Chilean Wines

8/11/2019 Chilean Wines

1/51

Wines of

Chile

By:


2/51

Wines of Chile

Varun Bakshi (H-1214)

Jahnvi Kanwar (H-1220)

DECLARA!"#

We declare that this project is a result of the researchers collective efforts and

that it conforms to the University, Departmental and course regulations regardingcheating and plagiarism. No material contained within this project has been used

in any other submissions by authors for academic awards.

Varun a!shi "#$%&%'(

)ahnvi *anwar "#$%&&+(

a!shi V., *anwar ).2


3/51

Wines of Chile

ACK#"$LED%E&E#

We ta!e this opportunity to than! hef -erard D ou/a faculty 0ood and wine

#armony, 1nstitute of hotel management, for giving us this opportunity to learn

and research on a topic that we feel strongly about.

2ur sincere than!s to 3s 4upa 3athew for helping us and giving us the support

we needed in our research.



4/51

Wines of Chile

a' *+ C*n,n,s

D56747812N.......................................................................................................%

7*N2W65D-535N8.........................................................................................&

ynopsis.................................................................................................................'

1ntroduction to Wines..............................................................................................9

1ntroduction to hile............................................................................................:

#istory of hilean wines......................................................................................;

hilean Wines.......................................................................................................%&

hilean Wine


5/51

Wines of Chile

an

hilean Wine and 0ood

hilean Wine 1ndustry.......................................................................................'+

6atest on hilean Wines...................................................................................''

io dynamics.................................................................................................''

8ourism trail...................................................................................................''

hiles outiBue Development......................................................................'9

5spiritu de hile $ 7 brand new wine concept...............................................'9

onclusion............................................................................................................':

ibliography..........................................................................................................';7nneCture..............................................................................................................9+

yn*.sis



6/51

Wines of Chile

8he authors have produced this project in order to educate readers about the

Wines of hile. hile is a new world wine region and its mar!et is increasing at a

very steady pace, in fact hilean Wines are becoming a serious threat to eventhe established old world 0rench wines li!e the ordeauC. hile is the %&th

largest wine producing country in the world. hilean wines have caught the eyes

of 0rench and 7merican winema!ers and has invited collaborations from

producers li!e pains 3iguel 8orres, 0rances aron de 4othschild and hateau

6afite, and the U..s 4obert 3ondavi among others, and today, with foreign

capital and joint ventures, hiles wines are reaching an ever wider and more

demanding audience.

8his project, provided in detail, information about hile as a wine producing

country, its history, and traditional winema!ing process vis$a$vie the modern

techniBues used today. 0urther, it elaborates on the grape varieties that are

cultivated with !ey reference to the vineyard regions. 8he authors provide a

crucial insight on the characteristic of wines and the terroir it is grown in, with the

particular micro$climate of the region. 8he hilean wines are also food$friendly

and therefore pair well with cuisines all over the world. 8he authors showcase

some of the classic wines of hile with reference to the dishes that complement

them. 8owards the end, the Wine 1ndustry of hile is elaborated with indication to

its strengths and wea!nesses. 1n order to achieve this, the authors have referred

to a number of maga/ines, articles, and websites to gather as much published

data as possible 8o have a better understanding of hilean Wines the

researchers have time and again discussed various aspects of the hilean

Wines with various faculty members.



7/51

Wines of Chile

!n,r*/u,i*n ,* $ins

AWine ma!es every meal an occasion, every table more elegant, every day more

civili/ed.A

$$$ 7ndrE imon

8he first species of grapevine appeared siCty million years ago. 1t has, since

then, evolved as a beverage that infused elegance to the world of dinning and

established, by itself a strong bond with the culture and traditions of the region it

was grown in. 1f wine can pride itself on such historical and geographic

universality, this is above all because it comes from a plant with surprising

powers of adaptation. 8oday wine appreciation is not preserve of the elite. 1t is

affordable and available in almost all parts of the world.

8he world of wine has stepped into the New age, with 7ustralian wine, which was

a novelty in the late %?;+s, when masses dran! mostly 0rench, -erman and

1talian wine. ut now 7ustralia is number two in the mar!et, roaring past

-ermany and way ahead of 1taly. 8heres a new world of wine out there, a world

without chateau or communes, where the grape variety rules, where the taste of

the fruit and the name of the grape are what matters the most.



