Leoncio, "Pais" 2021

In Guarilihue, the interior of southern Chile's Itata Valley, Leonidas Fernandez known to his friends as Beto works under the name Leoncio, producing wines of imminent freshness from the hard-won fruit of ancient grape vines tended by several longtime, small-scale growers in the valley. Originally from Colombia, Beto worked as a sommelier for over 15 years, first in his native Bogotá (at the country's #1 restaurant & a top 50 'fine dining' spot globally, Leo Cocina y Cava) before traveling to Mexico & Spain working in restaurants of similar esteem. All of this before deciding to trade in the life of a sommelier to something much closer to the primacy of things, to producing wine himself. Having started in pandemic-era Chile in 2020 with the legend of País himself Roberto Henríquez, Beto somehow produced a first vintage in only 2021 of astounding purity & beauty, bespeaking years of experience despite his greenness. Tragically, earlier this year, the fires that ravaged the Itata Valley destroyed nearly everything Beto had. Upwards of 50% of his vines, his entire cellar, his amphorae -- all burned. There is a communal effort in the valley to help rebuild in addition to aid from around the globe. For now, this is the hard-won fruit of his & his growers' labor, delicious evidence of rarity produced by heirloom vines on the precipice.

Itata Valley, Chile. 100% País from 150-year-old vines rooted in basaltic, red clay soil. The grapes were destemmed and macerated on the skins for 8 days before pressing into old foudres. Unfined, unfiltered, just a touch of SO2.