That belief that in Ecuador it was impossible to harvest grapes for wine was what motivated Guillermo Wright, 68, from Quito, to venture into that market.
Since 1999 he decided to prove otherwise. It happened after he, along with a friend, observed experimental farms in Playas, Guayas province. There he saw the cultivation of table grapes and was attracted to that practice.
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Near the site bought 360 hectares and harvested 3 with table grape crops, which resulted. However, Wright wanted to go further and thought it was possible to grow wine grapes as well.
For this, imported three plants from Brazil and Argentina in 2004: Malbec, Cabernet for white wine and Chardonnay for red.
That attempt did not work, but he insisted. And it was in 2006 when, together with the Argentine winemaker Abel Furlán, they produced their first wine: Paradoja.
A year later, Bruma was born, symbolizing the dawn mist that covers the vineyard every day. And in 2008, Enigma, in allusion to the unknown about how the grapes planted for this wine would turn out. This was the first white wine.
And this is how it started in the market Two Hemispheres Winerya company that employs 40 people and is the winner of more than 20 national and international awards.
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For example, with their Paradoja wine they won a silver medal from the Wine Brotherhood in Quito; for two consecutive years, at the World Awards London; and others in Germany and China. But other awards also came with his creations Cautivo, Enigma, Travesía Cabernet, Bruma and, the oldest, Tomás Carlos.
Guillermo Wright is the general manager, and his son, Robert, 44, the president. The latter remembers how his father fought to fulfill his dreamin which he became involved.
“Many people called us crazy because, in theory, it was impossible to make quality wine in Ecuador. Most are in the north and south of the continent. This has been an emotional roller coaster. There have been many difficulties, such as people not believing; but also incredible things, like winning international awards. It’s something I’m proud of,” says Robert Wright.
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Of the 360 hectares, Bodega Dos Hemisferios has harvested 37 with twelve vines:
Inks:
- Malbec
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Merlot
- pinot noir
- Sangiovese
- Tempranillo
- Petit Verdot
- Cabernet Franc
- Ancelotta.
White:
- chardonnay
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Viognier
Before, its winemaking process was in plastic tanks; now they go through stainless steel tanks for fermentation, and then into French and American copper barrels. There are wines with a short aging time and others of six, twelve, eighteen and up to 38 months of aging..
“Wines that are not aged have 45 days, and from there they can be bottled and those are quick to market. There are others of 24 months in barrels that, in total, 38 months have passed since the harvest”, explains Wright.
Ecuadorian wine is bottled in bottles imported from Chile and covered with corks brought from Portugal.
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In 2021, they sold approximately 534,000 bottles of the 30 products they have, from different brands, with prices from $6.00 to $67.00.
In that year exported 20,000 bottles to the United States, Spain, Switzerland, Germany and Panama.
Although the COVID-19 pandemic was complicated by the closure of hotels, where they also distribute, it resulted in a 69% growth opportunity in 2021. This because more customers of its wholesalers were interested in the product.
The wines, both white and red, are in 25 self-service stores (supermarkets), 362 companies, 277 horecas (hotels, restaurants) and 33 liquor stores/gourmet markets. They also reach 1,299 individuals.
All the products leave the vineyard, located in San Miguel del Morro, in the Playas canton, in Guayas. They have a shop there.
Furthermore, in the Calle Panamá, in Guayaquil, have another place to taste the wine. Another of its sales channels is the website, with home delivery nationwide.
Wright along with his father have high aspirations, How to launch a sparkling wine and an orange wine in December, a color that arises from its natural treatment.
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also aspires to open a store in Quito and reach more international markets. He says that 2023 is designed for the latter.
“Our wine is good, but people don’t know it. I would love to have ten times what we have and be able to make Ecuador is recognized as a wine producer in the world, and we are very far from that”, he expresses and adds that it is not impossible either.
Vineyard, the heart of Two Hemispheres
A tour of knowledge and tasting is the experience in the vineyard of Bodega Dos Hemisferios, in San Miguel del Morro, Playas.
A wide greenery mixed with the purple of the grapes is what prevails on the site. On the tour they detail how they create the different types of wine.
“The harvest process has been twice a year; in the rest of the world it is one. Once we harvest, it stays one day in the cold room. If it is a red grape, there is another machine that opens the skin a bit and all that grape goes through a pipe to the stainless steel tanks, and the juice inside, by gravity, goes down. It’s the ink in the skin that gives the color,” explains Wright.
On this tour, in addition to learning about the history of the company and seeing the winemaking process, you can taste wines.
In 2021 they received 1,700 visits to the vineyard, and in 2022 they aspire to reach 2,700. There are packages of $120 plus VAT that start at 10:00 a.m. and end at 5:00 p.m. They include a snack and welcome drink, tours, lunch, tasting of four wines and a personalized bottle.
Another is valued at $60 plus VAT, in two schedules. They receive tours of the vineyard and plant, snacks and tasting of four wines. (YO)
Source: Eluniverso
Paul is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment and general news. He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established herself as a respected voice in the industry.
