Miguel A. Torres, president of Familia Torres has been awarded the Keys to the City of Curicó by the Municipal Council in recognition of his outstanding career and historic contribution to the development of both the municipality and Chilean winegrowing.
This distinction is especially significant, as it is only the second time in Curicó’s history that the city has conferred its highest civic honour. With this gesture, Curicó pays tribute to the profound legacy that the work of Miguel A. Torres, Spanish winemaker and entrepreneur, has left on the region over several decades, through both Familia Torres and Viña Miguel Torres Chile.
A family legacy that transformed the Curicó Valley
The arrival of Miguel A. Torres in the Curicó Valley marked a watershed moment in the region’s wine history. Under his leadership, international quality standards were introduced, technological innovation was embraced — notably the pioneering use of stainless steel tanks — and a forward-looking business vision was implemented that played a decisive role in putting Chile firmly on the global wine map.
His contribution has been sustained over time, not only through wine production, but also by creating jobs and opportunities in the area, fostering specialised talent, sharing knowledge and strengthening the wine ecosystem of the Curicó Valley.
He has also been instrumental in promoting initiatives that have become emblematic of Curicó’s identity, such as the Curicó Grape Harvest Festival, the oldest in Chile, which has helped forge a deep bond between the wine industry, the local community and the territory. This bond has been woven over decades through the close collaboration between Familia Torres, Viña Miguel Torres Chile and the people of Curicó, becoming a defining feature of the municipality’s recent history.
Upon receiving the honour, Miguel A. Torres remarked: “Curicó has a special place in my heart, and I see this recognition not only as a tribute to my career, but as a symbol of the story we have written together. When I first arrived in this valley several decades ago, I never imagined we would build such a profound connection. If this should be one of my last journeys to this land, I leave with the certainty that the spirit of Curicó and the warmth of its people will remain deeply present in my life and in that of my family.”
This distinction from Curicó, which follows the recent Creu de Sant Jordi awarded by the Government of Catalonia, underlines the exemplary trajectory of Miguel A. Torres in the wine sector and his pivotal role in the modernisation and international recognition of both Catalan and Chilean wines.
