Viña Las Niñas

The winery

Viña Las Niñas was born in 1996 in Apalta, the small horseshoe-shaped valley within the Colchagua Valley, when the Frenchman Bernard Dauré persuaded his friends Jean-Pierre Cayard and Claude Florensa to create a winery together in Chile. The daughters and wives of the three families grew fond of the place and took charge of the planting, which took close to three years; the name, “Las Niñas” (the girls), comes from them. The winery is the work of the Chilean architect Mathias Klotz: a restrained ensemble of concrete, wood and translucent panels that changes tone with the daylight and stands out against the hills. In 2000 the partnership added the property of the manor house that the Bulnes family, owners of the old Apalta hacienda, built in the late 19th century in the middle of a century-old park. Since 2021 the winery has belonged to Les Grands Chais de France, the group of the Helfrich family of Alsace, through its Chilean subsidiary Viña del Nuevo Mundo.

The vineyard, some 40 hectares at about 170 m above sea level, is sheltered to the north, east and west by hills rising to 600 m, while the Tinguiririca River closes the valley to the south; the soils are sandy clay, with more volcanic rock toward the lower slopes. It has been farmed ecologically from the start: organically certified since 2017 and holding the Wines of Chile sustainability seal since 2018. Mostly reds were planted: Cabernet Sauvignon, Carménère, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Garnacha and Merlot, plus Chardonnay. Today the wines are divided between the Ella line (Reserva), the Terroir Collection, which carries the Las Niñas de Apalta Gran Reserva label, comes from the Apalta D.O. (appellation) and is barrel-aged, and a few sparkling wines such as the Pinot Noir Brut. The Ella Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 won the trophy for best Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon at the International Wine Challenge 2022.

The visit centers on the wine shop, a glass-walled space with a terrace looking out over the vineyard and the Apalta hills, open Tuesday to Saturday from 9:30 am to 6 pm. There are three tastings: Découverte, with four Ella wines; Harmonie, which combines one Terroir Collection with two Ellas; and Excellence, with two Terroir Collection wines and a sparkling wine; a cheese board for two can be added to any of them. Bookings and inquiries go to +56 9 3451 7502. In its Enoturismo Chile listing the winery also mentions trails, a lookout, picnics, bike rides, group tours and private dinners, without detailing conditions or prices, so ask about them when you book. Pets are welcome.