Anakena (wine)

Updated on Nov 22, 2023

Edit

Comment

Anakena is a privately owned winery based in the Alto Cachopoal area of the Rapel Valley in Chile. It produces a variety of styles. In September 2015, Anakena was bought by Accolade Wines for 30 million dollars.

Overview

Vina Anakena was founded by Felipe Ibáñez and childhood friend, Jorge Gutiérrez, in 1999. Anakena currently owns over 400 hectares of vineyards (155 hectares in Cachapoal Valley, 128 hectares in Leyda in the San Antonio Valley, 70 hectares in Cerro Ninquén in the Colchagua Valley, and 70 hectares in Las Cabras, near the Peumo area) producing 400,000 cases of wine per year. The wines are exported to over 40 countries around the world.

Culture

The name Anakena signifies ‘bird cave’ in the Rapa Nui culture (based on the birdman legend).

The legend of the Tangata Manu (bird-man) tells that the Easter Island seagull, or Manu Tara, hid its precious egg in a secret hideaway, or Anakena. Every year the bravest islanders swam the long distance from Rapa Nui to the islet of Motu Nui in search of the egg. The one who found it and carried it safely back to Rapa Nui was given the title of birdman, or Tangata Manu, and bestowed with honour and fortune.

Anakena uses ancestral engravings and pictographs on its labels to reflect its commitment to Chile’s native cultures and show the world the cultural and artistic legacy of all the precolumbian people who preceded them.

Winery

Anakena’s winery is 6,600m2 in size and contains 148 stainless steel tanks and 1,300 barrels, enabling the production of 3.5 million litres of wine per year. All the wines are bottled in the cellar.

There is also a wine store and visitor centre. Tours of the vineyards can be arranged in advance.

Winemaking

Winemaking at Anakena is overseen by chief oenologist, Gonzalo Pérez. Gonzalo has been making wine for over 15 years and previously held winemaking positions at a number of Chilean wineries including Santa Rita, Viña Francisco de Aguirre, Viña Cantera and Viña Tarapacá.