2016 De Martino Viejas Tinajas Cinsault Itata Valley Chile 750 ml

Sebastian De Martino and his brother Marco go to great lengths to produce ethereal wines, and Viejas Tinajas is the kind of liquid history in a bottle that lovers of classically styled wines will absolutely love.

The brilliance of these wines caught the attention of Master of Wine Tim Atkin, who in 2019 named Retamal one of South America’s “Top 10 Winemakers” for Decanter magazine. “Retamal is arguably the most influential winemaker in Chile, a man who has had a radical impact on the way his country makes wine,” wrote Atkin, noting that he’s been particularly influential in Itata by setting a clear example: moving toward lower alcohol wines with less extraction and little or no oak aging as a way to let the sheer energy of the region shine through in every bottle. 

The elegance and verve of this 100% Cinsault comes in part from the farming and in part from its unique the fermentation and aging process, all of which occur in ancient amphorae (large clay pots), imparting a purity of fruit that is tinged with radiant mineral energy. The De Martino brothers scoured the country for amphorae produced from the same Chilean red soils as those planted in their vineyards—and found them one by one. 

Viejas Tinajas begins as tight clusters of grapes growing four and a half hours south of Santiago, the capital city of Chile, in the Itata Valley with its lush rolling hills and bright midday sunshine. 

The De Martino family entered the picture in the 1930s, and a patchwork of their Itata Valley Cinsault vines planted 110 years ago just about 13 miles from the cold Atlantic Ocean have sunk deep roots into lush-looking, vivid red soils, which to this day are plowed by horse, just as it was at the start of the 20th Century. 

The rolling hills and crimson soils also call to mind certain sites in Cru Beaujolais territory, like those of Morgon, and the wines produced by fourth-generation vintners Marco and Sebastian De Martino and Retamal are as high-toned as village-level Burgundy with a vivid acid backbone and the kind of fresh energy typical of Cru Beaujolais. Clocking in at 12.5% alcohol, with dark berry fruits, crushed minerals, and spring flowers seasoned with pepper, earth, and savory herbs, makes this 2016 Viejas Tinajas about as old school-classic as they come.