One of the nicest trips we’ve ever had visiting a winery in Chile was our visit to the Viña La Reserva de Caliboro. Caliboro is a very interesting project, as different from the “typical” Chilean winery of the Grupos (Chilean conglomerates) as can be.
Owned by Count Francesco Marone Cinzano, who also owns Col d’Orcia, an excellent producer of Brunello di Montalcino in Tuscany, the winery makes only one iconic wine, Erasmo. This in stark contrast to the majority of wineries in Chile that have overwhelmingly extensive catalogs of mostly varietal wines, and um, aren’t owned by an Italian Count.
Caliboro was by far the most secluded of the wineries we visited in Chile. The wine trade in Chile has made many strides in recent years, including in the realm of tourism. Still, wineries and wine trails, though evolving, are not as easy to navigate as in the States. One doesn’t just pop in. Chile has so many great valleys for producing wine, that often times there aren’t even any other wineries nearby. The neighbor is as likely a rancher or fruit farmer.
The Count had arranged for us to meet with the General Manager at Caliboro, Cesar Opazo. As we pulled up to the designated spot in the middle of the Maule Valley quite literally after driving miles and miles on a dusty unpaved country road, we came upon a white pickup truck. Inside we glanced at a stately looking gaucho, undoubtedly the kind of man not unaccustomed to real work, but with a refined and dignified air. He immediately motioned for us to follow him. Apparently, there were no other people on the road or tourists riding about visiting wineries out here!
Clusters of grapes hang drying from the ceiling at Caliboro
Cesar escorted us to a country house a little further up the road on a private lot. The house was a large rustic yet noble country cottage. After making some introductions, we headed inside and saw several white grapes hanging from the ceiling of the entrance way. “An experiment” Cesar explained. It would be the first of many times he would say that. Apparently they were working on a wine made in the style of an Amarone (they had red grapes drying elsewhere, but were also trying white).
The day progressed very much on South American time. An unrushed tour of the properties vineyards, as Cesar explained the history of the project, was followed by a tour of the winery and then a long relaxed lunch, featuring a vertical tasting of Erasmo. Along the way every so often, Cesar would point out a unique varietal, an oak barrel or tank, a strange piece of equipment. ”An experiment” he would explain. The vines are dry farmed, typical of Caliboro’s outside the box thinking, and a perfect match to this dry Mediterranean climate.
Lunch was a localvore’s dream. The tomatoes were from the garden, the tortilla (the frittata, not the bread) was made from the local hen’s eggs, and even the beef was from the very same ranch.
The wines were stunning, showing true aging potential, and a European sensibility that comes from making wine for generations, not just years. These are wines to sip slowly, and enjoy the nuances as they evolve over the course of a meal. Every vintage had its own characteristics, making it quite difficult to decide upon the best, though all shared the common characteristics of appearing a bit austere at the first sip, then gradually opening up to reveal layers of dark cherries and wild berries, herbs, and spices in harmony with the oak. These wines made a lasting impression on us, and are amongst our favorite.
Unfortunately for us and our followers, the wines are already being imported and are distributed by Southern. While the upside is that you can find these wines in the States right now, because they are lost in Southern’s massive portfolio, they are hard to find in California. Your best bet is to order online from one of the reputable vendors.
Like Flaherty and Clos Andino, Caliboro is a member of MOVI.
It was interesting to walk through the vineyards, speak with winemakers and agronomists, and to see both wineries that have existed for over 100 years and new wineries employing the most up-to-date winemaking philosophies and techniques. The result is that Tannat, traditionally a varietal known for being a bit austere and tannic, now can range from a wine with soft tannins and approachable dark fruits to highly concentrated fruit balanced with oak, with many interesting wines in between for consumers to discover (even one winery producing Tannat that tastes like bubblegum due to partial carbonic maceration. Not all experiments are successful!) 
