Baettig

Francisco Bettig was born in Santiago in 1969, but his roots lie much further south. His great-grandfather and great-grandmother emigrated from Switzerland to Chile in the late 19th century and settled in the vicinity of Traiguén, a small town 600 km south of Santiago, in the province of Malleco. After studying agronomy and oenology at the University of Chile, Baettig obtained a Master’s degree in oenology and viticulture from the University of Bordeaux in 2002. He then spent more than two decades as head winemaker at Viña Errázuriz, overseeing iconic wines such as Seña and Viñedo Chadwick.

In 2010, over dinner with a friend and future partner, Carlos de Carlos, a wine marketing specialist, the idea of creating their own brand was born. Vinos Baettig was officially launched in 2020.

The Vineyard

After two years of researching the soil and climate, Baettig and De Carlos chose a plateau between the Kino and Traigen rivers, just 3.5 km from the town of Traigen, and planted it in 2013. The vineyard, named Viñedo Los Suizos (‘The Swiss’), is situated on a 22-hectare plateau. Of these, 9 hectares are planted with Pinot Noir and 6.4 hectares with Chardonnay.

The soils here are ancient, formed 2–5 million years ago from volcanic breccia, resulting in red clays on the surface with volcanic rock beneath; they are poor in fertility and ideal for vineyards. Situated on the 38th parallel south, the region receives around 1,084 mm of rainfall per year, making dry farming not only possible but a central element of the project. Solar radiation is 25% lower than in central Chile, and the heat summation reaches just 1,200 degree-days, resulting in naturally moderate alcohol content and high acidity.

Grapes and viticulture

The vineyard is planted exclusively with French clones of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, mainly on rootstock. Viticulture is carried out manually, without the use of chemicals, and weeding is done both by hand and with the aid of machinery. Harvesting is carried out entirely by hand, usually in April. Very recently, Bettig added an old Cabernet Sauvignon vine from the Maule region to the range, sourced from bush vines planted in 1971 in Caukenese, which has introduced a third grape variety and a different terroir to the range.

Winemaking

The approach is one of minimal intervention at all stages. The grapes are fermented using only indigenous yeasts. The Chardonnay is pressed as whole bunches and undergoes cold settling before fermentation in French oak barrels. Malolactic fermentation is not induced; it usually completes to about a third, depending on the vintage. During fermentation, the Pinot Noir includes a proportion of whole bunches, the quantity of which varies depending on the harvest.

Ageing takes place in French oak barrels with a moderate percentage of new wood, which is gradually reduced over the years in favour of larger barrels and less new oak. Annual production is limited to a maximum of 90,000 bottles.

Wines

Vinos Baettig produces wines at two levels.

The entry-level range, ‘Vino de Viñedo, Los Parientes’, includes both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and is intended for early consumption.

The top-tier range, ‘Selección de Parcelas, Los Primos’, comprises a selection of single-vineyard wines aimed at greater complexity and ageing potential.

The wines have received scores ranging from 95 to 97 points from critics such as Robert Parker (Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate), Tim Atkin and James Suckling, and in 2021 the winery was named ‘Discovery of the Year’ by Descorchados.

Production volumes remain deliberately small, and the wines are sold exclusively through a network of 28 specialist importers worldwide.