Being named one of the “World’s Greatest Winemakers” is nothing to scoff at; even less so when your peers are giving you the honor. Decanter Magazine honored 30 enologists in their July 2015 issue, including Marcelo Retamal of De Martino. Retamal, who began his career at De Martino in 1996 and has worked with them exclusively since, played a crucial role in the development of the winery’s identity. He strives to produce well-balanced, food-friendly wines with a sense of origin and tradition. De Martino has received many accolades with Retamal at the helm, but he credits his colleagues for the recognition, “It is a reward for all of us who work at De Martino.”
Retamal is a pioneer in Chilean winemaking, always the first to innovate – a big feat for someone who learned along the way, all the while working for the same winery who stood behind him 100%, despite his ideas stirring controversy when introduced. His wines started out as super-concentrated, over-oaked, and made-in-the-cellar, but evolved drastically over the years. Retamal no longer uses any new oak, strives for as natural a production as possible, and anticipated the harvest significantly. He also revived the forgotten Itata Valley, a region producing some of the most highly-acclaimed wines in the country.