8/51

Wines of Chile

7rmed with the shiny new eBuipments and the latest ideas, New world

producers ma!e vibrant, juicy ripe wines, with the gape variety on the label. 1ts a

language that everybody can now understand. 8heres a huge amount of

scientific !now$how that goes into establishing a grapes sugar levels, acid,

tannin, colour and flavour and the transformation of those grapes into wine.

outh 7merica is stealing a march on everybody else in the New World, with its

juicy, fruity, good value wine. hile and 7rgentina lead the way.

!n,r*/u,i*n ,* Chi

hile is a country of startling contrasts and eCtreme beauty. 1t lies in the western

coast of outh 7merica, immediate neighbor to 7rgentina. 8he most obvious

factor in hiles remar!able slenderness is the massive, virtually impassable wall

of the 7ndes, a mountain range that is still rising and that contains more than fifty

active volcanic pea!s. 8he western border is of course the


9/51

Wines of Chile

0irst, the well$defined seasons receive very little rain from November or

December all the way through harvest. 8his lac! of humidity allows the grapes to

fully ripen without danger of botrytis. 7dditionally, it also allows hile to avoid

what can happen in other countriesGtoo much precipitation before the harvest,

ruining the crop. 8his ability to properly ripen the grapes assures consistent

Buality from year to year. econdly, the wide variation in daily temperaturesG

sometimes differing as much as &+ degrees between day and nightGallows the

concentration of aromatic components, especially in the grapes s!ins. 8his

improves the Buality of the grapes and is visible in the juices intense color.

His,*ry *+ Chian wins

Wine was an uneCpected bounty for the panish onBuistadors in hile. 1n the

mid$%9++s 3issionaries traveling with the conBuistadors brought cuttings of blac!

pais grape to produce sacramental wines from their native pain to hile.

0inding the area around one of the first settlements, antiago, to be close to their

own 3editerranean climate, and the valleys fertile, the missionaries planted the

first vines. uperb wines and a particular way of life infused with tradition were

soon to sprout from that one simple act.

0armers joined the missionaries, and the first plantings gave fruit for more than

religious purposes. 8hese commercial wines proved to be popular and were

eCported to other countries. Winema!ers used primitive techniBues "wines were

often sweetened and stabili/ed with boiled must, for eCample( to produce rustic

wines for basic appetites. 1t was three centuries before any significant change

too! place in hilean wine production.



10/51

Wines of Chile

1n %;++s, hile became independent of panish rule, and a newly prosperous

upper class "often funded largely by mineral wealth( began to travel to 5urope,

where they came to appreciate 0rench wines.

1n %;=+, laudio -ay, a 0renchman, naturalist and scientist, persuaded the

government to establish an official plant nursery called the Huinta Normal for

botanical studies. 7 number of its first specimens were healthy 0rench vinifera

vines, with geographical isolation shielded from phylloCera and other 5uropean

ailments. hile vinified generous yields of abernet auvignon, 3erlot andarmenere "a lesser ordeauC varietal(.

1n the %;9+s, the 0rench, replaced the paniards in the winema!ing business in

hile, and brought still finer grapevine stoc! with them. 1ndustrialists of the

booming hilean economy li!e ilvestre 2chagav@a began to introduce 0rench

vines commercially, initially in the 3aipo Valley. everal of hiles more traditional

vineyards began here and continue to produce wine here today. y this time, the

wines from hile were proving such a competition for panish eCport wines that

the panish crown ordered heavy taCes and restrictions followed by acres of

vineyards destroyed.

hilean history is commemorated on some wine bottles. anta 4ita ma!es a line

of wines called A%&+,A in honor of the %&+ soldiers who had fled with -eneral

ernardo 2#iggins in a s!irmish with panish forces. 8eaming up with an

7rgentinean general, 2#iggins returned with the %&+ team, plus four or five

thousand more and were victorious in further battles with the panish.



11/51

Wines of Chile

1n the late %;++s, the


12/51

Wines of Chile

8he new companies invested heavily in modern technology and revitali/ed and

replanted vineyards. 8wenty$five thousand acres of premium plantings,

particularly abernet auvignon, 3erlot and hardonnay, were installed between

%?;:$%??=

8he hilean wine industry outfitted itself with modern machinery and eBuipment,

improved its planting and irrigation technology, incorporated stainless steel tan!s

and 0rench oa! barrels and began to utili/e better Buality cor!s and bottles.

