Malleco Wine Region Guide

Malleco: Where Chile’s Wild South Meets Burgundy’s Soul

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Last updated: June 20, 2025

Introduction

For decades, Chile’s wine establishment believed the ‘deep south’ was totally unsuitable for wine growing: too wet, too cold, and too unpredictable. Then, three friends—Bruno Prats, Felipe de Solminihac, and the late Paul Pontallier—proved them wrong. Planting Malleco’s first commercial vineyard in 1995, this trio put Traiguén on the viticultural map—a remote and lush terrain that is a far cry from the desert landscapes of Coquimbo in the north. More recently, Francisco “Pancho” Baettig established Viñedos Los Suizos in 2013, planting Chardonnay and Pinot Noir on a plateau between the Quino and Traiguén Rivers. The final frontier of Chilean viticulture, once considered an unattainable prize, is slowly being conquered.

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James lawrence

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