Santa Rosa de Lavaderos

Before introducing this winery we think it makes sense to provide a little bit of background about this grape varietal, PAIS.  This may be a lesser known varietal, but it is big in history.  This grape arrived in Chile with the Spaniards in the 16th century.  Up until the 20th century this was the most planted varietal in Chile until Bordeaux varieties took over in the country.  For most of its history Pais was harvested for mass production of low quality wines, but recently some producers have recovered some plots with Pais grapes that are believed to be over 100 years old and have started producing quality wine that is gaining popularity. 

Pais grapes are thin skinned and therefore they tend to be light in flavor, but strong in acidity and astringency, which makes them a bit difficult to handle.  We were able to try a few Pais wines while touring Chile, but we were not impressed by any of them.  As luck would have it, we were able to get a hold of the McRostie family who were told were producing high quality Pais. In the middle of social unrest in Chile the McRosties were extremely graceful to open the doors of their house to meet with us and share their wine.  We were immediately blown away by the quality of their wine.  Getting to know them, it became clear that their humbleness and a long family line connected to the land where they produce their wine are a big part of the wine that they bottle under the brand Santa Rosa de Lavaderos.  Love and respect for the land are all reflected in the wine.

The Santa Rosa de Lavaderos wine is produced in the Maule Valley, aprox. 250 kms south of Santiago.  Tucked in a valley surrounded by the Coastal Mountains, the Andes and the Maule and Locomilla rivers, this piece of land enjoys a microclimate that is suited not only for grape growing, but also for having a very rich biodiversity.  The McRosties family history goes back to the 1940 and since then they have protected the land and today they keep producing products with deep respect for the communities that surround them.  Santa Rosa de Lavaderos may be small in production size, but it carries a big punch in personality, flavor, and history.