Chile has one of the best and most diverse conditions for wine producing in the world. The primary reasons are that
1) it has a Mediterranean climate with a dry summer,
2) it has never been attacked by phylloxera,
3) it is the wine-producing country least affected by climate change (conclusions of the 2008 Barcelona Climate Change Seminar, Professor Richard Smart) and with the most zones left to discover to avoid it, and
4) it does not have the drought problems that other countries do. This makes wine production optimal all throughout the country.
De Martinos challenge has been to create wines that are a true reflection of their original and show Chiles unique diversity. To do so, the winemaking team constantly travels from north to south and from the coast to the Andes, seeking out the most incredible places for producing wines with tremendous personality. At De Martino we faithfully believe that the best wines are the product of the unique interaction between climate, soils, geology, and the plant. We also believe that in many cases, the best wines are produced under extreme conditions.
Reinventing Chilean represents De Martinos vision, and the primary objective of this innovative focus on production is to show that Chile has the potential to produce world-class wines. De Martino is a leader in embracing and promoting the following pillars that sustain this focus:
The innovative pillars of production
1) The Discovering Chile Project: Twelve years ago De Martino began a unique project to explain the variables that affect high-quality wine production in Chile. The winemaking team led by Marcelo Retamal and Eduardo Jordan, along with expert viticulturists, geologists, and a PhD in terroir, has explored and vinified more than 347 vineyards throughout the country, from Elqui to Bio-Bio. This study has allowed many conclusions to be drawn and as a result, new appellations such as Choapa and Limari have been placed on the map. We have also created the Las Cruces and Lima”vida Old Bush Vines wines within the Single Vineyard line that aim to show, along with the Carignan, the potential of Chiles old, dry-farmed vineyards. The primary objective is to show the best of Chileās diversity through the wines that portray their origin.
With the aim of learning from the Old World experience, the De Martino winemakers travel consistently and spend at least one month a year in distant countries and appellations to gain an understanding of the most important aspects of wine production in each region, including France (Bordeaux, Burgundy, Sauterne, Loire, Alsace, Rhone, Languedoc, and Champagne), Italy, Spain, Portugal, Australia, the USA, and New Zealand. They then implement their new knowledge in Chile as a complement to the Discovering Chile study.
2) Pioneers of and Specialists in Carmenere: De Martino made the first wine labeled as CarmenĆØre in 1996. This was a landmark in Chile and a big step for De Martino in positioning the varietal as the national emblem. This first wine came from the Alto de Piedras vineyard in Isla de Maipo, which produces what is perhaps the Chileās best Carmenere (Single Vineyard Carmenere). We have taken up the challenge of continuing to promote this varietal and its development.
3) Sustainability: This is very important to De Martino, not only because it respects the environment, but also because it is the way that wines best represent their origin. The objective is to make the entire processfrom the vineyard to the consumeras sustainable as possible. De Martino undertakes the following practices in its wine production and is an industry leader in this field:
A leader in organic production: The 300-hectare property in Isla de Maipo in the Maipo Valley began the process of transition to organic in 1997 and was certified in 2000 (Bio Garantie, Germany). The primary challenge is to produce wines with a high sense of origin that also respect nature to the greatest degree possible. The property is the largest organic plantation in Chile and, with 12% of the total, De Martino is the second largest producer of organic wines in Chile.
Obtaining ISO 14001 Certification: is an accreditation of sustainable management that results in better wines. Through ISO 14001 De Martino controls the practices of water usage, soil and pest management, energy conservation, and CO2 emissions.
Alliance with CODEFF: in 2006 De Martino entered into an agreement with the Chilean NGO CODEFF (National Committee for the Defense of Flora and Fauna) to actively collaborate by contributing a percentage of each case of the Organic line sold. This program collected US$2500 in 2007 and is expected to contribute more in the future.
Bottle weight reduction: De Martino will reduce the weight of its bottles by 12% in 2008 as a means of reducing the unnecessary CO2 emissions into the atmosphere.