CHONO is the name of the indigenous group that originally inhabited the Chono Archipelago in Chilean Patagonia. They moved constantly from island to island, with no fixed residence, and spent a large part of their lives in their dalcas, the canoe-like boats they used to move from one spot to the next.
In 2004, Chilean winemaker Álvaro Espinoza founded CHONO with the idea of offering wines that would take consumers on an emotional journey through the most interesting regions that Chile has to offer, while honoring the Chono people. Drawn by the quality of the wines and its cultural identity, in 2009, the renowned agricultural entrepreneur and founder of Viña Sutil Juan Sutil decided to take control of the project to show the potential of Chile as a high-quality origin both domestically and internationally.
A reflection of the Chono people’s nomadic lifestyle, the wines are not restricted by origin, but rather by the quality expressed in their vineyards from vintage to vintage. Each of their vineyards has been carefully selected and planted to specific varieties so that each terroir expresses all of its character and fruit potential.