Behind the Label: Viña Echeverría - No es Pituko

How did a successful, established bulk winery in Chile go from selling wine to Harrods in London to pivoting to a boutique winery focused on sustainability with a natural wine series called 'No es Pituko' ('it ain't fancy')?

Viña Echeverría's agricultural heritage dates back to the 1700s. The Echeverria family started the winery in 1930 and experienced a plot twist in the 1990s when Robert Echeverria Jr. returned home to work alongside his much-loved and critically acclaimed winemaking father. This transition included switching to sustainable methods in the vineyard and cellar. Today they are one of the most exciting boutique wine projects in Chile. It painstakingly took 20 years, but the wines remarkably speak for themselves to tell the story.

The vineyards are in Molina, a town in the Curico Valley. Here, they grow grapes from French pre-phylloxera rootstocks on 80 ha. The Echeverría family's French heritage is behind the focus on producing wines from French varietals in a distinctive style blending New World innovation and Old World elegance.

The Lamplight has available wines from the No Es Pituko (slang for 'it ain't fancy') series. The comical name illustrates the point that the wine was vinified naturally, without any additions at any stage. It ain't fancy, but it will seriously spoil your tastebuds.

BEHIND THE LABEL

Everything from the irreverent packaging to the colourful wax seals and animated labels leads us to believe the No es Pituko series is a fun, approachable and delicious wine -- and it does exactly what it says on the tin!

Illustrator and wine label designer Julia Soward is responsible for the delightfully entertaining 'WineZine' available for download on the No es Pituko website. The 'WineZine' is a clever little tutorial on natural wine, the winery and even a "how to" on opening wax seals -- complete with paper plane-like instructions on how to fold the printout into a booklet. The original, eye-catching artwork on the No es Pituko labels was designed by Roberto Jr's wife, Julia.

Join us March 16th, 2023 for Food and Wine Night! You will meet winemaker Roberto Echeverría and taste a delicious pairing menu designed by Chef Damien McGill and Zeeshan Khan of Wild Wines.

Ref: Viña Echeverría & Wild Wines