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Chile

The real Chile is not yet known in the United States. The real Chile is far away from Santiago,
at the extremes. People aren’t coming here because it is too far out of the mainstream—so
99% of sommeliers don’t understand our real potential. But ever so slowly we are drawing a
little attention. We are starting to show people the dark side of the moon.
-Pedro Parra (Clos des Fous, Aristos, Parra Family Wines), speaking from Concepción in Itata

Contents
  1. Five Centuries of the Vine
  2. Geography and Climate
  3. Geology and Soil
  4. Wine Law in Chile
  5. Chile's Grape Varieties
  6. Winegrowing Regions of Chile
Chile is one of the 10 largest wine-producing countries in the world and second only to Argentina in the Southern Hemisphere. In the last 30 years the country has vaulted forward as a major exporter of wine and today ships more wine offshore than its citizens drink at home. According to USDA GAIN reports, Chile exports more wine, in both volume and value, to the United States than any other South American country. But Chile’s story, beyond single-digit bargains on the supermarket shelf, is not often told in the US. With a few exceptions Chilean wines rarely appear on fine-dining wine lists, and even when they do the category is usually a half-page entitled “South America,” offset by a chapter of Burgundy. Too often lumped in with Argentina and left behind by sommeliers, Chile deserves a second look.
Five Centuries of the Vine

Wine, Conquest, and Religion in Spain’s New World
Muscadine grapevines may have grown wild in Mexico, but it was the Spanish who introduced Vitis vinifera to the New World. As early as 1519, the Spanish Empire decreed that all ships sailing for the West Indies carry vine cuttings. The conquistador Hernán Cortés, who brought ruin to the Aztec civilization of Mexico in 1521 and established the American colony of New Spain the following year, reiterated the order and set quotas for vineyard production in his
  • in reply to Keith Mattrick

    Hey Keith! This 85% requirement is specific to earning Costa/Entre Cordilleras/Andes designation. I'll be sure to add specificity to the text to avoid confusion. 

  • The section on Chile’s DO system includes the following text: ‘Every viticultural area within Chile’s DO scheme is now grouped under one of these three sectors, and producers may append a denominación with one of these complementary indications, provided a minimum 85% of grapes are sourced from the named region.’ But that 85% minimum would seem to conflict with the text further above that states that ‘Wines indicating an origin need only contain a minimum 75% of grapes harvested in the stated region’. I understand what happens in practice differs due to concerns over exporting to the EU, but the wording here would suggest that the 85% minimum is a legal minimum for origin labeling. Am I missing something?

  • in reply to Juan David Quintero

    Hey Juan! Thank you. The guide is updated. 

  • Hi, in the Valle del Bío-Bío DO section it says this: “South of the Itata Valley and due west from Concepcíon” but it should be east

  • in reply to Juan David Quintero

    Hey Juan! Thank you for catching this. The guide is updated. 

  • In Valle del Limari, the winemaker Marcelo Papa is the winemaker for "Casillero del Diablo" not "Castello del Diablo"

  • in reply to Elizabeth-Rose Mandalou

    Hey Elizabeth! The requirement for VIGNO is confirmed as 85%. On the VIGNO association website, it states "In order to carry the word VIGNO on a label, the wine must be made 85% with Carignan and the remaining percentage is at the discretion of the winemaker or the vineyard." That being said, when VIGNO was founded in 2011, it was 65%, and Wines of South America (Goldstein) was published in 2014. Over the years it looks like they have increased the minimum amount of Carignan from 65% to 85%.  

  • I am finding conflicting information regarding the % of Carignan in VIGNO. Some sources (Wines of South America, Goldstein) say 65% Carignan. This study guide above (and some other pages) state 85%. Can this be confirmed so I can relax? Thanks in advance... :)

  • In its corresponding section header above, 'Valle de Cachapoal DO' should read 'Valle del Cachapoal DO'.

  • It says that Pais cannot appear on a Chilean DO label, but I have witnessed it happened. Any inputs on this topic?

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