Viña Miguel Torres

Owners: Familia Torres
Chief Winemaker: Eduardo Jordán Villalobos
Website: migueltorres.cl
Commercial Contact: cmarquez@migueltorres.cl


History
Viña Miguel Torres stands out as the first foreign winery to establish itself in Chile, a country the Torres family chose for its optimal winemaking conditions. Founded in 1979, Miguel Torres Chile has positioned itself as one of the leading wineries in the production of quality wines. With a tradition of 300 years as vineyard owners in Spain and 140 years of wine production, the Torres family brought their pioneering spirit and innovative approach to Chile.

Miguel Torres Chile was the first to introduce the use of stainless steel tanks and French oak barrels for ageing red wines in the country. These innovations, although initially not always understood, drastically improved the quality of the wines, especially the whites, which gained freshness and aromatic expression thanks to the control of low-temperature fermentation. These technological contributions opened a new path for the Chilean wine industry.

Today, the family-run company has focused its efforts on sustainability, adapting to climate change through organic and regenerative viticulture practices. Additionally, it promotes fair trade and actively participates in the recovery of ancestral varieties, demonstrating a continuous commitment to the environment and a legacy of innovation.

Vineyards
The Maule Valley, one of the largest and most diverse wine regions in Chile, is home to most of Miguel Torres' vineyards in the country. This valley is characterised by the coexistence of two contrasting realities: one sector comprising fine varieties and another, more ancient and traditional, dedicated to common varieties for local consumption. The valley's climatic conditions, with its nocturnal frosts, pose a constant challenge, which has led to the implementation of wind turbines and mobile air heaters in some vineyards to protect the crops. In the Maule Valley, late-harvest red varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Cot, Merlot, and Petit Verdot are mainly grown. Among the white varieties, Semillón, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot, Chardonnay, and Riesling stand out. However, the most emblematic grape variety of the valley is Carignan, originally from Spain and brought to Chile during the time of the Conquest, which is found mainly in the coastal dryland of the region.

The Curicó Valley, located 200 kilometres south of Santiago, is known for being one of the widest valleys in the country. Its soils, generally clayey with the presence of marl and volcanic material, allow the cultivation of a wide variety of grapes, both white and red. This valley, with a sub-humid Mediterranean climate and an average annual temperature of 14°C, is the birthplace of wines such as Manso de Velasco, Cordillera Brut Pinot Noir, Miguel Torres Gran Reserva Chardonnay, and Miguel Torres Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon.

Miguel Torres has also ventured into extreme wine regions in Chile, resulting in unique projects such as Cordillera Chardonnay, made with grapes from the Limarí Valley in the north, and Cordillera Sauvignon Blanc from Osorno. These white wines come from regions with unique climatic conditions and soils, which give them a distinctive character.

One of Miguel Torres' most special projects is the Empedrado vineyard, located on slopes of slate stone soils just a few kilometres from the Pacific Ocean. From this unique terroir comes Escaleras de Empedrado, a Pinot Noir that reflects the essence of the slate stone soils.

Additionally, Miguel Torres has focused its efforts on the recovery of ancestral varieties in the Coastal Interior Dryland, an extensive area that stretches from the Mataquito River in the Curicó province to Yumbel in the Concepción province. This region, rich in history and tradition, is home to villages founded during the Spanish colonisation, where agricultural methods inherited from that era are still practised. Despite the historical challenges of resource degradation and low productivity, Miguel Torres works to revitalise these lands and their heritage grape varieties.

Finally, Miguel Torres has expanded its work to the Itata Valley, the oldest wine-producing valley in Chile. Here, the winery collaborates with local winegrowers, learning from their vast experience and contributing to the resurgence of traditional Chilean grape varieties, extending its influence also to the nearby Biobío Valley.

Wines from Viña Miguel Torres