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William Fevre Winery
The wines quickly found their way to Europe. Initially, several bottlings of Chardonnay, more of an old world style, struck a chord with the markets, but later mountain-grown Cabernet would be recognized. The vines were slow to mature, because they were planted at higher altitudes, where snow fell and the growing season was cooler. None of the founders were in a hurry. Patience was allowed. The roots of the vineyards grew deep in the subsoils of the banks of the Maipo River. When photographs of the winter pruning showed snow on the ground, many in the Chilean industry were amused and thought Victor was crazy to have undertaken such an adventure. Decades passed, the vineyards matured and the project took a turn. William sold his brands in Burgundy to a large French wine conglomerate, but he held on to two things: the land of his Premier Cru (which he rented from the conglomerate) and a minor stake in the mountain company in San Juan. By 2000, a dozen countries had adopted the wines and there was an opportunity to expand the company. Victor's youngest son, Gonzalo, became interested, so interested that, with six children in school, he left a comfortable career in retail and went to work on the farm.
Under Gonzalo's leadership, the firm continued to differentiate itself from the rest. Gonzalo enlisted the help of Dr. Pedro Parra to help better understand why San Juan wines were different and how the farm could distinguish itself even more. The work continued and the small business continued to grow. When winemaker Cristián Aliaga joined, the firm found its focus on fewer wines. The plots were now well separated and the soils well understood. It became evident that the second property, planted next to the winery, had been the bed of an ancient tributary of the Clarillo River. These lots were separated to reflect the winding path of the river bed. Some of the lots were grafted and years later an earthy Cabernet and a Cabernet Franc found their way into the best of blends. As word spread through the trade, small batches of mountain fruit were made available to other wineries, and the project piqued the interest of Alberto Antonini, who signed on as a blending consultant. Today, the work continues with patience and resolution under the proud gaze of Victor and William, who twenty years later, have barely begun to talk about the project: 'Now there's something in the bottle, there's something to talk about.'
