Viña Echeverría is a family-run estate winery, owned and managed by the Echeverría family. Established in 1930, but with an agricultural heritage going back to the 1700s, Viña Echeverría is as much today, as always, driven by a shared passion for winemaking and an uncompromising search for excellence. Viña Echeverría combines nearly a century of viticulture and winemaking experience with a modern state-of-the-art winery, to produce an extensive collection of quality wines. They have recently been awarded its Sustainable Winery status by Wines of Chile.

The Valle de Malleco is one of Chile’s most southerly wine regions, located in the Araucanía region at the foothills of the Andes. Its cool, rainy climate makes it particularly well suited to elegant, aromatic styles of wine. Annual rainfall is high compared to most of Chile, and temperatures are moderated by both altitude and latitude, giving a long growing season with slow, even ripening. These conditions are especially favourable for early-ripening varieties such as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, which dominate plantings.

The soils of Malleco are largely of volcanic origin, with a mix of clay and sandy loams. They are free-draining yet retain enough moisture to sustain vines through the summer, helping produce wines of notable freshness and purity. The combination of volcanic soils and cool climate imparts a distinct mineral edge and lively acidity.

Malleco’s Chardonnays tend to be crisp, citrus-driven, with green apple, pear and subtle stone fruit characters, often layered with a flinty note. Pinot Noirs are delicate and perfumed, showing red berry, cherry and floral aromas, with fine tannins and vibrant acidity. The overall style of the region is elegant and restrained, with a focus on balance and finesse rather than power, making Malleco an exciting frontier for Chilean wine.

Pinot Noir is one of the world’s most celebrated and challenging grape varieties, renowned for producing elegant, complex wines. Believed to have originated in Burgundy, France, over 1,000 years ago, it thrives in cooler climates where its thin skin and early ripening nature are best suited. Viticulturally, Pinot Noir is notoriously difficult to grow: it is susceptible to rot, mildew, and pests, and requires precise canopy management to balance ripening with acidity retention.

Pinot Noir is planted across the globe, with notable expressions found in Burgundy, Champagne, Oregon’s Willamette Valley, California’s Sonoma Coast, New Zealand’s Central Otago, and Germany’s Baden and Pfalz regions. In Champagne, it is a key component of sparkling wines, typically blended with Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. The wine's diverse geographical range means that you might also find it labelled as Red Burgundy, Pinot Nero, Blauburgunder, or Spätburgunder.

The grape produces wines of delicate colour but remarkable aromatic depth. Typical flavour profiles include red fruits such as cherry, raspberry, and strawberry, often layered with floral notes, earthy undertones, and hints of spice or forest floor as the wines mature. Styles range from light and silky to more structured and age-worthy, depending on climate and winemaking choices. Pinot Noir’s ability to express terroir with precision makes it a favourite among wine lovers, despite — or perhaps because of — its demanding nature in the vineyard.