Colchagua reds from organic Santa Ana Rhône grapes, Andean foothill Cabernet Sauvignon, historic País, and solar powered winemaking.
The producer
La Despensa Wines keeps every wine within Colchagua Valley. Rhône grapes come from the producer's organic Santa Ana vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon from a friend's biodynamic vineyard in the Andean foothills, and País from a historic vineyard in Pumanque. Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre were planted in 2013, while Roussanne and Cinsault followed in 2017. The winery is organic and powered entirely by solar energy. Its range includes a co-fermented Field Blend, Cabernet Sauvignon, and varietal Cinsault.
Known for
Colchagua mixed grape red wines
Notable facts
The winery is powered entirely by solar energy.
Cabernet Sauvignon comes from a friend's biodynamic vineyard at 800 metres in the Andean foothills.
País comes from a historic vineyard in Pumanque.
La Despensa Cinsault 2022 is made from 100% Cinsault.
The story
The 2013 Rhône Planting
In 2013, La Despensa planted Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre in Santa Ana. The winery paired those Rhône varieties with a cellar practice that keeps the grapes together through fermentation. Co-fermentation lets different varieties share one ferment, so their colour, tannin, acidity, and aroma develop in the same vessel instead of in separate lots combined later. La Despensa co-ferments grapes for its wines, and the Field Blend follows that method with native yeasts and concrete ageing for ten months.
From the atlas
La Despensa Wines
La Despensa Wines makes Colchagua reds from organic Santa Ana Rhône grapes, Andean foothill Cabernet Sauvignon, and historic Pumanque País.
At A Glance
Field
Detail
Region
Colchagua Valley
Main grapes
Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Roussanne, Cinsault, Cabernet Sauvignon, País
Signature wine
La Despensa Field Blend
Defining feature
Organic winery powered entirely by solar energy
The Producer
Every La Despensa wine comes from grapes grown in Colchagua Valley. The winery will not make wine from another valley. It is an organic winery powered entirely by solar energy, with Rhône grapes from its own organic vineyard in Santa Ana.
Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre were planted in 2013. La Despensa co-ferments grapes for its wines, putting varieties together during fermentation so their colour, tannin, acidity, and aroma develop in one vessel. The range also includes Cabernet Sauvignon from a friend's biodynamic vineyard and País from a historic vineyard in Pumanque.
Place
Santa Ana supplies the Rhône grapes. Marselan was planted there in 2016 and became part of the 2019 Field Blend. Roussanne and Cinsault were planted in 2017, and both entered the 2020 Field Blend. Marsanne and Viognier began producing in 2021.
Cabernet Sauvignon comes from a friend's biodynamic vineyard in the foothills of the Andes, at 800 metres. País comes from a historic vineyard in Pumanque, where the vines are around 150 years old.
Wines
The range includes La Despensa Field Blend 2021, La Despensa Cabernet Sauvignon 2019, and La Despensa Cinsault 2022. The Field Blend is the mixed variety red, made by co-fermenting grapes with native yeasts and ageing the wine for ten months in concrete.
The Cinsault 2022 is 100% Cinsault, with deeper colour and greater intensity than typical Chilean Cinsaults from further south, while remaining easy to drink. Cabernet Sauvignon gives the range a separate Andean foothill expression.
Final Word
The fixed choices are concrete: Colchagua grapes only, grapes co-fermented for the wines, and a winery powered entirely by solar energy.