines Barons de Rothschild Lafite, one of the most prestigious wine brands in the world. It is located south of Santiago, Chile, and its origins are ancient. Its existence dates back to the 16th century when Spanish Conquistadores introduced viticulture to the country. In 1750, the Echenique family, of Basque origin, planted new vineyards in the Colchaqua Valley and over the following decades expanded the activity inspired by the models of French viticulture. Starting from 1850, some vineyards of the most famous international grape varieties were planted in the Cañeten Valley. Chilean production increased significantly during the period of destruction of the European vineyard caused by phylloxera, with a growing export of wine to the old continent. From the mid-20th century, the estate saw a reorganization of the vineyards and modernization of the cellars with the construction of concrete tanks.
The real turning point dates back to 1988 when Domaines Barons de Rothschild Lafite acquired ownership of the estate, that extends over 2,200 hectares, of which over 200 are dedicated to viticulture. For some time, Rothschild had been looking for a domaine in Chile and only after evaluating many properties and tasting many wines, the choice fell on this historic estate that possesses unique characteristics. The vines are cultivated at an altitude of 130 meters above sea level and only 40 kilometers from the Pacific Ocean. The exposures are bright and sunny, with a constant ventilation that makes the climate mild and temperate, ideal for healthy vine development. The suitable soils and the presence of water resources make the place particularly suited for viticulture.
The new course opens with a series of important investments. The vineyards are reorganized, including new plantings, and the yields per hectare are reduced to improve the concentration and quality of the wines. The winery has been completely renovated and equipped with modern pneumatic presses, temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, and a barrel cellar for aging in wood. After about twenty years, the wines have reached levels of absolute excellence thanks to the maturity of the vines planted in the '90s and the deep knowledge of the terroir. The intuition to choose Los Vascos has proven to be absolutely winning over time and today the estate is able to offer a range of wines capable of combining the extraordinary pedoclimatic characteristics of the area with the centuries-old French savoir-faire of one of the most famous and prestigious Châteaux in Bordeaux.
Los Vascos is the Chilean estate of Domaines Barons de Rothschild Lafite, one of the most prestigious wine brands in the world. It is located south of Santiago, Chile, and its origins are ancient. Its existence dates back to the 16th century when Spanish Conquistadores introduced viticulture to the country. In 1750, the Echenique family, of Basque origin, planted new vineyards in the Colchaqua Valley and over the following decades expanded the activity inspired by the models of French viticulture. Starting from 1850, some vineyards of the most famous international grape varieties were planted in the Cañeten Valley. Chilean production increased significantly during the period of destruction of the European vineyard caused by phylloxera, with a growing export of wine to the old continent. From the mid-20th century, the estate saw a reorganization of the vineyards and modernization of the cellars with the construction of concrete tanks.
The real turning point dates back to 1988 when Domaines Barons de Rothschild Lafite acquired ownership of the estate, that extends over 2,200 hectares, of which over 200 are dedicated to viticulture. For some time, Rothschild had been looking for a domaine in Chile and only after evaluating many properties and tasting many wines, the choice fell on this historic estate that possesses unique characteristics. The vines are cultivated at an altitude of 130 meters above sea level and only 40 kilometers from the Pacific Ocean. The exposures are bright and sunny, with a constant ventilation that makes the climate mild and temperate, ideal for healthy vine development. The suitable soils and the presence of water resources make the place particularly suited for viticulture.
The new course opens with a series of important investments. The vineyards are reorganized, including new plantings, and the yields per hectare are reduced to improve the concentration and quality of the wines. The winery has been completely renovated and equipped with modern pneumatic presses, temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, and a barrel cellar for aging in wood. After about twenty years, the wines have reached levels of absolute excellence thanks to the maturity of the vines planted in the '90s and the deep knowledge of the terroir. The intuition to choose Los Vascos has proven to be absolutely winning over time and today the estate is able to offer a range of wines capable of combining the extraordinary pedoclimatic characteristics of the area with the centuries-old French savoir-faire of one of the most famous and prestigious Châteaux in Bordeaux.
