Don Nelson Acosta, the memorable former head coach of La Roja (the Chilean national football team), is the founder of this winery. In recent months, he has faced difficult health challenges. Meanwhile, we look back at his legacy—not the sporting one, but another even more exquisite: fine wine.
Currently, they produce 7,300 bottles per year: two thousand Cabernet, five thousand Carménère, plus three hundred bottles of Tannat, Uruguay's signature grape variety.
Viña Casa Acosta was founded by Nelson Acosta, a renowned figure in South American football who, upon arriving in this land, decided to "take root," creating a home infused with the spirit of his native Uruguay.
One of the great virtues of our country and this region is its fertile soil, exceptionally suited for crafting fine wine. Today, the Cachapoal Valley has much to offer in this market. They know this well at Viña Casa Acosta, a family-run winery located in San Vicente de Tagua Tagua that is increasingly positioning itself as a favorite among experts and the general community alike.
Its origins trace back to 1998, when founder Don Nelson Acosta—emblematic head coach of La Roja and mastermind behind Chile’s qualification for the 1998 World Cup in France—acquired land just before the national team’s memorable trip to the tournament. Today, the “profe” has been battling Alzheimer’s disease for some time and is currently at home recovering from a delicate cardiac complication suffered last March.
Thanks to the hard work of his son, Damián Acosta, the wine born from this soil stands out today as one of the best in the Cachapoal Valley. The entire production process (maceration, fermentation, devatting and pressing, filtration, and bottling) is done manually. Through this approach, the first official production was completed in 2003, when they released 1,200 750cc bottles. Ombú (named after Uruguay’s characteristic tree) became the first wine line born in this winemaking house.
“The first vines were planted the very same year as the World Cup,” recalled the man now in charge of the family business. “After two or three years, we immediately started making bulk wine, paying another winery to process it, and there were times when we simply sold the grapes. That continued until 2003, when my father wanted to bottle his own wine under his own label. Back then, we produced a large batch that sold out quickly. In 2004, the project was put somewhat on standby until 2015, when we resumed it with the support of Alfonso, our winemaker. We started with a couple of barrels I bought and by applying for Corfo and Sercotec development grants. Now we have more, and we keep growing,” commented the current head of Casa Acosta.
Together with winemaker Alfonso Duarte, Damián is one of the main creators of the Brut Carménère sparkling wine Guidaí, the newest offering from Casa Acosta. It is worth noting that Guidaí is the word used by the Charrúa—Uruguay’s indigenous people—for the moon. When full, its round shape evokes the bronze medal Nelson Acosta won at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games—the only Olympic football medal achieved by the Chilean national team to date. The sparkling wine was labeled just two or three months ago, and although it has not yet been officially launched on the market, customers are already purchasing it.
This is a limited edition of just 600 bottles, and they hope to include it in the Ruta y Vinos del Cachapoal shop located at the Monticello Boulevard in Mostazal. “We’ve done very well. We submitted it unlabeled to the Catad'or competition and it won a gold medal. We’ve also brought it to other tastings, and everyone has praised it as a truly great product,” Damián indicated.
Additionally, they recently opened their doors to wine tourism with an excellent reception. Through established tours, visitors can tour the winery, explore the facilities, enjoy tastings, and, of course, purchase their products. They have now decided to focus year-round on experiential tourism, where visitors can participate in internal vineyard processes, such as pruning. “You’ll be able to harvest the grapes, ferment in the barrels, and later come back to bottle and label your own wine to take home,” he said.
Without a doubt, it is a deeply family-oriented winery. When holding events and hosting people on their estate, visitors are amazed to be welcomed by Damián alongside his own family, including his wife and children: “When people visit the winery, it’s like welcoming them into your own home, and we see the impact when they write to tell us what a wonderful time they had at the event.”
Labels
As a family winery, they actively participate in designing their labels. “We always discuss it first with my family. We have various ideas that we work on with a specialized agency; they always understand and hit the mark with what we want. For the Ombú label, I asked that my father’s silhouette face be visible in the middle of the tree,” he explained.
However, for Don Nelson’s son, there is immense affection for Estación Francia, the winery’s Gran Reserva. Made primarily from Carménère, it features a cherished label that entered an international design contest. “It’s a nod to my dad for the France 98 World Cup, and also because he was born in a train station in Uruguay named Estación Francia—a beautiful coincidence in life. Furthermore, it features an illustration of a queltehue bird (Southern Lapwing), which was historically raised in the Uruguayan countryside,” Damián explained. Soon, the second Estación Francia wine line will arrive, followed by a third line honoring its founder: the icon series bearing his name, Nelson Acosta.
Tannat
Casa Acosta is one of the few wineries in Chile featuring the Tannat grape variety. Originating from southern France, it is a lesser-known variety in Chile, which is why the winery will soon promote a new limited edition under its Ombú line. Tannat is an iconic red grape in Uruguayan territory, with only a couple of other wineries growing it in Chile.
Damián Acosta acquired the plant from a nursery, and it took a couple of years to grow. “You could tell it wasn't in its native climate, but even so, it has performed remarkably well. We are very pleased and happy with the final product.” Its flavor stands out for being drier and more intense than Cabernet Sauvignon itself. “It depends on the harvest and how it is managed whether its flavor comes out with more power or subtlety,” he explained.
In San Vicente, they have a small vineyard area—just over half a hectare. “Two years ago we released a Carménère-Tannat blend, and for this year 2023, we are waiting for the label of the new 100% Tannat under the Ombú line,” announced Acosta, revealing that its label will stand out with a light blue color, the official color of Uruguay (el país charrúa).
Cachapoal Valley Wine Route
This winery is an active member of the Ruta y Vinos Cachapoal trade association alongside a dozen wineries across this province in the O’Higgins Region. The organization operates its own retail shop at Monticello Boulevard in Mostazal, thanks to an alliance established with the entertainment center in 2021. There, visitors can find their wines and the full portfolio presented here, especially Ombú and Berá.
For Damián Acosta, having a dedicated space in Monticello is very important for the valley's wineries: “This location serves as the gateway to the Cachapoal area, and as founding members of this route, we are thrilled.”