Visit William Fevre winery

Vineyards in the Maipo Mountains and the Malleco Valley.

PRESENTATION OF THE WINERY

"Víctor Pino Torche, the first gentleman in our story, was not born into a traditional Chilean winemaking family. His family worked in mining administration, and the farm served as a summer retreat in San Juan de Pirque. San Juan was not 'wine country,' but rather a small village along the banks of the upper Maipo River, where the Maipo Valley narrows as it ascends to the Cajón del Maipo, flanked by the towering rock walls of the Andes.

The second gentleman in our story: William Fevre, is best known for his Premier Cru Chablis, which he produces in Burgundy. Mr. Fevre was searching for terroir to produce Chardonnay. He found it odd that Chilean winemakers were cultivating grapes on the plains and sought land higher in the mountains. This is how he came to knock on Víctor's door in San Juan after exploring the property on horseback from the hills.

After much discussion, it became clear that Víctor would not part with what the family cherished so much, and thus a partnership was formed to develop vineyards and a small winery, built on William's sharp instincts and Víctor's determination. Twelve hectares were planted, followed by more on another farm owned by the Pino family. Five years later, a winery was built. It was a practical venture equipped with modern tools but clearly focused on a Burgundian-style operation, producing wines slowly, on a smaller scale, barrel by barrel.

The wines soon made their way to Europe. Initially, several bottlings of Chardonnay, more in the old-world style, struck a chord with the markets, but later the mountain-grown Cabernet would be recognized. The vines took time to mature since they were planted at higher altitudes, where snow fell, and the growing season was cooler. Neither founder was in a rush. Patience was allowed. The vineyard roots grew deep into the subsoil of the Maipo River banks. When photos of winter pruning showed snow on the ground, many in the Chilean wine industry were amused and thought Víctor was crazy for embarking on such an adventure. Decades passed, the vineyards matured, and the project took a turn. William sold his Burgundy brands to a large French wine conglomerate but held on to two things: the lands of his Premier Cru (which he leased to the conglomerate) and a minority stake in the mountain enterprise at San Juan.

By the year 2000, a dozen countries had adopted the wines, and there was an opportunity to expand the company. Víctor’s youngest son, Gonzalo, became interested—so much so that, with six children in school, he left a comfortable career in retail and went to work on the farm." (1)

(1) Text extracted from the web for promotional purposes.