Viña Tierra Firme

The winery

Tierra Firme is the Espinoza family's winery in the Peñaflor district, in the rural hills of San Rosendo, on the north bank of the Laja River near where it meets the Biobío. For generations the family has worked an old vineyard with País vines more than 180 years old and a Malbec the winery presents as among the oldest in Chile. For decades local farmers called that dark grape "burdeo" and used it to give color to their pipeño (the young country wine of the south): in 2012 Héctor Espinoza recalled in the press that he once filled a barrel with it alone and his customers thought the wine had been dyed. In 2011 a winemaker brought in by the municipality identified it as Malbec, and since then San Rosendo has been known for its heritage vineyards. Today Héctor Espinoza is in charge of the winery.

Alongside the old vines, with their thick, twisted trunks, the estate preserves the old adobe buildings with tiled roofs, old wooden casks, a vertical press of wooden staves and clay tinajas (amphorae). The wines are made and bottled on the property. Its wine shop stocks the Reliquia Centenaria range, in Reserva and Gran Reserva versions; Secreto de Bodega, from century-old vines; and Unidos, a medium-bodied blend of Malbec and País, plus a rosé and a white. The winery displays a gold medal from the Catad'Or World Wine Awards 2021.

Visits are arranged in advance by phone, WhatsApp or social media, and the house welcomes families, groups of friends, delegations and students. The usual format is a full-day visit with a guided tour of the vineyards and the old cellar, the history of the place and of the old ways of making wine, a tasting of the different wines, a farm breakfast and lunch. The winery favors hands-on tourism: in April you can take part in the harvest, picking by hand and treading grapes in half-barrels, and in winter it has organized pruning days where each participant fills their own bottle. It does not publish prices, so ask when you book. The wine shop is open every day and pets are welcome.