Viña Don Heraldo

The winery

Viña Don Heraldo is in the La Aldea area, at km 9 of the road from Cauquenes to Chanco, at the far southwestern end of the Maule Valley and about 25 km from the Pacific. It is run by winemaker Felipe Zúñiga and worked by his family, with few outside staff. According to a 2021 travel piece, it used to be called Viña San Clemente, its current name honors Felipe's grandfather, and around 2016 it began taking in guests. The winery publishes neither its founding year nor its planted area. It gives its heritage vineyards more than 200 years, although other texts of its own speak of more than 190 and, for the País, more than 170.

The vines grow dry-farmed, without irrigation, on soils of clay, granite and quartz surrounded by native forest of quillay, maitén, litre, roble and boldo trees. Harvesting is by hand and the wines rest in a small, artisanal underground cellar, in French oak barrels. The top wine in its store is the Carignan 2019 Special Selection, with 20 months in oak and 15 in bottle; alongside it are the Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva and Gran Reserva Vid Imperial, a Carménère and a Chardonnay. The old País gives the Solsticia brut sparkling wine, the sweet rosé Matriarca, with 30% Gewürztraminer, and a brandy aged four years in barrel, to which murtilla berries (Chilean guava) are added. The wines are sold in its online store and at the winery's cellar door. Among its seals it displays the Acuerdo de Producción Limpia (Clean Production Agreement) and VIDSECA, the association of dry-farming winegrowers of Cauquenes.

The visit takes in the vineyards and the underground cellar and ends with a tasting led by the winemaker, which can be done blind; the estate adds forest hikes, birdwatching and visits to archaeological sites. It publishes no prices or hours: everything is arranged by WhatsApp, +56 9 4226 6031, or at ventas@vdhwines.cl. On the same property are the restaurant El Molino, whose cooking relies on local products such as lamb and pejerrey (silverside fish); loft-style cabins and rooms with breakfast included, where pets are welcome; and a spa with a temazcal (traditional sweat lodge), sauna, hot tub and massages. The Tutuvén reservoir is 10 minutes away, the Los Ruiles National Reserve 25, and the beaches of Pelluhue and Curanipe half an hour. Before you go, you can explore the place in the Universidad de Talca's 360° virtual tour.