Viña Canchones

Owners: Universidad Arturo Prat
Chief Winemaker: Alejandro Wedelles
Website: vinodeldesierto.cl
Commercial Contact: contacto@vinodeldesierto.cl



History
Viña Canchones was founded in 2006 in the Tamarugal plain, in the heart of the Tarapacá Region's desert, by the Universidad Arturo Prat. It is the outcome of an applied research process that aimed to rescue the winemaking traditions of the region, dating back to the 16th century. Later, it receives support from the Government and Regional Council of Tarapacá, which allows for the expansion of the vineyard area, the inclusion of new farmers, and the attraction of skilled personnel. Additionally, a cooperation agreement is established with Viña Santa Carolina.

The project has successfully recovered a series of forgotten grape varieties and recorded a grape recognized as discovered in the region. This gave rise to Viña Canchones' "Vino del Desierto," which obtained its first Gold Medal at the international Catad’Or World Wine Awards in 2018, showcasing the valuable heritage and oenological work carried out.

The mission of Viña Canchones is to transfer the acquired experience to farmers in the Tarapacá Region, aiming to achieve a production of quality wines under the "Vino del Desierto" designation, integrated into the region's tourism and gastronomy.

Vineyard
Viña Canchones is located in the Tamarugal plain, in the commune of Pozo Almonte, at an altitude of about 1,000 meters above sea level, in the world's most arid desert. Its soils consist of crusts of salts that form the salt flats, and the water source is mainly underground, resulting in a high salt content. The predominant climate is that of an "absolute desert," characterized by high daytime temperatures throughout the year (averaging above 30 ºC) and the occurrence of frosts during the months of June and July (typically reaching as low as -8 ºC), with intense solar radiation and very low relative humidity.

Grape varieties planted include: Tamarugal (white), Gros Colman (red), País, Torrontés Riojano, and Ahmeur bou Ahmeur.

Wines from Canchones