South American Grapes: A 16th-Century Comeback, Now Aged to Perfection [Part-2]

1. Jardin Oculto Blanco de Noir Finca Lumen 2023 Los Cintis

Crafted using Moscatel de Alejandría, Negra Criolla, and Vischoqueña grapes. These varietals reflect the rich viticultural heritage of the region, with Moscatel de Alejandría contributing aromatic intensity, Negra Criolla adding depth, and Vischoqueña enhancing complexity.
In the remote Cinti Valley of southern Bolivia, high in the Andes at nearly 2,300 meters above sea level, something extraordinary is happening. Jardín Oculto, founded in 2019 by Bolivian entrepreneur María José Granier, is redefining what’s possible in South American wine.
With a deep respect for heritage and nature, Granier built the project around ancient, un-grafted vines, some over 200 years old, that grow not in neat rows but up trees. These arboreal vineyards, known locally as Los Arbolitos, twist around native molle and chañar trees in a rare, biodiverse canopy. Originally planted by Spanish missionaries in the 1500s, these vines had largely been forgotten, their grapes long relegated to distillation or obscurity.
Granier, who returned to Bolivia after time abroad, saw these historic vines not as relics but as cultural treasures. She launched Jardín Oculto to revive Bolivia’s nearly extinct native grape varieties, most notably Vischoqueña and Negra Criolla, and to place Bolivia on the world wine map not through mimicry, but by embracing what makes it unique. With organic farming, minimal intervention, and a fierce commitment to authenticity, the project quickly gained attention.
To bring her vision to life, Granier partnered with Nayan Gowda, a British winemaker known for his adventurous spirit and sharp technical skills. Gowda was initially hired to make sparkling wine, but when the pandemic made riddling and bottling logistics impractical, he improvised. What emerged was something special: a still white wine made from 100% Vischoqueña. This wine, the Blanco de Noir Finca Lumen 2023, is both an homage to the region’s history and a fresh expression of Bolivian terroir.
Crafted from hand-harvested, tree-grown grapes, it was whole-bunch pressed, fermented and aged for nine months in stainless steel, and bottled un-fined and unfiltered. The result is a crisp, mineral-driven wine with aromas of grapefruit peel, white peach, honeysuckle, and a whisper of red berries—a nod to its red-skinned roots.
Blanco de Noir Finca Lumen has become Jardín Oculto’s flagship, earning top accolades including Best White Wine of Bolivia from Descorchados, the leading South American wine guide. But beyond the praise, what makes this wine and this winery so compelling is its quiet defiance. It proves that Bolivia, with its high-altitude extremes and forgotten grapes, can produce wines that are both rooted in the past and thrillingly modern. For sommeliers and wine lovers seeking authenticity, surprise, and a story in each glass, Jardín Oculto is a discovery worth sharing.

In The Glass

Eye: Pale lemon with delicate silver-green highlights. The wine is bright and crystalline, reflecting its high-altitude freshness and purity. It shows excellent clarity and a light viscosity.
Nose: The bouquet opens with fresh and lively aromas of grapefruit peel, white peach, and honeysuckle. Subtle floral notes mingle with hints of crushed herbs and wildflowers, imparting an elegant, aromatic complexity. There’s a delicate mineral streak reminiscent of wet stone and sea spray, giving it a slightly saline lift.
Palate: On the palate, this light-bodied white is crisp and vibrant, with a focused acidity that carries citrus flavors, think grapefruit and lemon zest, alongside fruits like white peach and green apple. A subtle herbal undertone adds freshness and depth. The mouthfeel is sleek and polished, with a noticeable saline minerality that enhances the wine’s tension and energy.
Finish: The end is clean, dry, and persistent, leaving a refreshing mineral aftertaste tinged with a faint red-fruit note—a gentle reminder of the red-skinned Vischoqueña grape from which it’s made. The lingering brightness invites another sip.

2. Jardin Oculto Finca Molle Pampa 2023 Los Cintis. Features a blend of Moscatel de Alejandría (aromatic, floral, peachy), Negra Criolla (light red fruits like strawberry and raspberry), and Vischoqueña, a Bolivian-native hybrid of the two. Vischoqueña offers citrus and grapefruit character and is vinified like a white wine, despite having red skins. These varietals are central to the identity of the Cinti Valley, where vineyards, untouched by phylloxera thanks to natural geographic isolation, date back to colonial-era plantings.

This boutique Bolivian winery is located in the Valle de Cinti, Chuquisaca, an area originally cultivated by Jesuit and Franciscan missionaries. Situated at 3,200 meters above sea level, the vineyard is nestled in a steep canyon between 2,200 and 2,400 meters, benefiting from fertile, frost-protected soils and a naturally favorable microclimate.

The vineyard produces 6,000 bottles, with extremely care-driven harvesting using ladders to hand-pick by grape variety. Grapes are gently pressed and the skins are separated, yielding a distinctive amber hue in the wine

In the Glass

• Eye: Soft amber-gold, a result of skin-separated pressing.
• Nose: Fragrant bouquet of white flowers, peach, grapefruit, with hints of honey and herbal undertones.
• Palate: Bright acidity balanced with citrus and stone fruit flavors, touches of florals and riverslick minerality.
• Finish: Clean, crisp, and lingering; elegantly refreshing with slight spice and refreshing salinity from the high-altitude terroir.
• To be continued

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