3iguel 8orres, from pain introduced modern technologies and stainless steel

tan!s that helped initiate this change.

etween %?;& and %?;= production reached its pea!, coinciding with a

significant reduction in domestic consumption. 7t the same time, the historic

trend of family$owned wineries was replaced by economic groups and

corporations, which included international participation, effectively moderni/ing

the business.

1n the %??+s, hilean wines consolidated their presence in the international wine

business. While some were not as good as others, the wines caught the eye of

many 0rench and 7merican winema!ers such as pains 3iguel 8orres, 0rances

aron de 4othschild and hateau 6afite, and the U..s 4obert 3ondavi among

others, and today, with foreign capital and joint ventures, hiles wines are

reaching an ever wider and more demanding audience.

8oday they are eCported to ?+ countries on 9 continents. 5Cports to 5urope, the

United tates and particularly to 7sia have grown strongly each year, and today

register a total of more than UI>++ million "&++&(. hile became !nown almost

overnight as the value wine capital of the world, 3illions of consumers now



13/51

Wines of Chile

associate the countrys name with cheap and cheerful varietal wines delicious for

immediate drin!ing.

Chian $ins

hilean wine country is a mosaic of flavours and styles as varied as the

geography, climate and the people themselves. 1t is the %&th largest wine

producing country in the world and is recogni/ed as a premium Buality wine

producer in outh 7merica. 8here are approCimately &:%,+++ acres of vineyards

there.

hiles panish roots and ancestry has conceived hile as primarily a red wine

country, with wines that are charming, with forward fruit and aromas and flavours

of red currants, strawberries, blac!berries and red plums. hiles 3erlot and

abernet auvignon wines, eCtremely popular in the North 7merican eCport

mar!et, they are food friendly and usually approachable at an early age.

hiles white wines span the spectrum of styles from oCidi/ed wines heavy with

the local 4auli oa! flavours and little acidity and fruit, to delicate, fresh, hi$tech

wines made by cool fermentation. 8he modern wines use 4auli oa! only for

storage and utili/e 9> gallons 7lliers and 8roncais arriBues for ageing. 7 good

rule of thumb is to drin! hilean wines within two years of their vintage "oa! aged

chardonnay can last for three years(.

8he best wines of hile are the varietalJproprietary wines, with each producer

using different name and criteria for their high end products. 0or eCampleK anta

4ita uses L3edalla realM while oncha y 8oro "hiles largest winery eCporting

?+ of their estate wines( uses both L3arBues de asa onchaM and LDon

3elchorM as Buality designation for their best varietal wines.



14/51

Wines of Chile

Chian $in r*/u,i*n

ince these vines do not need to be grafted to foreign rootstoc!, they can grow

by the acodo mugron system, which involves placing a branch from a growing

vine in the earth, thus starting a new plant. 7s the vine matures, it is served from

the parent vine. 8hese vines also provide the miCed blessing of higher yields, if

the producer desires them.

hile underwent a rapid viticulture transformation in the %??+s. 8here was alarge$scale investment from overseas producers that helped this transformation.


15/51

Wines of Chile

Wine ma!ing countries in the southern hemisphere li!e hile, ra/il and

7rgentina in the outh 7merica, 7ustralia, New Oealand and outh 7frica have a

distinct advantage over those of the northern hemisphereK they can appear in the

mar!etplace siC months earlier, because harvest is in 0ebruary and 3arch

instead of eptember and 2ctober. Until recently, southern hemisphere wines

have been thought of as abundant in Buantity but poor in Buality. #owever wine

ma!ers are moving away from fortified and jug wines towards premium, popular

varietals. Varietal labeling helps sell the wines of southern hemisphere to get a

good a mar!et share.

Chian $in Cassi+ia,i*n

1n %??9 hile established a :9 percent rule in a new wine appellation system.

