Vina Falernia, Elqui Valley, Chile

Vina Falernia is quite simply our most exciting – and best value – wine discovery of the year, proof beyond all doubt that Chile is capable of making excellent quality wines at very reasonable prices.

It is Chile’s most northerly winery, based in the young, up and coming, and superb quality potential Elqui Valley about 500km north of Santiago. The climate here is dry and warm – with less than 100mms of rainfall a year and beautifully clear blue skies throughout the growing season. During the night, cool winds from the Pacific Ocean a few kms to the west and the Andes mountains to the east cause dramatic reductions in temperature, giving the grapes amazingly intense flavours and aromas and a refreshing acidity. All grapes are grown organically on their own roots, unlike most other wine regions of the world where they need to be grafted onto American rootstocks.