Ventisquero Wine Estates is one of Chile’s leading premium wineries. The project began in 1998 with the first wines being released in 2001. Since the beginning, owner Don Gonzalo Vial and his family have been pushing the status quo and always looking “a step beyond”. Ventisquero are in the enviable position of owning all their vineyards in Chile’s most important wine producing areas. They have unrivalled winemaking expertise, headed up by Tim Atkin MW's Chilean Winemaker of the Year 2021, Felipe Tosso. Felipe has worked closely with John Duval, of Penfolds fame, creating iconic Chilean wines.

The Casablanca Valley, located just west of Santiago in Chile, is one of the country’s most renowned cool-climate wine regions. Influenced strongly by the cold Humboldt Current and morning coastal fogs, the valley benefits from moderate temperatures, long growing seasons and a significant diurnal temperature range. This combination allows grapes to ripen slowly, developing intense aromatics and balanced acidity.

The soils are predominantly decomposed granite mixed with clay and sand, offering excellent drainage while retaining enough moisture to sustain the vines in the dry summers. These conditions are particularly favourable for aromatic white varieties and elegant reds.

Casablanca is most celebrated for its crisp, vibrant Sauvignon Blancs, which often display notes of citrus, gooseberry and fresh herbs. Chardonnay also thrives here, producing wines that range from lean, mineral-driven expressions to richer styles with subtle oak influence, offering flavours of apple, pear and stone fruit. The region has also gained recognition for cool-climate Pinot Noir, which shows bright red berry fruit, floral notes and delicate spice.

Overall, wines from Casablanca are marked by freshness, purity of fruit and lively acidity, making the valley a benchmark for cool-climate viticulture in Chile and a key region for high-quality, expressive wines.

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.