8his law governs variety, vintage and eCact origin, allowing only &9 percent of a

bottles contents to vary from the specifications on its label. 8here is no particular

reBuirement regarding the production of 4eserva wines, but all wines displaying

the special designation of 4eserva, -ran 4eserva and 4eserva 5special must

indicate place of origin. hilean wine laws stipulate that eCport white wines must

attain a minimum alcohol level of %& and the reds must attain %%.9. while

L4eserva 5specialM ia a mar!eting term, the age reBuirement for 5special is two

years, 4eserva is four years, and -ran Vino is a siC years minimum. 0inas are

varietal label wines made from government recogni/ed grape types mostly

vinifera, such as cot "a clone of 3albec(.



16/51

Wines of Chile

Chian %ra. Vari,is

2ne of the most often Buoted facts about hilean viticulture is the remar!able

fact that


17/51

Wines of Chile

1n fact, almost all the worlds surviving plantings of armenPre are in hile.

tyles of 3erlotJarmenPre vary from young, fruity Buaffing wines to more

substantial, rich, oa!$aged wines with compleC, earthy, smo!y flavors.

Pinot Noir

8his grape variety is now becoming increasingly widespread.


18/51

Wines of Chile

Other Whites

-ewQr/traminer, either from asablanca or io$io, in the south is capable of

producing aromatic, crisp wines of outstanding Buality. Emillon, Viognier, and

4iesling are also becoming more commonplace.

!n+uns *n ,h Chara,r *+ $ins

8here are differences between a valley from the other for its climate, for withinthis generality of temperate climate there eCist differences such as the currents of

air that come down from the 7ndes, or the entry of cool air coming from the sea,

specifically the #umboldt urrent. 1t is important to understand this

differentiation, since while searching for precisions, one or another grape is

planted in an ideal climate or soil and will have the adeBuate agricultural care,

can offer the world wines that are more special, differentiated by the concept of

8erroir.

8he soils are determinant in the final Buality of the wine, and today different

grapes are planted in diverse valleys in search of the ideal soil, even the same

valley may be divided in high, medium or low to precise its conditions of soil and

climate. hile presents, within the big entral Valley, soils of alluvial origin with

different teCtures and permeability. 7ll these differences of teCtures and

permeability of the soils lend singular characteristics of each wine. 1n general,

wherever there are less fertile soils and a better adaptation, there will be fruit with

aromas and flavors that are more concentrated. 8hus, in order to achieve a good

wine, there ought to be a well finished and careful study of the type of soil in

which one is wor!ing, with the purpose to obtain from it the best performance for

the grape planted.



19/51

Wines of Chile

limate within the central valley is 3editerranean, with maCimum summer

temperatures between 9? and ;> degrees 0 "%9 to =+ degrees (. 8hough

brea!s in the coastal range allow for variations and cooler sub$regions "such as

northerly asablanca, where marine influence reaches inland(, northern areas

are usually warmer and southern areas cooler. 8he eastern side of the central

valley near the base of the 7ndes has higher humidity and cooler nighttime

temperatures. 8he coastal mountains intercept most of the precipitation coming

from the


20/51

Wines of Chile

Chian $in Ri*ns

0rom north to south, the wine regions designated by the %??9 law are 7concagua

"incorporating asablanca(, the entral Valley "including 3aipo, 4apel, urico

and 3aule(, and the outhern 4egion "including 1tata and iobio. 8he 7tacama

and oBuimbo regions in the very hot area north of the central valley are also

identified, but the grapes they produce are primarily for spirits "


21/51

Wines of Chile

-eographically, the 6imar@ valley runs parallel to the river of the same name and

is located in a /one that is eminently warm, with rainfall that does not eCceed %++

mm annually and with a thermal range between %9 and &+R "9? and >;R0(.

Best e%amle &rom the region

oncha y 8oro 6ot '+> yrah &++',

6imari

Notes of pepper, mocha and dar! berry fruit. 4ipe,concentrated and savoury

style$ nicely structured.

Aconcagua Valley

Key Grae !ariety "rea #hectares$

abernet auvignon '>>

3erlot %>9

yrah :;armEnPre ''

hardonnay &+

angiovese %'

Key Producers

5rra/uri/

Von iebenthal an 5steban

orpora



22/51

Wines of Chile

0ifty miles north of antiago is the 7concagua Valley, the most northerly table

wine region and hiles hottest and driest, speciali/ing in bright, full$bodied

abernet auvignon and other red wines. 8his region lies about %9+ miles due

west of 7rgentinas famous 3endo/a area. 8he 5rrS/uri/ estate is the areas

only really significant name, where alifornian wine ma!er 5d 0laherty is turning

out very serious hardonnays from hillside vineyards, as well as eCcellent reds.

