King Of The Desert | Giorgio Flessati Of Vina Falernia

By Angela Mount

I love wines with a story. Ultimately whether one enjoys a wine or not, is all down to the taste and the style. However, there’s an added intrigue, or romanticism about wines, which have a fascinating background, either, because of their origin, or because of the person who made them.

Recipes for wine stories don’t get much better than this: take one brilliant and eccentric Italian winemaker - Giorgio Flessati, undoubtedly one of the most respected winemakers in South America; transport to a cacti-populated, arid desert in northern Chile; throw in some vines; and hey presto, a few years later, the result is a set of award-winning wines, which defy belief, given their origin.

The vineyards are located within 3 different sites in the rugged Elqui valley, 500km north of Santiago, and are the country’s most northern vineyards.  The soils are harsh and cacti grow at the end of each row of vines. It doesn’t seem an obvious location for quality winemaking, yet, is one of the most exciting regions in Chile right now. Why? Because of the altitude; the 3 vineyards are between 500m and a staggering 2000m above sea level, which means that although they endure the fierce daytime heat, it gets very cold at night and in winter. Add to this the proximity of the Pacific Ocean and its cooling breezes, and it’s actually a rather unexpected marriage made in heaven.

How and why Giorgio Flessati had the brilliant, but originally slightly mad idea to pioneer this area back in 1997, we’ll never completely know. When asked, he shrugs his shoulders, grins in a charmingly laconic way, and pronounces, in his glorious Italian accent ‘it just seemed like a good idea; I like a challenge. There’s not a lot to do when you live in a tiny village in the desert, so I concentrate on my winemaking’.  And Giorgio, we thank you for it, for the wines are truly stunning.

I can’t think of any of his wines that I don’t enjoy.  His ELKI PEDRO XIMENEZ, a vibrant, spicy, yet dry white, is one of my favourites with Asian food, and his ELKI SANGIOVESE, is spot on as an affordable, juicy, fruity, lighter style red, ideal for midweek pasta or chicken suppers.

Move up the scale a little, to the VINA FALERNIA RESERVA range, and this is where Giorgio’s true alchemist skills are showcased to the full. His VINA FALERNIA CARMENERE RESERVA, brings weight, style and class to Chile’s native grape, with a bold, black fruit, soft style, whilst the deep, brooding sumptuousness of  VINA FALERNIA SYRAH RESERVA has won more Oscars than Dame Judy, sweeping the board as best in show, at both the Decanter and the International Wine Challenge awards, year after year.

Never one to rest on his laurels (well as he admitted, it does a get boring living in a tiny village in a desert), Giorgio is constantly inventing new magic.  I caught up with him last month, when once again, he was bubbling over with excitement and enthusiasm about his latest creation, VINA FALERNIA MALBEC RESERVA.  Another breath-takingly top class, bold red, this time from Argentina’s home grape variety, which seems to have settled rather nicely in its neighbour’s country. If I were a betting person, I’d have a flutter on this latest thoroughbred picking up an award or two next year.

The very best wines in the world come from ideas of brilliance, and often eccentricity, where the winemaker challenges the elements and breaks the status quo. Giorgio Flessati does that each and every day. He also happens to be one of the most charming, enthusiastic, and determined albeit madcap winemakers I know.  Giorgio, please never change, and keep working your magic!