“When I was a little kid, my parents would open a bottle of wine at dinner, and I remember them talking for hours, enjoying each other’s company over a glass of wine. In my heart, I always wanted to find a career where I would make something to give to people so they could find that special moment.” - Alejandro Galaz, winemaker at Chile’s Viña Ventisquero

Founded in 1998, Viña Ventisquero owns several vineyards in Chile’s main wine producing regions: Coastal Maipo, Casablanca, Colchagua, Leyda, and Huasco. The wines are made under five different brands: Ventisquero, Kalfu, Tara, Ramirana, Yali, and Root 1, each with their own focus and style.

Winemaker Alejandro Galaz has been with the winery since the first vintage in 1999 (minus a brief departure as winemaker for a boutique Chilean winery) and is in charge of the winery's white wine and Pinot Noir production. He is the sole winemaker for Ventisquero's Ramirana wines, and jointly produces the Tara red and white wines with Ventisquero’s head winemaker Felipe Tosso.

Over dinner in Manhattan’s Txikito, a cozy Spanish restaurant serving Basque dishes, it was clear that Galaz’s childhood dream of helping people find their moments of happiness has been realized.

Chile, known for great value wines, is not as often recognized for its fine wine production. But, with the country’s increasing marketing efforts and worldwide wine exports, people are taking notice of the quality of Chilean wines, as well as their value — most notably for Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir.

At dinner Galaz and a group of journalists focused on a few of the top Ventisquero Pinot Noirs: Herú, Grey, and Tara. Light bodied, yet incredibly complex and flavorful, they were the perfect match with everything from anchovies with pickled peppers and sliced egg, to thinly-sliced octopus and homemade Basque sausages.

Galaz noted how each vineyard’s unique geographical conditions have contributed to the variations in the wines. “Pinot Noir is all about finesse and elegance,” says Galaz, “and I’m trying to best show where the grapes come from.”

Pinot Noirs tasted:

Ventisquero Herú Pinot Noir 2017. The label tells the story of an elf named Herú who secretly lived among the vines, keeping watch over the harvest, his most precious treasure. Complex and fragrant aromas of bright red fruit with an underlying herbal note give the wine a subtle earthiness. It tastes of juicy fruits with a good acidity, light ripe tannins, and a delicate minerality.

Ventisquero Grey (Glacier) Pinot Noir 2017. From a single block of vines in the cool-climate Leyda Valley, this Pinot Noir is bursting with aromas and flavors of juicy black fruit. The balanced acidity and soft tannins make it a perfect accompaniment with salads and pastas as well as seafood and lighter meats.

Tara Atacama Red Wine 1 2016. The vineyards for this wine are in the Atacama Desert, an arid land of wind, dust, sun, and salty soils that sees less than an inch of rainfall each year. How can vines grow in a place like this? Mainly, the vines survive due to the area’s proximity to the Pacific Ocean, with its cooling winds. This wine is made in very small quantities — if you find it buy it! Full of bright, fresh cherry fruit flavors and aromas, with herbal undertones and a vibrant salinity, this fine-textured wine is a pure delight.