1t is a transversal valley that follows the course of the 7concagua 4iver, has a

width of = to ' !m and is surrounded by hills that rise between %9++ and %;++

meters above sea level. ecause it is a transversal valley, it has conditions thatfavor the development of fine wines. 8hese areF closeness to the


23/51

Wines of Chile

Casablanca Valley


hardonnay %;%;

auvignon lanc 9+:


24/51

Wines of Chile


ono ur &+ arrels

hardonnay &++'

mo!y, rich style with tropical fruits and a touch of minerality. 2n the palate,

lushness balanced by fresh, citrussy acidity.

San Antonio Valley - Leyda


hardonnay %%>

Key Producers

-arces ilva

asa 3arin

3atetic

Vina 6eyda

hileTs newest and smallest wine$producing /one wich, because of its

conditions, is suitable mainly for the hardonnay, auvignon lanc and


25/51

Wines of Chile


Vina 6eyda 6ot 9

hardonnay Wild easts &++'

4estrained and citrussy with good use of oa!. reamy, compleC$ great

mouthfeel$ with balanced acidity.

3atetic 5H

yrah &++'

avoury, meaty red. -rippy, but finely structured tannins with a pure core of fruit.

"Valle Central" appellation

8he entral Valley, which produces the vast majority of wines, is in turn,

composed of four main subregions, the 3aipo, 4apel, urico and 3aule Valleys,

each of which has rivers that run west from the 7ndes to the ocean

Maio !alley


abernet 9?>>

3erlot %+?>

hardonnay ?'?

armenere '?%

Key Producers

oncha y 8oro

anta 4ita


26/51

Wines of Chile

De 3artino

outh of asablanca and southwest of antiago is the 3aipo Valley. 1t comes

under the AValle entralA appellation and is a bit warmer. 3aipo, is small but

well$represented on eCport labelsK it produces white and red wines about eBually,

particularly emillon and abernet auvignon, the best of which have well$

developed fruit aromas, full body and barrel age.

8his is the oldest fully$developed traditional viticulture area in the country and the

best !nown internationally because this is where, toward the second half of the

1 century, the first wineries were founded that gave hile its name as a wine$

producing country and that maintain their bodegas in this /one up to this day.

ilvestre 2chagav@a, bac! in %;9%, brought new viniferous varieties from 0rance.

7t a later date he was imitated by various aristocratic families of that period who

saw in this activity a miCture of nobility and fine living, as it was considered the

Bueen of agrarian arts.

8he warm climate of this /one produces a better Buality grape, specially the red

wines and principally the abernet auvignon, so that the letter have become the

emblem of hilean wines throughout the world.


De 3artino ingle Vineyard

armenere &++=


27/51

Wines of Chile

Rael !alley

outh of the 3aipo Valley "and ;+ miles south of antiago( is the 4apel Valley,

also part of the AValle entralA designation. 8he region is named 4apel Valley, it

is made up of the valleys of achapoal and olchagua, both of which have

acBuired great importance as wine producers themselves, and have different

geographical characteristics, which give origin to wines that have their own style.

%. achapoal Valley


abernet auvignon '>?;

3erlot %:&;

auvignon lanc 9:=

armEnPre 9'9

hardonnay ';'

Key Producers

7ltair

7na!ena

6a 4osa

-racia

3isiones de 4engo

8his valley is becoming more and more important as a wine producer and today,

in an effort to ma!e its wines and their characteristics !nown to the publib, it is

implementing attractive tourist routes.



28/51

Wines of Chile

Best e%amles &rom the region

ideral &++=

tylish plumy and perfumed nose with notes of toffee. 0inely balanced and

compleC palate with great concentration.

6a 4osa apitana

armenere &++'

8eCtboo! armenere$herbaceous and peppery, but with ripe toffee and chocolate

notes. Nice intense well balanced palate.

