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Small plots of land and a careful selection of fruit are the first steps to achieve the 'boutique wines', a market in which Latin-American producers are standing strong in the past years. Even though is not an original idea from the New World, it’s French, since it emerged two decades ago with the 'vin de garage', Chile, Uruguay, Argentina and a good number of South American countries have signed up for the consumption of luxury exporting their best wines to restaurants, wine merchants and most exclusive hotels in all the cities of the world.
Patience, dedication and passion are the qualities needed to create these wines, which are defined by their excellent quality and originality. The process of growth of these personal productions starts with small vineyards, that are not expected to have a high performance, is quite the opposite, finding the best grapes suitable for the wine you want to achieve, always unique wines with their own personality that excel from others and end with accentuating their uniqueness.
The elaboration follows a traditional process, and in most cases is handcrafted. In fact, the original French concept is 'vin de garage' that comes from practice of raising and fermenting the wines in different wineries from the one planned for these purpose. This process could be in a garage, the living room of a summer residence or any other place with the apropiate conditions like temperature and humidity. The best known French red wine was born this way and is known for its superior quality and its pioneering activity, Château Valandraud, in Saint Emilion.
When its time for aging, the barrels containing these wines should be brand new and with little use as well as cared for in every moment with the greatest attention, something that is made possible thanks to productions that are typically limited to 100,000 litres. After this long and delicate process the boutique winery creator is recognize for his personal touch and efforts. His work and dedication is the seal of a true work of art.
Ultimately, these wines of superb quality and produced in a very small scale, are creating great successes abroad. Only in Chile, the boom of these wine boutiques has driven over 200 brands in the market, while Argentine boutiques like Altos Las Hormigas, Renacer Winery and Vineyards Altocedro export between 50% and 90 % of its production to foreign markets diverse as the United States, Belgium, Brazil or South Africa, among others.
Even though they don’t have the same name in our country, boutique wineries have emerged in recent years with some prominent names who follow the concept of quality and exclusivity. Among them, the Contador and Cueva del Contador de Benjamin Romeo, Venus, from D.O. Montsant, Do Ferreiro from Rias Baixas, or the famous Pingus of Peter Sisseck. When the boutique wineries acquire great commercial success, something that is taking place in South America in recent years, often evolve into larger establishments, with strength and better technological equipment, but without losing the touch of quality and distinction gained in its origins.
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