Chile has some amazing wines!
But Cono Sur has the best range ever!
Importers this is your chance to buy some great quality wines don’t miss it out!
Interview of Ms.CLAUDIA PFAU – Communication Manager – Cono Sur Winery for AsiaImortNews – Exclusive
Could you please tell us the story of your winery, when it was created and how it developed decades after decades ?
Cono Sur Vineyards & Winery was founded in 1993, a young company with a very successful development in little more than two decades.
When the Winery was created, the main objective was producing premium, expressive and innovative wines, always in the New World’s style.
The company defines itself by the orientation towards quality, creative use of technology and sustainable policies.
The quest is to present the world with the finest grape expression and character, from Chile’s main wine regions.
The motto of the company is: no family trees – no dusty bottles – just quality wines
What sort of wines are you producing ?
Cono Sur produces, of course, Red and White wines, also Rosé and Sparkling in Charmat and Champenoise methods.
We are also leading producers of aromatic wines such as Riesling, Viognier and Gewürztraminer and probably the biggest producers of Pinot Noir in the world as a single company.
Cono Sur Portfolio shows special and unique characteristics for each range of the Brand.
SILENCIO: Icon Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile
OCIO: Icon Pinot Noir from the New World
20 Barrels: The best Barrels Selection of each vintage
Single Vineyard: The Best Block of grape vines , Terroir expression
Reserva Especial: Wines from the gifted valleys from Chile
Bicicleta: Wines that characterize Chilean diversity.
Organic and Sparkling are settled in different categories.
Organic of course belongs to sustainability and Sparkling, “Be a Spark”, innovation, attitude and young spirit.
How important are your export distribution compared to national distribution ?
The Winery was founded to explore foreign export markets, today it exports to more than 80 countries, and the domestic market represents 2% of the sales.
What sort of distributors are your customers ?
We work with about 80 distributors from the 5 continents.
We love importers the share our passion and commitment for wine and we have set long term relationships with many of them.
As a big company we prefer nationwide importer that can cover all the country and all the sales channels that can position us as big players among Chilean wines but also in the market. It sounds easy but is really not…
Why your wines are different from other wineries in your area ?
Cono Sur wines come from a wide selection of origins, like Limarí, Casablanca, San Antonio, Maipo, Aconcagua, Cachapoal, Colchagua, Maule and Bío-Bío valleys.
It vinifies more than 11 varieties harvested from 50 different estates across Chile. All of them give a deep understanding of the true nature of New World wines. They clearly represent the expression of their home soils in the aromatic intensity of fruit and through the elegance and concentration. Their style is an open invitation to explore new sensations.
Pinot Noir, is a very distinctive variety for Cono Sur, and is present in 8 ranges of the Brand.
Ocio, the Icon Pinot Noir and Ultra Premium 20 Barrels, are vinified according to the Burgundian tradition, but always keeping Cono Sur’s New World style.
Cono Sur is also well-known for the great quality of its aromatic varieties.
It was the first winery to produce and export Chilean Viognier, produced the first Riesling with a Bío-Bío Valley Designation of Origin and is the largest producer of the Gewürztraminer variety.
Do you produce grapes in a organic or environmental friendly method, or with general methods ?
In fact, Cono Sur is a pioneer of organic and sustainable viticulture in Chile and of course one of our ranges is Organic, wine made from organically grown grapes. We are the second largest exporter of organic wine from Chile, and this is represented by quality and environmental policies and of course the corresponding Certifications and Credentials.
To mention some of them:
In 1998, the winery implemented the switch from conventional to sustainable agriculture, a system which favours the use of natural alternatives to fertilize, prevent and control plagues, diseases and weeds. The whole management of Cono Sur estates is environmentally friendly, we called it “Integrated Vineyard Management”.
In 1999, Cono Sur started an organic viticulture project in 40 hectares of Chimbarongo vineyards, in Colchagua Valley. After the necessary 3-year transition period, it produced its first wine, made from organically grown grapes and – certified by BCS Oeko Garantie GMBH Germany – in 2003.
Currently, 300 hectares are worked under the organic program.
In February 2002, Cono Sur became the first winery in South America to earn a double ISO certification:
ISO 9001: 2000 for its quality assuring procedures.
ISO 14001:1996 for its environmental policies.
In 2007 Cono Sur became the first winery in the world to receive the CarbonNeutral Delivery® status, by neutralizing its carbon footprint and investing in forestry projects.
The year 2010, it became the first winery in South America and the third in the world to be certified ISO 14064-1 through the CEMARS™, positioning itself as a leader in environmental care.
In 2011 was elected “Green Company of the year” by the British magazine Drinks Business.
In 2014 Cono Sur achieved OHSAS 18.001 for ensuring well-being of the workers and ISO 50.001 for the implementation of an energy management system.
Are your wines already distributed in Asia, and if not what are the countries you are looking for new distributors ?
Cono Sur wines are present in Asia since the beginning, the year 1994, when the distribution in Hong Kong and japan started.
Today, it also exports to Malasia, Vietnam, China, South Korea, Singapur, Philipines, Myanmar, Taiwan, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Camboya, Thailand and, India. Practically in all Asian Continent.
Is there anything who want to add about your wines, story or any news ?
Cono Sur was the Chilean winery that started the expansion of the boundaries of viticulture and winemaking.
The Winery diversified and enriched the fruit sources, leading a permanent search for the areas and exiting terroirs from the northern to the southernmost frontiers of Chilean viticulture.
It introduced varieties formerly barely known in the country, like Pinot Noir, Viognier, Riesling and Gewürztraminer.
The Winery was born around the oldest Pinot Noir vineyards, was the first in Chile to produce Premium Pinot Noir, and also the first one to export it.
Today, Cono Sur is one of the largest producers of Pinot Noir in the world, and built two exclusive wineries with special technology to vinify this delicate and so speciale variety.
Thank you Ms.CLAUDIA PFAU – Communication Manager – Cono Sur Winery for your time and answers!
For Importers:
Cono Sur Winery: www.conosur.com
www.facebook.com/pg/conosurwinery
Great wines from Chile!
