Discovering the Unique Legacy of Pascal Marty at Viña Marty

A Journey Through Winemaking

Pascal Marty is the founder and winegrower at Viña Marty in Chile. This winery is his personal legacy project. As a French winemaker, he has spent over 30 years at some of the world’s most iconic estates. These include Château Mouton Rothschild, Opus One in Napa Valley, and Almaviva in Chile.

After contributing to the creation of two celebrated Bordeaux-style blends on two continents, Pascal chose Chile as his home. In 2008, he founded Viña Marty with a unique vision. He aimed to apply his unparalleled experience not just to a single luxury label, but to a full range of wines that express the diversity of Chile’s valleys. Today, the winery is a true family of collaborators.

Viña Marty’s portfolio spans from approachable, everyday wines to iconic, terroir-driven bottles. Its most distinctive creation, the Goutte d’Argent line, was born from a five-year collaboration with Japanese sake producers. This innovative approach uses sake yeast to craft an unexpectedly elegant and floral Sauvignon Blanc. This unique “three civilizations” story—French expertise, Chilean fruit, and Japanese sensibility—makes Viña Marty truly one of a kind.

The Heart of Viña Marty

Authenticity in Every Bottle

The most authentic aspect of Viña Marty is that it represents Pascal's late-career legacy project. After his time as a winemaker at Opus One and Almaviva, he chose to share his experience rather than build another exclusive icon. Unlike many winemakers who spend their careers at a single estate, Pascal has worked for over 30 years at the highest level in France, California, and Chile.

After helping to establish leading wineries in each region, he felt he had nothing left to prove. Many would have retired or created a small, ultra-premium label. Instead, in 2008, he founded Viña Marty as a synthesis of that experience. His goal was not to produce another 100-point wine for a limited audience, but to apply what he learned in Bordeaux, Napa, and Maipo across a full range—from accessible, high-quality wines to terroir-driven bottlings.

This approach makes world-class wine more accessible. It reflects a career focused not on exclusivity but on sharing knowledge and quality more broadly.

A Vision for Culinary Collaboration

If Pascal had no limits, he would create a permanent “Three Cultures Culinary & Wine Lab” in Curicó. He has spent his career working across three distinct wine cultures—Bordeaux, Japan, and Chile—building relationships with chefs, sommeliers, and sake producers. This project would bring that network together.

Each year, he would invite a French chef, a Japanese sake master, and a Chilean chef to live and work at Viña Marty for a month. They would have full access to the vineyards and winemaking team. Free from commercial pressure, their goal would be to create new dishes and wine or sake pairings that reflect all three cultures.

The result would be an annual release of a Goutte d’Argent cuvée designed for those pairings, along with a book and short film documenting the process. These would be presented through one-night events in Santiago, Tokyo, and Bordeaux. The aim is to position Viña Marty as a meeting point for these cultures—less a brand, more a bridge.

The Emblematic Wine of Viña Marty

Goutte d’Argent: A Story of Innovation

The wine that best represents Viña Marty is the Goutte d’Argent line, especially the Sauvignon Blanc. This wine began not with a plan, but with curiosity. During his time in Japan, where Clos de Fa was well received, Pascal spent years in discussion with a sake producers’ association. They eventually granted him access to sake yeast. In 2018, he used it in a small Sauvignon Blanc trial. Instead of power, it produced a wine that was elegant, floral, and textured.

The name, Goutte d’Argent (“Silver Drop”), came from a Japanese tasting note comparing the wine to a flow of silver. The creators of The Drops of God, who had previously featured Pascal's wines, helped design the label with a silver drop and Japanese kanji.

This wine breaks from Sauvignon Blanc norms. It is not driven by sharp acidity or herbaceousness but by purity, floral character, and a rounded texture with subtle umami. It reflects the three influences that define Pascal's work: French winemaking, Chilean terroir, and Japanese culture. More broadly, it expresses his goal—to create wines that connect cultures, tell a story, and offer a shared experience. Goutte d’Argent is not just a wine; it represents his approach to winemaking and the idea that wine can be a bridge between worlds.

Stay tuned, this wine review is coming soon!

Surprising Aspirations

A Culinary Dream

Most people are surprised to learn that before wine, Pascal wanted to be a chef. Growing up in France, he was as drawn to the kitchen as he was to the vineyard. For him, wine and food have always been connected—a conversation rather than separate disciplines. This perspective deepened during his time in Japan, where he saw how seriously sake is paired with food.

That influence shaped the creation of Goutte d’Argent Sauvignon Blanc. Pascal didn’t set out to make a different white wine. He wanted to create a wine that could function like sake—enhancing dishes and highlighting umami.

Even after working on wines like Opus One and Almaviva, he still thinks like a chef. He uses grapes instead of ingredients and is often more interested in what you’ll eat with the wine than the wine itself.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Pascal Marty’s journey at Viña Marty is a testament to passion, innovation, and cultural connection. Each bottle tells a story, inviting us to explore the rich tapestry of flavours that define this unique winery. We encourage you to discover Viña Marty’s offerings and experience the magic of wine that bridges cultures. Cheers to new adventures in wine!