Cono Sur

Cono Sur, meaning 'Southern Cone' in Spanish, was founded in 1993 by Concha y Toro as an independently operated winery with a clear mandate: produce premium, expressive, innovative wines that reflect Chile's diverse terroirs. The name also carries a secondary meaning as a play on the word 'connoisseur,' neatly capturing the winery's dual mission of quality and accessibility. Headquartered in Chimbarongo in the Colchagua Valley, Cono Sur sources grapes from 10 estates across eight Chilean valleys, making it one of the country's most geographically broad producers. From its founding, the winery distinguished itself through three pillars: creative use of technology, an uncompromising orientation toward quality, and genuine respect for the environment.

• Established 1993 in Chimbarongo, Colchagua Valley, as a subsidiary of Concha y Toro with full operational independence
• Name references South America's Southern Cone geography and doubles as a play on 'connoisseur'
• Third-largest exporter of bottled wine in Chile by volume
• Pioneered Viognier production and export from Chile; among the first to produce Gewürztraminer and the first to label a Riesling with the Bío-Bío Valley Designation of Origin

Cono Sur was the first Chilean winery to export Pinot Noir commercially, and Pinot Noir remains the single variety present across every tier of the portfolio, from Bicicleta to Ocio. In 1999, the winery inaugurated a dedicated Pinot Noir winery in Chimbarongo and launched its formal Pinot Noir project, calling on Martin Prieur of Burgundy's Domaine Jacques Prieur to help select Chilean terroirs and advise on vineyard management. The goal was to produce a wine that was distinctively Chilean in origin but vinified using classical Burgundian methods. The project's crown jewel, Ocio, was released in 2003 and sources fruit from cool coastal sites, most notably the Casablanca Valley, where granitic soils and proximity to the Pacific Ocean preserve natural acidity and freshness. The 2021 vintage of Ocio was awarded a Master medal at the Global Pinot Noir Masters 2024, the highest possible award.

• First Chilean winery to produce and export premium Pinot Noir; the variety appears in every range from Bicicleta to Ocio
• Pinot Noir project launched 1999; dedicated Pinot Noir winery built at Chimbarongo the same year; 530,000-litre premium Pinot cellar added in 2009
• Martin Prieur of Domaine Jacques Prieur (Burgundy) served as consultant for terroir selection and vineyard management
• Ocio (flagship, from 2003) sources from Casablanca Valley; the 2021 vintage earned a Master medal at Global Pinot Noir Masters 2024

Cono Sur's range operates on clearly defined tiers. Bicicleta, the entry-level line named for the bicycles vineyard workers use to travel between rows, offers varietal typicity at everyday prices across reds, whites, and rosé. The Organic range offers certified organic expressions of Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère, and others. Single Vineyard bottlings highlight individual estate blocks by valley, including Carmenère from Cachapoal, Syrah from Limarí, and Sauvignon Blanc from Casablanca. The 20 Barrels line is a premium barrel-aged selection aged 12 months in a combination of barriques and foudres. At the apex sit two icon wines: Ocio, the flagship Pinot Noir from Casablanca, and Silencio, an icon Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from Alto Maipo, first produced in 2010. Winemaking director Matías Ríos, who joined in 2003 and took the director role in 2018, oversees all ranges.

• Bicicleta: entry-level, named for the bicycles workers use across estates; covers Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Carmenère, Viognier, and others
• Organic range: certified organic wines including Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon/Carmenère; Single Vineyard line explores specific valley blocks
• 20 Barrels: premium Pinot Noir aged 12 months in barriques and foudres from San Antonio and Casablanca vineyards
• Ocio (Pinot Noir icon, since 2003) and Silencio (Cabernet Sauvignon icon, since 2010) represent the winery's premium tier; winemaking director Matías Ríos leads the team

Sustainability is woven into Cono Sur's founding philosophy rather than added as a marketing afterthought. In 1998, the winery began transitioning from conventional farming to integrated vineyard management, replacing synthetic inputs with natural pest control methods including geese, sheep, insects, and plants. In 1999, a formal organic viticulture project was launched on 40 hectares of Chimbarongo vineyards. After the mandatory three-year transition, the winery produced its first certified organic wine in 2003, a Cabernet Sauvignon/Carmenère blend certified by BCS Oeko Garantie GmbH Germany. The winery now manages 314 hectares of certified organic vineyards. In 2007, Cono Sur became the first winery in the world to obtain CarbonNeutral delivery status. Further milestones include ISO 14064-1 certification (2010, first in the Americas), ISO 50001 and OHSAS 18001 certifications (2014), and B Corp certification (2017).

• 1998: transition to integrated vineyard management using geese, sheep, and beneficial insects instead of synthetic chemicals
• 1999: formal organic viticulture project launched on 40 hectares in Chimbarongo; first certified organic wine produced in 2003
• 2007: first winery in the world to achieve CarbonNeutral delivery status; 2010: first in the Americas to achieve ISO 14064-1 certification
• 2014: ISO 50001 (energy management) and OHSAS 18001 (occupational health and safety) certified; 2017: B Corp certification achieved; 314 hectares of certified organic vineyards today

Cono Sur's technical courage has been as defining as its viticulture. In 1995, it became the first winery in South America to use synthetic corks, a decision that challenged the assumption that only natural cork signaled quality intent. In 2002, it went further, becoming the first Chilean winery to adopt screwcaps for aromatic white wines at a time when such closures were widely viewed as incompatible with serious wine production. The winery has since shifted most of its whites, rosés, and Pinot Noirs to screwcap based on performance evidence rather than convention. This closure philosophy aligns with a broader technical identity: the main winery in Chimbarongo holds 12 million litres of capacity in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, allowing precision fermentation management across an enormous volume of wine without compromising the house style.

• First winery in South America to use synthetic corks (1995); first Chilean winery to adopt screwcaps for quality aromatic whites (2002)
• Screwcap adoption driven by performance data on oxidation prevention and freshness retention, not commercial convenience
• Main winery in Chimbarongo holds 12 million litres in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks
• Decisions on closure, fermentation, and vineyard practice consistently prioritize technical evidence over tradition

Cono Sur's influence extends well beyond Chile's borders. The winery served as the official wine of the Tour de France in 2015, a partnership that significantly boosted the Bicicleta brand's visibility in Europe and underscored the playful cycling connection embedded in that label. The winery's Ocio Pinot Noir 2021 received the highest award, a Master medal, at the Global Pinot Noir Masters 2024. On the sustainability front, Cono Sur won Green Company of the Year 2011 from The Drinks Business magazine and achieved B Corp certification in 2017. With Pinot Noir production of approximately 4.5 million litres annually, Cono Sur ranks among the largest Pinot Noir producers in the world by volume, while maintaining critical recognition and export presence in over 90 countries.

• Official wine of the Tour de France in 2015; Bicicleta brand name and cycling imagery reflect the winery's genuine vineyard culture
• Ocio Pinot Noir 2021 awarded Master medal at Global Pinot Noir Masters 2024, the highest possible recognition
• Green Company of the Year 2011 (The Drinks Business); B Corp certified 2017; exports to 90+ countries
• Produces approximately 4.5 million litres of Pinot Noir annually, making it one of the world's largest Pinot Noir producers by volume