WINE-COUNTRIES CHILE

Vineyard area: 121 thousand hectares

Total production: 3.16 million hectolitres

Annual consumption
total: 2.37 million hectolitres
per capita: 29.5 litres

Exports: 740 thousand hectolitres

Imports: 1 million hectolitres

Principal grape varieties: chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon, malbec cot, merlot, moscatel, pinot mero, sauvignon blanc, riesling

It would seem that the world-wide economic recession has had no effect on the Chilean wine scene. So while the main wine producing countries are registering large surpluses and claim that exports are falling dramatically, the presence of Chilean wine on world markets is steadily growing. A global strategy of producing good value wines is therefore being consolidated, while the second phase of this battle, aimed at achieving the excellence of the grand crus, is now underway. The factors essentially responsible for the international success of Chilean wine are: quality at competitive prices, good vineyards, a favourable climate and respect for tradition.

This, however, is just the last chapter in a long history going back almost 500 years, characterised by three clearly distinct phases. Half-way through the 18th century the Jesuits and Franciscans brought vitis vinifera to Chile and it easily adapted to the favourable climatic and environmental conditions of the country's central region. So already by the 17th century Chile was exporting wine to Europe to such an extent that King Philip III prohibited it being imported into Spain in order to protect Andalusian products. Two centuries later the Spanish colonies gained independence and simultaneously the first viticultural revolution took place. The big land owning families dedicated themselves to winemaking with passion, substituting the Spanish varieties with the classic Bordeaux and Burgundy varieties, they took on French winemakers and set up estates along the same lines as the best chateaux. Many of these, established in the second half of the 18th century, are still active, having been duly restored and updated technologically.

The second wine revolution erupted at the end of the 1960s after decades of disinterest and decay which had led to a crisis in the sector, causing a reduction in the area under vine and in the average per capita consumption of wine which is still falling. An injection of capital, new and modern technology and a production philosophy finally interested more in quality than quantity have completely rejuvenated the sector. Until 1993 production grew but has now reached a plateau, while exports will continue to increase over the next few years.
At the end of 1994 legislation was finally introduced in Chile to establish zones and sub-zones for wine production based on geographical criteria; these subdivisions follow the contours of valleys and their respective rivers (e.g. the famous Myopia Valley) although a really complete definition of the denomination of controlled origin has not yet been finalized. This agreement has been achieved thanks to the initiative of the producers themselves, both large and small, with the aim of projecting an image of reliability to the world at large. It is worth noting that the success of Chilean wine has led to the creation of some small estates which are operating exclusively to supply foreign markets, producing excellent wines which are now set to break into the global wine scene. The end of 1995 was anxiously awaited for the release onto the market of wines to be sold under the Aquitaine label, made in the Santiago area by two of Bordeaux's greatest producers, Bruno Prats and Paul Pontallier. The massive investments by European and North American entrepreneurs offer further proof of the magic period which Chilean wine is experiencing.