Winemaker Alvaro Espinoza
Emiliana was founded in 1986 and took off in the late 1990s. Owners Rafael and José Guilisasti recognized the global trends in health and environmental protection early on, and together with Álvaro, gradually built Emiliana into South America's first 100% biodynamic and organic winery. Today, Emiliana has over 1,000 hectares of organic vineyards, making it the world's largest organic winery and the largest biodynamic winery! Their Adobe series is the number one selling organic wine in Chile, with a market share of 59.9%! Incidentally, Emiliana is now part of Concha y Toro, Chile's largest winery, which, in addition to its phenomenal sales, owns three top wineries—Almaviva, Don Melchor, and Cono Sur—all renowned as Chile's "Eighteen Arhats" (a group of prominent Chilean wineries). Emiliana's flagship wine, Ge, has consistently received 98 points from James Suckling over the years, and the 2018 vintage was even selected as the #1 of Chile's 2021 Top 100 Wines by JS. It can be considered one of Chile's top wines, truly ranking among the best in Chile in every aspect. This level of Cabernet Sauvignon is definitely worth trying.
Thanks to its consistent quality and pioneering organic philosophy, the winery has gained global recognition: it has obtained organic certifications from the EU, the US, China, Japan, and other countries, as well as numerous authoritative certifications such as Demeter Biodynamic, Fair Trade, and Vegan. In 2016, it was awarded "Chilean Winery of the Year" by Wines of Chile, and many of its wines have consistently won high scores and awards in international competitions such as James Suckling, Decanter, and IWSC, making it a benchmark brand for Chilean organic wines.
The winery owns approximately 1,256 hectares of vineyards spanning six of Chile's core wine regions, encompassing diverse terroirs from cool coastal areas to warm inland regions, providing a rich flavor base for its various wines:
- Los Robles Estate in the Colchagua Valley is the birthplace of the winery's biodynamic farming methods. Its granite soils impart a robust structure to the wines, making it the core region for its flagship wines;
- Los Morros Estate in the Maipo Valley, with its predominantly alluvial soils, is an important growing region for classic Bordeaux red varieties, particularly Cabernet Sauvignon;
- The Maule Valley, a traditional old-vine region, employs arid cultivation methods, resulting in highly concentrated fruit that imparts a full-bodied fruit flavor and robust texture to the wines;
- The Casablanca Valley and Biobío Valley, along with other cool coastal regions, primarily produce white and sparkling wines, complementing the winery's product range.
The core of this wine's flavor stems from the unique natural conditions of Chile's Central Valley. The vineyards are situated on the gentle slopes of the Coastal Mountains, moderated by the cool sea fog of the Pacific Ocean and the diurnal temperature variations of the Andes Mountains. This allows the fruit to ripen slowly and evenly, accumulating rich and full-bodied aromas while maintaining bright and transparent acidity. The soil, primarily mineral-rich alluvial, boasts excellent drainage, encouraging deep root systems to seek water and imparting a robust structure and subtle mineral character to the wine.
Unlike conventional farming, the winery implements biodynamic management standards in all its vineyards: cultivating biodiversity through native trees and flowers, naturally nurturing soil fertility with mulch, and ecologically controlling pests using mobile chicken coops. Synthetic pesticides and fertilizers are completely eliminated, allowing the grapes to grow in a near-native environment, preserving the pure expression of the terroir to the greatest extent possible.
Cabernet Sauvignon is arguably the most famous high-quality grape. Besides being the most widely planted red grape, its quality is generally quite good. This is because Cabernet Sauvignon, which is relatively difficult to ripen, requires specific conditions to produce its full potential. It is characterized by high tannins and acidity, with herbaceous aromas. It often requires aging, but Chile's warm climate, diverse soils, the slopes of its coastal mountains, and biodynamic farming methods result in a pleasantly mature tannin and acidity, making it excellent even when young!
Novas, meaning "supernova," symbolizes their patience and research in respecting and integrating nature. Like a supernova, it is young, innovative, and shines brightly. The Novas series uses organic grapes in its Gran Reserva wines. Each wine in the series comes from a single appellation, allowing for a more faithful expression of the terroir. The production and barrel selection are also more refined: 83% aged in 4-year-old French barrels, 6% in large French barrels, and 11% aged for 10 months in stainless steel tanks!
