Vinicola Atacalco, Carabe de Casablanca - Chile, 2024

Fast Facts

Vintage: 2024
Winemaker(s): Ricardo Baettig & Carlos Spoerer
Region: Lo Ovalle, Casablanca Valley, Chile
Varietal(s): Pinot Gris
Terroir: Granite and clay soils, Pacific Ocean influence, cool morning fog
Serving Temp: 50-55°F

Vinicola Atacalco is a gorgeous example of what happens when two Chilean wine veterans decide to make something for themselves. Ricardo Baettig and Carlos Spoerer have been making wine for other people for decades, but in 2017 they launched their own project. Inspired by Northern Italian skin contact wines – those extra textured, pink and amber-hued wines that feel both ancient and yet completely contemporary.

The duo make just two wines in this project, both fermented and macerated in terracotta amphoras from Tava, Italy. The Carabe de Casablanca comes from Pinot Gris vines planted back in 2007 in Lo Ovalle, Casablanca. Ricardo's been working Casablanca and Itata vineyards since the '90s and is considered one of Chile's most prolific winemakers. He also happens to be a literature and history buff. Carlos has family roots in Itata going back generations and brings his punk rock obsession into all winemaking. I think you'll feel it.

The Casablanca Valley is Chile's white wine heartland, with cool morning fog rolling in from the Pacific that keeps everything ultra-fresh despite being closer to the equator than any European vineyard. This vino sees four whopping months of skin contact, and the result is a perfect bridge of orange wine intensity with Ramato Pinot Gris elegance.

Why'd we pick it?

Two Chilean wine veterans with punk rock energy making amphora-aged orange wine I think is the ultimate answer here. This isn't some gimmicky orange wine project; these guys have been working Chilean vineyards since the '90s and have been making skin-contact vino before it was cool. Plus, Italian terracotta amphoras are amazing.

Field Notes

• Tastes like: a mineral 1-2 punch with vegetal notes, lively acidity, and touches of spice and bitterness in the background, with plenty of body.
• Serve this chilled but not ice-cold. A 55-ish range lets all those amphora-aged complexities shine.
• Pair it with: Roasted cauliflower with tahini, aged manchego with a gorgeous fruit homemade jam, or anything with funky fermented foods like kimchi or a miso leading dish.