There are probably no better grapes than cinsault and pais to best illustrate the essence of drinkability in Chilean wines. Their lighter color, clarity and primarily red and citrus fruit, often accompanied by a wild, peppery touch, are reminiscent of the beguilingly light yet intensely expressive reds made by Spanish producers like Envinate, Comando G and Terroir Al Limit. Chile’s pais and cinsault belong in the same league of excellence but offer even better value.
One notable characteristic of both pais and cinsault is their remarkable ability to express their unique terroirs, particularly in the hills of Itata, where the vineyards boast a granitic base. The result is intellectual wines that can be as terroir-specific as the pinot noir from Burgundy. Prominent winemakers like Leonardo Erazo and Pedro Parra, both of whom own their own vineyards, have a clear vision of the soil types they seek and the wines that can be crafted from them.
Parra, who is also a terroir consultant, emphasizes the importance of limiting the fruit and flesh of cinsault, finding finesse from silt, and gaining tension from quartz and iron in his exceptional "Miles" vineyard. He likens this specific terroir to Comando G’s Rumbo Al Norte vineyard, with the most complex soils among all of his crus. As a result, his "Miles" wine offering is often more well-rounded and a little fleshier with good depth. On the other hand, his "Newk" has more quartz and less silt, and is a sharper and more mineral wine, just like Comando G’s Tumba del Rey Moro.
