The Proust Q&A: Gabriel Edwards

Gabriel Edwards currently runs his family domaine called Clos de Luz in Chile’s Almahue Valley, having obtained a Master in Wine Business in Burgundy and worked for Viña Undurraga and more recently, Moët & Chandon in Epernay. The estate run by Edwards was bought by his great grandfather in 1892, and now contains more than 33 hectares of vineyards, which were planted in 1945 by Gabriel’s grandmother, Luz. They are some of the oldest Carmenère vineyards in Chile, and probably in the world. The grapes had been sold for more than 20 years to Casa Lapostolle, until Edwards, who is aged 37, decided to return to Chile from France and make his own wine.

What is your idea of perfect happiness?

To be in the Chilean Patagonia enjoying a lamb barbeque with a glass of wine.

What is your greatest fear? 

That something should happen to my family.

Who do you most admire?

I admire people that have developed a successful activity starting from zero and manage to keep a low profile.

What is your greatest extravagance?

To ride my mountain bike to the remote areas, sometimes just with a light on my helmet during the night.

What is your current state of mind? 

Enthusiastic and attentive.

What is the quality you most like in a woman? 

A woman who has her own vision of life.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?

“Where is…?” (I never find my belongings).

What or who is the greatest love of your life?

My family.

When and where were you happiest?

When I opened my first bottle of Massal 1945 Carménère and I realised that all my efforts were paid back.

Which talent would you most like to have?

Patience.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

To have more concentration.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

To have a great family and to start Clos de Luz winery from zero and with very few savings.

Where would you most like to live?

In a cottage up in the hills with an old looking kitchen and plenty of delicious food.

What is your most treasured possession?

The vineyards and the house that my family have in Almahue Valley. I haven’t discovered a place elsewhere in the world with the same character and energy. 

What is your most marked characteristic?

My impatient and creative personality.

Who are your favorite writers?

I love to read books based in true histories and usually read books from Latin-American writers.

Who is your hero of fiction?

Neo from The Matrix.

What is it that you most dislike?

Things that are done without accuracy.

What is your greatest regret?

Not be able to organise my time so I have more leisure time for traveling with my family.

What is your motto?

Let’s go ahead, we go with a tailwind.

Who would be your ideal dinner party guests and what wines would you serve them?

I’d like to invite to our house in Almahue: Nicolas Joly, Jancis Robinson MW, Aubert de Villaine and two winemakers that passed away: Denis Dubourdieu and Didier Dagueneau. I would like to spend lot of hours seated around the fire, talking and listening to their experiences and advice.

I’d cook for beef and vegetables for 10 hours in a clay oven, paired with some nice wines, including vintage Champagne, Almahue Carmenère, a Douro dry red, a Barolo and a Tokaji.