“I think many consumers, many somms, think of it as a great supermarket wine for the money. But I think Chile’s still got much more to show. Many people when they taste these wines, the first thing they say is, ‘But that’s not Chilean.’ But it is more Chilean than what your image of Chile is.” – Derek Mossman
Since 2006, Derek Mossman and his wife, Pilar, have been working alongside local farmers in Chile’s Maule Valley to revive forgotten centenarian vines and express their full potential. True to their humble origins, Garage Wine Co. ferments in a mismatched collection of repurposed milk tanks, wooden lagares, and Spanish tinajas. Despite working in the heart of a region known for its bulk entry-level wine, every one of Derek’s bottles is a rebellion against mass production—a tribute to forgotten terroirs and the people who are proud to tend them.
In this episode, Derek sits with Skurnik’s World Portfolio Manager, Cody Stephenson, to talk about his unlikely path from Toronto to the Maule, why regenerative farming isn’t just a buzzword, and what it truly takes to make honest wine in a world obsessed with efficiency.
Wines tasted in this episode:
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