CoPa País, Valle de Itata 2021

Made from vines estimated to be over 150 years old – this is proper old-vine Chilean wine. Bright cherry, wild herbs, earthy spice, and bags of character.

If you think Chilean red wine starts and ends with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, this is a bottle we'd strongly suggest trying.

CoPa is a tiny project focused on the ancient vineyards of Chile's Itata Valley. These are some of the country's oldest vineyards, and this particular wine is made entirely from País – the historic grape variety that has been growing in Chile for centuries.

The vines are estimated to be more than 150 years old and are dry farmed, relying on natural rainfall rather than irrigation. The grapes are picked by hand before being destemmed and fermented slowly in open-top wooden tanks.

After fermentation, the wine spends 18 months ageing in concrete eggs and old French oak barrels. The idea isn't to cover the fruit in oak – it's all about letting these incredible old vines and the País grape do the talking.

Why We Like It

This is exactly the sort of wine we love finding at The Strong Water Co.

A tiny producer, a grape variety that many people won't have tried before, and fruit coming from vines that were already seriously old before most of us were born.

More importantly, it's delicious. There's loads of bright red cherry and red fruit, but underneath you'll find wild herbs, earthy notes and a lovely savoury character. The tannins give it structure without making the wine heavy.

If you're normally drinking Pinot Noir, Beaujolais, lighter Rhône reds or more savoury Mediterranean wines, we'd definitely give this a go. It's Chilean red wine from a completely different angle.

Tasting Notes

Nose: Bright red cherry and red berries with wild herbs, earthy notes and a touch of Mediterranean-style garrigue.

Palate: Fresh and elegant with juicy cherry fruit, savoury herbs and gentle but structured tannins. There's plenty of complexity without the wine becoming heavy or over-extracted.

Finish: Fresh, savoury and persistent with lingering red fruit, herbs and earthy spice.

Food Pairing

Brilliant with Mediterranean food, chargrilled vegetables, oily fish and simply cooked meat.

We'd happily put this alongside grilled lamb, charcuterie, roasted peppers or a big plate of grilled vegetables. The combination of fresh red fruit and savoury herbs makes it a really versatile bottle at the table.

Product Details

• Producer: CoPa Wines
• Wine: CoPa País
• Vintage: 2021
• Country: Chile
• Region: Valle de Itata
• Grape: 100% País
• Vine Age: Estimated 150+ years
• Farming: Dry-farmed
• ABV: 13.5%
• Bottle Size: 75cl
• Closure: Cork
• Winemaker: Rodrigo Concha
• Suitable For: Vegans & Vegetarians

Buy CoPa País Chilean Red Wine Online

Buy CoPa País Valle de Itata 2021 online from The Strong Water Co., independent wine merchants based in Royal Deeside, Aberdeenshire.

We deliver wine throughout the UK, including Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, the Scottish Highlands and Islands. Whether you're ordering wine for delivery to Inverness, the Highlands, Skye, Orkney, Shetland or elsewhere across Scotland, you can order online for delivery direct to your door.

Local customers can also shop our wine range at The Strong Water Co. in Banchory and Ballater, in the heart of Royal Deeside.

ABV STRENGTH 13.5

BOTTLE SIZE 75cl

COUNTRY Chile

GRAPE Pais

REGION Rio Itata

STYLE Medium-bodied

VINTAGE 2021