One Winery, One Village, One D.O.

One Winery, One Village, One D.O.

We were staying at the beautiful Matetic winery hotel in Casablanca a few days ago and the weather was hot and sunny as per usual (our drone video below shows the place off). So, when we set off to visit the Casa Marin winery, just 15 minutes away by car, we didn’t think of changing out of our shorts and light clothing. Schoolboy error as it turns out!

Casa Marin is located inside the small, newly designated D.O. of Lo Abarca which itself is set within the wider Leyda Valley, which in turn is found within the encompassing coastal San Antonio wine region. In recent years Leyda has enjoyed a growing reputation for the quality of its cool-climate wines and there is now a wide range on offer. Casa Marin is, however, unique. It is the only winery in the Lo Abarca D.O.

Many of the Chilean powerhouse wineries such as Montes, Undurraga, and the VSPT wine group have plots in Leyda where they focus on Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Syrah, and Pinot Noir. The steeply sloping vineyards of Casa Marin surround the small village from which the D.O. derives its name. In winemaking terms, Lo Abarca has temperatures similar to Alsace or the Mosel, and we wished we had changed into jeans and a jacket after stepping out of the car.

Although the November sun was still shining strongly the temperature drop was very noticeable, maybe a 5 or 6 degree Celsius drop in just an 8km drive, and it felt even cooler than that with the wind chill. Herein lies the key to winemaking in Lo Abarca. Strong cooling winds coming from the Pacific Ocean, resulting from the cold Humboldt current, the fogs that collect on the hills which divide the coast from warmer valleys inland, poor soils, lack of water; all of these factors ensure that vines suffer and grapes are healthy and complex.

Casa Marin has the closest vineyards to the sea in Chile, measured at just 4km as the Condor flies. At these latitudes around the 33rd parallel South, you might expect warmer weather, particularly when for example Tunisia and Israel lie on the 33rd parallel North! But that Humboldt current has such an influence that it feels more like Champagne. Growing season temperatures bottom out at around 14 degrees C with maximums not passing 26 C.

Taking into account all of these factors many people thought that the founder of Casa Marin, Maria Luz Marin, was crazy to try winemaking in Lo Abarca, but her efforts and dedication have resulted in not only great wine but also in recognition of the micro-zone as its own D.O. appellation. And this family-run winery continues to innovate, for example planting Grenache in such a cool climate, but making sure of doing so on some steep north-facing slopes which are more protected from the wind than others, ensuring the grapes will ripen well.

Several Casa Marin creations feature whole bunch macerations, pressings, and/or fermentation. One of their Rieslings is whole-bunch pressed very gently for 3 hours, one of their blushes has 50% whole bunch influence, other white beauties are left to rest on their lees and they have a Pinot Noir that enjoys a semi-carbonic fermentation. This young winemaking team continues to experiment and there will be plenty of new offerings to come. Make sure to visit if you find yourself in the area, plus it’s only a 90-minute drive from Santiago. But remember to carry your jacket!