Unpublished: They plant ancestral strains to produce wines in Rapa Nui

The objective is to develop “a product with high added value for the island and the country, as well as an innovative business line,” says oenologist Fernando Almeda.

They plan to produce at least Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

With the support of the Foundation for Agrarian Innovation (FIA) , three friends decided to innovate and produce Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and wild vines in Rapa Nui.

The idea of ​​the project is to produce wines in a territory that until now has not done so, due to its adverse climate and soil conditions . Also look for a potential strain  whose genetic fingerprint is unknown to date.

” The objective is to make a quality wine, with differentiating characteristics both in the origin, the grape variety and the particular and unique way of vinifying,” explained  oenologist Fernando Almeda.

“This will provide a product with high added value to the island and the country , in addition to developing an innovative business line on the island , inviting and sharing technical information with the wine-growing projects under development,” added Almeda.

The expert explained that, in Rapa Nui, ” there are old abandoned vineyards, but established and acclimatized, on the slopes of the Rano Kau volcano.”

The initiative “could be a productive local alternative to give greater value to gastronomy-related tourism . An innovative project,” remarked  Fernando Almeda , whose partners are the agronomist Álvaro Arriagada and the farmer Poky Tane Haoa Hey .

The last two live in Hanga Roa.

Source: https://www.cooperativa.cl/noticias/pais/region-de-valparaiso/inedito-plantan-cepas-ancestrales-para-producir-vinos-en-rapa-nui/2020-11-20/190946.html