First Costa Rica winery launched

Napa Valley wine consultant Kerry Damskey has pioneered Costa Rica's first commercial winery.

Damskey (pictured) told Decanter.com he planted 4ha of Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Syrah and Grenache in December 2011.

The winery and vineyards are located above the small city of Copey in central Costa Rica, at an altitude of 2000m.

‘Costa Rica will present a challenge but you can always adapt to local conditions and the high altitude site shows great promise for grape growing’, Damskey said.

Damskey’s team have also been experimenting with five other varieties, including Zinfandel and Merlot.

Their first commercial vintage will be released in 2015.

Written by James Lawrence