Louis-Antoine Luyt

The wines are made from grapes grown in Chile's famed Itata Valley. Chile as a whole was never plagued by the louse Phylloxera; as a result, the vines here are, on average, one hundred to two hundred years of age! Additionally, the rampant use of chemicals and sulfur common place in most vineyard were nonexistent on the vines Louis-Antoine sources from, so even if their old age, they are vibrant and surprisingly productive! All of the grapes sourced for the Pipeno wines are 100% organic and farmed by local indigenous land owners - each back label proudly displays the farmer or family responsible for that wine. The name "Pipeno" is an effort to take back what was often a derogatory term for the local wines not made from international varietals owned by the wealthiest families in Chile. It is in reference to the traditional open-top wooden vessels used to make the wines - Pipas - and each label proudly carries the name on its front label. Louis-Antoine helps these farmers with the logistics and export of their wines, taking only the cost and affording them the ability to make a living from their land and vines.