They say you should never start a business with friends - well these two are besties and it’s worked out pretty well so far.

Natalia and Maria José met in college in 2002, and although they went their separate ways in the industry for a few years, they always dreamed of working together one day.

90% of Chile’s wine is made by 4 big corporations - that’ll be the cheap, soulless bulk you find in the supermarket. This has given Chilean wine a totally bad rep - and unfairly so.

But there’s a small group of fiercely independent producers trying to change that. And put the real Chile on the map.

Natalia and Maria José both quit promising careers at the big guys to join up and start Moretta Wines together. And I’m so glad they did, given how good their wines are.

Natalia still works as head winemaker for a boutique family winery called Casa Bauza, while Maria José left her last job at Santa Rita to focus 100% on Moretta in 2017.

Their approach is simple - to make characterful wines that authentically represent the land on which the grapes are grown, and to justify the hard work and dedication to this land over the generations.

If you haven’t given the real Chile a go, now’s the time to change that.