Altair: Twenty years of excellence in Cachapoal Andes

published 30 September 2024

For Altair, the Viña San Pedro winery in Chile’s Cachapoal Andes Valley, 2024 is a year to celebrate. With the release of Altair 2021 this year, the winery can now look back over twenty vintages that have earned it a place among the global viticultural elite.

Capturing the character of ancient soils

The terroir of the Cachapoal Valley, with its extraordinary microclimate and diverse volcanic soils, is the foundation of the wines’ quality. In the foothills of the Andes, these vineyards benefit from a cool climate and mineral-rich soils, perfect for crafting complex, elegant wines. According to winemaker Gabriel Mustakis, ‘the diversity of the ancient soils and separate vinification in parcels has allowed us to produce wines with great elegance, unique qualities and a clear sense of place.’

From the start, Altair has focused on five varieties – Cabernet Sauvignon, Carménère, Syrah, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc,with as little intervention as possible, to preserve the purity and delicacy of the fruit. Whilst the precise blend can change year on year, each vintage is an expression of the best of that particular harvest in Cachapoal Andes. The wines are refined in carefully selected barrels, foudres and amphorae – each lending different characteristics – along with vessels rarely seen in Chile, such as a rotating Galileo vat and granite eggs.

Looking back on 20 years of adventure

Altair’s success is not just down to deep respect for the terroir, but also the ability to innovate and adapt to new trends. ‘My mission is to capture the essence of the vineyard through a combination of art and science,’ explains Mustakis.

To celebrate the release of its twentieth vintage, Altair has organised an international tour taking in South Korea, Brazil, the USA and the UK. Vertical tastings will showcase the wines’ quality and consistency, offering aficionados a rare opportunity to appreciate how they have evolved over time and relive the journey of Altair’s first 20 years.

Altair’s two decades of success have helped raise Chilean wine to world-class status, and established the winery as an indisputable leader of premium viticulture in the region.