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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 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?

  • In case anyone wants to dive a bit deeper into Chile, my book on South American wine has just been published: https://southamericawineguide.com/book 
    Free study maps are also available on the website to download. 

  • in reply to Kaysie Rogers

    That's the minimum, but in practice most of the vineyards are much older... a handful being planted in 1910. The vineyards are all uploaded on the South America Old Vine Register here https://southamericawineguide.com/old-vines-of-south-america-old-vine-register-the-heroic-growers-of-south-america/ 

  • A note, the VIGNO website says vine age is min 30 years. www.vigno.org/.../

  • in reply to Dustin Chabert

    Thank you!

  • Colchagua section needs an update--states that Apalta is still unofficial even though it gained DO status in 2018.

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