Revived: August 26, 2026 (Published: February 10, 2017)
Fascinated by rediscovered varieties, I was eager to learn more about the País grape on my work trip to Chile. Before travelling to Chile, I only knew that País had once been the country’s most planted grape before Cabernet Sauvignon took over.
Once a source for thin, robust and bland jug wines, dark-skinned País has experienced one of the most remarkable comebacks in the Chilean wine scene.
A great proof of this is Santa Digna Estelado Rosé, launched by Miguel Torres Chile in 2011. Delicate in style, traditional-method Estelado is the first 100 % País sparkling wine. And it’s damn delicious.
Chilean wines have long been among the best-selling red wines in Finland (my home country), thanks to their good value for money. But over the past years, there has been a lot of talk about what is the real essence of Chilean wines? Could País be a part of the answer?
THE RISE AND FALL OF THE PAÍS GRAPE
Until international grapes invaded Chilean vineyards in the 1850s, País had been the most planted variety for nearly three centuries. As Cabernet Sauvignon took on the prominent role, the acreage of País began to shrink rapidly. Already fighting for survival, the País growers of Bío-Bío and Maule Valley found themselves in an even more challenging situation.
But Cabernet was not the only one to blame. As winemaking in Chile took giant leaps in the late 1980s, it became apparent that the quality of País wines left a lot to hope for.
It often resulted in simple table wines that were thin, harsh and far from charming in their pronouncedly robust character. Neither did their brownish colour attract anyone. Something had to be done.
Compared to those characterisations, Estelado Rosé comes from another world. Beautiful onion peel colour and charming nose of subtle strawberry and cranberry aromas.
On the palate, it is a light, dry and well-balanced ensemble of red berries (after tasting it at the Torres winery, I also enjoyed a glass in Valparaíso). Nice, salty lime flavour dominates the fresh finish. I don’t taste that much autolysis-derived creaminess.
THE SOCIAL PROJECT AROUND PAÍS
Along with technical progression and precision in winemaking, Fair Trade has played a major role in the renaissance of País in Chile. Established by Torres Chile in 2007, the País project of Curicó Valley is called Esperanza de la Costa.
Over the past years, Esperanza has improved the standard of living by paying País growers three times more per kilo of grapes. Besides, Torres provides winemaking consultation for them.
However, the start of the project was tough as only one third of local growers wanted to join. But in 2009, Esperanza growers managed to sell their entire harvest to Torres Chile, thus enabling the birth of País-based Santa Digna Estelado Rosé. After that, several growers were willing to join.
In Curicó, we met two intriguing persons around the País grape. First, Secundina Vásquez is to thank for uniting 19 coastal growers to Esperanza de la Costa.
“In the beginning, I was on the verge of despair. The isolation of our vineyards turned out to be a daunting logistical challenge for most wineries I tried to sell our País grapes to. On the other hand, our isolation is the reason why old País vineyards have remained intact.”
Looking back now, it’s easy to see that Secundina was right. Among the international varieties dominating Chilean vineyards, País feels like a fascinating “novelty”, although it’s genetically identical to Listán Prieto grape. Origins in the Canary Islands, this old variety arrived in Chile with Spanish settlers in the 1500s and was later spread by Catholic missionaries.
Another unforgettable person we met was Limbado Medina Albornoz, one of the 19 Esperanza de la Costa contributors to the País renaissance. Epitome of sturdy País growers, this fifth-generation farmer talks of his 120-year-old vines with pride.
ORGANIC FARMING, RESTRICTED YIELDS
Today, long-neglected and nearly forgotten País attracts interest among Chilean winemakers. Many estates are looking for these grapes that once produced rustic, dull red wines. País grape still suffers from this reputation to a certain extent.
Albornoz reminds us that the key to good results is adamant control of the yields. As País is a vigorous, heat- and fungus-resistant vine, it easily produces too big crops – and mediocre wines.
FIRST INTERNATIONAL AWARD FOR PAÍS
Looking back now, I understand why Torres Chile believes in País as a grape that can help define Chile’s wine identity. What’s best, Torres is not alone in this belief.
Wine professionals have started to notice that with strictly controlled yields and in skilled hands, País can produce elegant wines. The best recent proof is the triumphant performance of Santa Digna Estelado Rosé at CSWWC 2016. It became the World Champion Classic Brut Style from a Non Classic Grape.
If you ask me, I gladly vote for País as the “national grape” of Chile since there is certain charm in the best, bright and fruit-driven, nearly Beaujolais-like País wines. After all, Carménère grape isn’t native to Chile, either. Besides, I give my vote for energy-bomb Secundina Vásquez who kick-started the Esperanza project by tirelessly selling País grapes despite dozens of refusals from Chilean wineries.
UPDATE (2025): Established in 2009, today Esperanza de la Costa functions as a grower co-op. Besides still selling some of their País grapes to Torres Chile, they vinify their own organic wine.
My warmest thanks go to Torres Chile and Winestate (the Torres importer in Finland) for inviting me to this eye-opening trip to Chile. For more information on País and the Esperanza della Costa project, visit the Torres winery in Curicó, 200 km South of Santiago de Chile.
