Via Wines (Oveja Negra, Chilcas)

The winery

Via Wines was founded in 1998 and settled in San Rafael, in the Claro Valley area, within the Maule Valley. Its name comes from Latin and means “the way.” It reports more than 2,000 hectares of its own vineyards in four valleys: San Rafael in Maule, Los Niches in Curicó, Nilahue in Colchagua and Tapihue in Casablanca. All that fruit comes to the winery at Fundo La Esperanza, which according to the company can vinify 30.4 million liters, with tanks of 400 to 200,000 liters and a barrel room for 2,000 casks. It is a large-scale producer, with wines in markets on five continents, and presents itself as the third Chilean winery certified under the wine industry's Sustainability Code.

It works with three brands. Oveja Negra was born exploring blends of grapes from a single vineyard, such as Cabernet Franc with Carménère or Malbec with Petit Verdot, and today runs from the Reserva and Gran Reserva to The Blend, Single Vineyard and The Lost Barrel; it also has Cabernet Sauvignon and Carménère in its upper lines. Chilcas takes its name from a shrub that grows at the foot of the Descabezado volcano and gathers Reserva, Single Vineyard, the Red One blend and Las Almas, its icon Carménère. Chilensis completes the range with the Reserva, Lázuli and Selección Especial lines.

The winery publishes no in-person visits or visit prices: its website shows only two virtual tours, one of Maule and one of Colchagua. Even so, on the estate there is a wood-and-glass tasting room set over a lagoon, designed by Claro Arquitectos and completed in 2009, which Google Maps lists as an events venue. Before going, ask the winery, at +56 71 241 5500 or info@viawines.com. To try the wines, the most direct route is Oveja Negra's online shop, which ships free on orders over CLP 40,000 and in November 2026 had bottles from CLP 4,230 on offer. Chilcas and Chilensis are not in that shop, but they can be found at Housebar.