The Pipeño from Coronel del Maule is produced by Sergio Perez, a farmer in his 80’s with over 70 harvests under his belt! He tends to organic, dry-farmed bush vines of País that are 200 to 300 years old. They are planted on iron-rich heavy clay soils with granite and quartz in the Coronel del Maule sub-zone of the Maule region. His daughters have recently decided to continue the viticultural work. The fruit is harvested by hand and manually destemmed using a zaranda (a traditional mat used to separate the berries from the stems).

Spontaneous fermentation and maceration occurs with indigenous yeasts in open wooden lagares at the site they were farmed. The wine is then racked to wooden tanks called pipas (hence “pipeño”) or stainless steel tanks to be transported to a bottling facility where the wine is lightly filtered and bottled very shortly after its fermentation to be released in a primeur style.

Louis-Antoine Luyt
I travelled all around to talk to landowners, and they told me they never produced for themselves, partly because they could not compete with the prices of cooperatives. So, they were obliged to sell their grapes. The more I got to know, the more dedicated I became to fight for the independent viticulture. To protect the old vineyards from getting torn out. Especially, the nearly forgotten and highly neglected ‘País’ vines.
I was told it was impossible to make good wine out of it. And I shouldn't even think about being able to sell them. My thought was: ‘challenge accepted…’
I went to Beaune to study oenology, where I met Matthieu Lapierre and many other likeminded spirits. I did my internship at Domaine Marcel Lapierre and learned about making wine that respects the land, nature, tradition, is made with minimal intervention in the cellar, and breaks away from the conventional along the way. This is exactly what I wanted to bring back to Chile. And so, in 2006, with the support of my cousin Matthieu de Genevraye who believed in my mission, I did.
My main objective was to safe the old vineyards and to create good wines made from native varieties. To motivate landowners to take a chance, to abandon the construction of selling their fruit in favour of making their own wines with me. Creating communities that assured the family, while developing wines respectfully made. Collaborating with them, building a lasting relationship that was fuelled by curiosity and excitement. Reinvigorating a culture that was on its way to cease to exist.
In turn, I wanted to share with them my traditions, so I started teaching them the Beaujolais method and they taught me ancient Chilean vinification. Still, to this day we make wines in both manners, so you can taste and experience both of our roots and traditions.