Our History
2001
This enterprise was founded in June 2001 at the hands of Don Bruno Barberis, under the name of Vinícola Las Bodegas del Abate Ltda., with the practical aim of concentrating a large volume of surrounding vineyards and facilities to successfully achieving regular increases in the production and processing of their wines in bulk to the Chilean market.
2011
It was not until August 2011 that three friends, partners and visionaries, Messrs. Bruno Barberis, Michel Farias and Juan Etchevers, country lovers and good wine who decide to acquire Bodegas del Abate Ltda. and since then register it with another name representative of the area, so they decide to call BODEGAS y VIÑEDOS RIO CLARO LTDA. to undertake the dream of creating a winery whose purpose was to give life to noble and quality wines, marked by a strong identity of the Maule Valley.
2012
Ending 2012, Bodegas y Viñedos Rio Claro, with great effort and in their eagerness to grow in volume, plant 100 hás of vineyards of different strains, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay, reaching with this a total of 300 hás planted in the vicinity of the town of San Javier. This, complemented by other actions, the winery managed to position a cherished place for bulk wines into domestic market. By the other hand, that year was launched an experimental development of the first Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve bottled by the winery, which would be called "LIMAY" which in Mapudungun means RIO CLARO, absolutely related to the historical identity of the place where it is produced.
2014
In late 2014 and because of the experience gained over the years in the national market, its partners yearn to reach greater numbers of people who can receive and enjoy the result of this passion, opening the possibility to exports wines to different markets around the world.
2015
With renewed vigor, hoping to achieve the goals and after six months of hard work in searching for new markets, arose the first foreign customer carrying to realize the first export of bottled wine to China.
At the same time, the winery was developing a complete line of wines, from the most basic, to varietal, Reserve, Grand Reserve and arriving at Icon, whose name was labeled as "RUGENDAS" in honor of Bavarian painter to tour the country in the nineteenth century represented in his works culture and traditional customs of Chile.
However, in its development plan, by the end of this period, Bodegas y Viñedos Rio Claro wanted to enhance their range of wines, recovering for this the brand "Viña Limay" and raise it to a new level, where premium wines can be presented in fullness.
To be continued…