&. olchagua Valley


abernet auvignon %+'%9

3erlot ==+=

armEnPre %?>=

hardonnay %%>:

yrah ;%&

Key Producers

ono ur

V25

asa 6apostolle

3ontes

asa ilva

6uis 0elipe 5dwards

6os Vascos



29/51

Wines of Chile

3ont-ras

7 well$regarded sub$region of 4apel is the olchagua Valley. oth 3erlot and

abernet do well there.

Best e%amles &rom the region

3ontes


30/51

Wines of Chile

had been planted by their ancestors, and personally brought out fine varieties of

grapes from 0rance and -ermany, founding what today is the Via an


31/51

Wines of Chile

8his valley has the largest wine$grape growing areas in all hile, and a long

history of wine producing. 8he paniards planted vines at the end of the V11

century and by %;=%, about 9+++ hectares were already planted, most of them of

the


32/51

Wines of Chile

Vina 7Buitania "ol de ol(

!alle del (tata and B)o*B)o+

outhern hilean features the AValle del 1tata,A ome %%,+++ acres of vineyards

are there. 8he region has been the home of rather ordinary grape varieties and

only today are a couple of firms starting to cultivate more noble grapes. )ust

south of 1tata is the Valle del @o$@o. 8his is a difficult viticultural area, it being

prone to spring frosts and early autumn precipitation. 5arly$ripening varieties

such as >,:++ acres of

wine grapes "%??%(, two$thirds of which are red, mostly the


33/51

Wines of Chile


Vina 7Buitania ol de ol

hardonnay &++=, 3alleco

4ich buttery, creamy nose with citrussy and mineral elements. road and creamy

but with good acidity and persistence.

Chian $in r*/urs

3ost eCporters call their eCport wines by the name of their grape varietyK

abernet auvignon, 3erlot, hardonnay and auvignon lanc are the most

common. 1t is however becoming common for producers to bottle one or several

grape varieties at various price levels andJ or under several names.

Almaviva

7 0ranco$ hilean operation established in %?::, in which the 3outon

4othschilds and onch 8oro, hiles largest producers hold eBual shares. 8he

main contribution from the hilean partner was a small vineyard of about %++

acres located in the southern outs!irts of antiago, which has been under

cultivation for a decade. 7lmaviva offers a single wine from the two abernet

varieties. urrent production of this ordeauC$ style wine, which li!es to ran!

itself among the classed growths, scarcely eCceeds=',+++ cases.



34/51

Wines of Chile

Auitania

8he estate close to antiago, established several years ago in Huebrada de

3acul, in the 3aipo Valley, belongs to runo + of the grapes come from

these vineyards, the balance coming from wine growers wor!ing under contract.



35/51

Wines of Chile

8hey currently produce %9+,+++ cases ranges coming under the asa

6apostolle "auvignon, hardonnay, 3erlot and abernet auvignon( and los

7palta "an upmarlet blend of 3erlot, armenere and abernet auvignon(.

Concha y !oro

0ounded in %;;= in the 3aipo Valley, this bodega, which was moderni/ed in the

%?;+s, is hiles largest producer with about %% million cases of wine, half of

which is eCported. 1t produces wines from traditional ordeauC grape varieties as

well as from


36/51

Wines of Chile

rian ic!nell, and then alifornian 5dward 0laherty, to produce wines with

plenty of character.

8he company operates several vineyards totaling over ;>9 acres in the

7concagua, asablanca, 3aipo and urico valleys, cultivating mainly abernet

auvignon, 3erlot, hardonnay and auvignon lanc varieties, depending on

the soils.

$ontes

1n %?;;,four partners with a great deal of eCperience in the world of wine selling,

formed the Discovery Wine ompany$ which has since ta!en on the name on

their oenologist, 7urelio 3ontes$ to produce wines for eCport. 8he operation

located in the urico Valley has 99+ acres of vineyards and produces over

&9+,+++ cases of the usual varietiesK abernet auvignon, auvignon lanc and

hardonnay under various brand names. 8hey also produce eCceptionally good

3erlots.

San %edro

an 9, the company remained in the hands of the same family for

:9 years before being sold to the countrys largest brewer.


