Viña Umpel: Chile's Guardian of Ancient País and Natural Winemaking

Viña Umpel is a fascinating and deeply authentic winery nestled in the Yumbel region of the Bío Bío Valley in Southern Chile. Founded in 2014, the project is a heartfelt endeavor to rescue and revitalize old-vine País vineyards, some over 120 years old, that had been abandoned for many years. This dedication to heritage varieties and traditional practices sets Viña Umpel apart, making them a significant voice in Chile's burgeoning natural wine movement.

Viña Umpel owns and cultivates approximately 7.5 hectares of vines, predominantly País, but also includes Carignanand Malbec. Their viticulture is truly minimal intervention: all grapes are dry-farmed (not irrigated) and harvested manually. They pride themselves on working with vines that embody the history of winemaking in Chile, dating back to the arrival of the Spanish. While not explicitly stated as "certified organic" on all platforms, their practices align with very low-intervention, agroecological farming, focusing on the natural health of these ancient vineyards.

In the cellar, Viña Umpel embraces a philosophy of purity and ancestral techniques. Their wines are crafted to be "natural,agroecological, without additives, without sulfites, without water, or sugar." Fermentations are 100% natural, using indigenous yeasts. They report very low or no added sulfites (typically <10 mg/L), and their wines are unfined and unfiltered. The focus is on allowing the ancient vines and the unique terroir of Yumbel to express themselves directly in the bottle. Their flagship "Del Peregrino" wine is a tribute to the local pilgrimage to San Sebastián, further cementing their connection to the region's cultural heritage. They produce vibrant red wines and, more recently, a white wine from "Nena."

Viña Umpel's wines are celebrated for their rustic charm, vibrant fruit, and profound sense of place. They offer a unique window into Chile's winemaking past, reimagined through a modern natural wine lens, delivering honest and compelling expressions of ancient vines.