Chile – Rancagua
The Santa Rita Winery
Near the town of Rancagua, in north-central Chile, there is a perfect terroir for wine. The latitude and climate are similar to California’s wine country. Santa Rita is one of many wineries in this region.
An Old Hacienda
The Santa Rita Winery was converted from a run-down traditional hacienda.
Antique Winemaking Gear
Outside the buildings is a display of Santa Rita’s first generation of barrels and presses used in the production of wine.
The Varieties
Several varieties of both reds and whites are produced here.
Bottling
The low-coat wines are bottled by machine in a newly constructed building.
Reinforced Walls
The cellar used for premium wines was a stable on the old hacienda. For wine production the walls had to be reinforced with concrete to survive this region’s frequent earthquakes, which have registered up to 9.8 in recent times.
Traditional Viticulture
The old building is used for the premium vintages.
Below, L: Aging in barrels in a newly reinforced cellar. R: The best vintages are finished in bottles, stored in these metal racks for years.
