While most wine tourists in Chile stick to the valleys near Santiago, there's a much older and more interesting region for anyone looking for something different: the secano interior (dry-farmed interior), between the Mataquito and Biobío rivers, home to vines over 100 years old grown without irrigation, relying solely on rainfall.
What the secano interior is and why it's different
The secano interior is a designation covering vineyards in Maule and Ñuble (formerly part of the Biobío region) grown without artificial irrigation, unlike most of Chile's better-known wine valleys. According to Chile's Agriculture and Livestock Service (SAG), there are still more than 2,600 hectares of País grapevines over 100 years old, mostly grown as free-standing bush vines, without wires or trellises.
Itata, Chile's oldest wine region
The Itata Valley is the country's oldest winemaking region, where the Cinsault grape took root after the 1939 Chillán earthquake. Of the 928 hectares of Cinsault in Chile, 794 are concentrated in the Ñuble region, most within this same area -a concentration that explains why Itata became synonymous with this grape in heritage wine circles.
| Grape | Main region | Key fact |
|---|---|---|
| País | Maule and Ñuble | Over 2,600 hectares of vines over 100 years old, according to SAG |
| Cinsault | Itata (Ñuble) | 794 of the 928 national hectares are in this region |
| Carignan | Maule | 795 of the 926 national hectares are in this region |
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See advertising formatsMaule: almost half of Chile's wine, with history behind it
The Maule secano interior is Chile's most historic winemaking valley, producing nearly 50% of national wine output with great grape diversity, where País and Carignan stand out most. Unlike the younger premium valleys, the history of Chilean wine here stretches back several centuries, with vineyards that in some cases have passed down through the same family for generations.
The heritage wine revival
What until recently were nearly forgotten vineyards, farmed by small producers for local consumption or bulk sale, are now celebrated under the "heritage wine" concept: a category that values not just the grape variety, but also the history, landscape, ancestral farming practices and local culture behind each bottle. That revival helped Itata's Cinsault gain international recognition in recent years, going from an almost anonymous grape to one of the most sought-after in Chilean heritage wine.
This kind of wine tourism can be combined with a tour of the more traditional valleys near Santiago -check our wine route guide to plan an itinerary that covers both worlds, the classic and the heritage.
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See advertising formatsFAQ
What's the difference between a secano interior wine and one from an irrigated valley?
The main difference is that secano interior vines grow without artificial irrigation, relying only on rainfall, which produces lower-yield plants with much deeper roots and longer-lived vines.
What is the País grape and why does it matter in Chile?
It's one of the country's oldest grape varieties, brought over during colonial times, and today it's central to the heritage wine movement for representing century-old vines that survived without the investment the more commercial valleys received.
Can tourists visit secano interior vineyards?
Yes, more and more small producers in Maule and Itata welcome visitors for tastings and tours, though it tends to be a more rustic and personalized experience than at the larger wineries near Santiago.
