Tasting a wine from 250 year old vines

Recently, I came across an article in the New York Times by wine writer Eric Asimov. He regularly lists his favorite 20 wines under $20. I always like to see if I can get my hands on some but not every wine available in NY is available in CT. A friend of mine sent me an offering from Flat Iron Wines in NYC. They tracked down many of the wines with a description of them and all were priced below $20. I made up an order of 6 different wines with an eye out for wines from grapes I have not had or that were from old vines. With the mild winter we are having here in CT I felt OK with having them shipped during February.

The 2019 Luyt Pipeno Famila Ernesto Soto Carrizal is made with 100% Pais from 250 year old vines. The grape, also known as Mission and others was brought to Mexico, California and South America by the Spanish in the 1500s. It was once the mostly widely planted variety in Argentina.

I have been on a kick lately and have been seeking out wines from very old vines. See previous blog posting about this topic here. Many of the old vines are ungrafted, meaning they are on their own original roots and not grafted onto different root stock. Most of the world's vines are on grafted roots due to  phylloxera.  Phylloxera is the organism that was inadvertently brought to Europe from North America and eventually wiped out many of the vineyards in Europe and the rest of the world. The only cure was to graft on North American grape roots that were resistant to phylloxera. 

The Pais vines have a tendency to produce an abundance of grapes but older vines generally have smaller yields which lead to more concentrated flavors. In the hands of Famila Ernesto Soto, who produce this wine and others from some even older vines,  we get a lighter colored, fruity wine with a tannic backbone.  

Photo courtesy VinePair

Photo courtesy South American Wine Guide

Aside from being from 250 year old vines Pais is a variety have not had. Whenever I get a chance to try a variety that is new to me I always go for it. With the history behind this grape, the first of the vitus vinifera species of grapes to be brought to the new world, and old vines, I was hooked. And, it was bottled in 1 liter bottles. 

Many people that enjoy wine share my passion of seeking out unusual or rarely seen wine grapes. The Wine Century Club offers a chance to document the number of grapes you have tried wines from. Once you hit 100 different wine grapes you can apply for membership. I have been a proud member of the club since 2010. There are a fair number of wine lovers who have gone way past the century mark including 6 members that have hit the 600 mark. I have well exceeded the 100 mark but have not yet submitted my list. 

This wine has so many stories behind it. It was made possible by the efforts of Louis-Antoine Luyt, originally from Burgundy but spends part of his time in Chile. He has championed a more natural style of grape growing and wine making. He produces wine from Chile but also supports other growers and helps them get wines to the market. Louis-Antoine does not make this wine but he has helped the Ernesto Soto family get distributed. I take my hat off to him.


​So the next time you are in a wine shop take a look for wines from older vines or for something you haven't tried. you might just get a taste f history.