“Perhaps the word “obsession” is an exaggerated way to define the relationship that
winemaker Viviana Navarrete has with Pinot Noir. It’s more of a self-imposed challenge that
she has taken on since becoming Viña Leyda’s head winemaker in 2007. From the granite
slopes and clays of the Chilean Coastal Range, along the San Antonio Valley, Viviana now
has some of the best raw materials for growing Pinot Noir in South America. There, the Pinot
grapes mature slowly, gently swayed by the fresh Pacific breeze and Viviana– who looks for
this point of maturity that allows for fresh reds that are energetic and full of vitality”,
comments journalist, Patricio Tapia on the choice of Winemaker of the Year.
Viviana Navarrete came to Viña Leyda in 2007 with the aspiration of making wines with a
clear and strong identity. Her objective was – and still is– to make the winery the best
producer of Pinot Noir, offering fresh and elegant wines that express all of the potential of the
Valley and the fresh coastal climate.
"I am incredibly grateful to receive this grand honor, it’s so beautiful to see the dedication,
passion and commitment that one puts into their work every day come to fruition in this very
real way. On top of this, there’s a lot of persistence involved, especially with Pinot Noir,
which is a variety that I have always admired. It’s perhaps the most demanding grape of all,
but at the same time that excites me. This is a role where one never stops learning, so it’s
even all the more thrilling”, confesses Viviana Navarrete.
A few years ago, Peter Richards named her amongst the top ten winemakers in Chile, and
Kim Marcus of Wine Spectator considers her “one of the best Pinot Noir growers in Chile”.
In 2018, Wine Enthusiast mentioned her as one of the leading examples of women in the
wine industry.
This recognition adds to Viviana’s achievements last year when the prestigious North
American publication, Wine Enthusiast, named her amongst the top twelve winemakers in the
world. One month later, the esteemed British oenologist, Tim Atkin, published his 2020 Chile
Special Report, where he named Navarrete as Winemaker of the Year, highlighting that “the
Chilean wine industry is better thanks to her talent, dedication, kindness and charm”.
“At Descorchados, we’ve been tasting Viviana’s work in Pinot since the beginning and are
surprised at how it has evolved from examples that had little to do with the variety to fine
reds, closely related to their origin. It must be said that there is so much more to Viviana’s
work. Try every wine that she makes. There are some very good wines to be found there”,
finishes Tapia.