Familia Erazo

The winery

A Los Viñateros Bravos began as an alliance between winemaker Leo Erazo and long-experienced winegrowers of Itata, and its name is a tribute to them and to their determination to stay with the vine. With them he selected vineyards by rock type, and from that come the Granítico wines and the Volcánico. Today it is one of the three series of Familia Erazo, alongside Erazo Vineyards and SOS, the project of a family of six that lives on its vineyard in Cobquecura. Erazo also takes part in two other projects with partners: Rogue Vine, with Justin Decker, and Onda Brava, with Dani Rozman.

The Guarilihue vineyards, in the Leonera, Tinajacura and Guarilihue Alto areas, lie in the Coastal Range, some 16 to 18 km from the sea: century-old vines, ungrafted and unirrigated, on granite, of Cinsault, País, Semillón, Moscatel de Alejandría, Aramon and Carignan. In Cobquecura, about 4 km from the ocean, the family grows only white varieties: Chenin Blanc, Albariño, Riesling, Chardonnay and Semillón. These are 10 cultivated hectares that, the family says, make it possible to care for and regenerate another 50 of native forest, with organic viticulture and spontaneous fermentations.

The visit is at La Guarida, in the Molino Alto area of Cobquecura, home to the house, the winery, the trails and the Refugio Pudú. The family offers guided visits to vineyards and winery, themed tastings, forest walks and dinners according to a calendar it sends out by email; it publishes no prices or hours, so write ahead to leoerazovinos@gmail.com. In Guarilihue, Casa Flora, a winery of adobe and tile, is still being fitted out and does not yet receive visitors. In Chile the wines are sold at shops such as Winelivery and Brotherwood, and the family runs the Club Bravos, with no membership fee and 15 places, which gives access to annual allocations.