37/51

Wines of Chile

8he famous an :,+++. 8orres

introduced temperature controlled stainless steel vats, modern winepresses and

small 0rench oa! barrels into hile. 1n the vineyards, improved vine management

and controlled irrigation improved Buality and these methods have largely

inspired other producers. 1n its three main vineyards in urico and 3aule, 8orres

concentrates on the auvignon lanc, hardonnay and abernet auvignon

varieties while eCperimenting constantly with the arignan, yrah and

-ewur/traminer. 8he company also produces a very dry spar!ling wine by the

traditional method, using hardonnay and


38/51

Wines of Chile

Dar! ruby, with reddish$orange glints. lac!currant and blac!$cherry aromaspresent a Afruit$forwardA aromatic melody over an appeti/ing bass line of dar!

chocolate. 0ull and ripe, juicy fruit flavors follow the nose, luscious AsweetA fruit

overrides gentle acidityK soft tannins are present but almost lost beheath the fruit.

#igh in alcohol at %' percent, and showing the spicy accents of time spent in

0rench oa!.

0ood matchF 0ine with dry$aged ribeye stea!, simply grilled medium$rare over

charcoal.

asa 6apostolle &+++ AuvEe 7leCandreA olchagua Valley 3erlot "I%?.??(



39/51

Wines of Chile

Very dar! reddish$purple, bright reddish$violet at the edge. lac!berry and plum

aromas are pure and clean, elegant natural fruit. herry$berry fruit and lemon$

sBuirt acidity on the palate, well balanced over a distinct tannic core. 3uch more

AtraditionalA than the 3ontes 7lpha, A2ld WorldA in style, rather reminiscent of a

4ight an! ordeauC if not Buite so austere. 7lthough the wine sees %& months

in 0rench oa! barrels, the wood seems discreet and well integrated.

0ood matchF har$grilled, medium$rare dry$aged beer ribeye stea!s ma!e a

perfect accompaniment, ameliorating the wines youthful tannins and showcasing

its pure fruit.

almon stea!s and asparagus in #ollandaise sauce

and

asablanca auvignon blanc %??;, asablanca Valley, hile

0resh and crisp, with lifted aromatic nose of gooseberries and freshly cut grass.

8his came from the cool %??; vintage that generally produced tighter, crisper

wines, and this one is o no eCception. 2n the palate it is bone dry, with bracing

acidity. 1t is refreshing, but perhaps a little sharp for casual sipping. old and

intense.

7sparagus in #ollandaise sauce

and

8he hilean sauvignon blanc wor!s best.

1ts crisp, sharp acidity and powerful flavours cut through the rich sauce and

strongly flavoured asparagus nicely, complementing them well.

With the salmon and #ollandaise sauce



40/51

Wines of Chile

and

8he hilean auvignon wins out

1t cuts through the #ollandaise sauce beautifully. #owever, although not such a

useful casual sipping wine, it really comes into its own against this tric!y food

combination.

hef )oel #arloff, 5Cecutive hef of 8he 6andmar! 4estaurant at 8he 3elrose

#otel, Dallas, has designed a siC$course menu featuring 3ontes and anta 5ma

hilean wines eCpertly complimented by the food served in the restaurant.

8he courses and wine parings are as followsF

tarter

0ried -oat heese with acon, aby -reens and Whole -rain 3ustard

Vinaigrette

anta 5ma 4egular auvignon lanc, hile, &++=

oup ourse

Wild 3ushroom oup

3ontes 7lpha hardonnay, hile, &++=

7ppeti/er

3ote rusted almon and 3ac!erel with 7vocado


41/51

Wines of Chile

pice 4oasted eef 8enderloin with


42/51

Wines of Chile

armenEre. #aving both panish and 0rench influences, hilean wines tend to

be ripe and fruit$forward in flavor, similar to their alifornian counterparts.

With significant economic advantages over alifornia, including lower land and

labor costs, the substantial investment toward moderni/ing hile has resulted in

wines of impeccable Buality and style.

hilean wine has also become a billion dollar eCport industry. Wineries li!e

oncha y 8oro have become !nown throughout the world and with ultramodern

facilities have become globally competitive. 1ndeed, hile will surpass pain and

-ermany this year to become the third largest eCporter of wine to the United

tates largely because hilean wine is considered to be of high Buality ateCtremely reasonable prices. 7ll by itself oncha y 8oro will sell & million cases of

its win in the U.. this year, up from %++,+++ cases just a decade ago. 4afael

-uillisastri, oncha y 8oros director of eCports, travels freBuently to 5urope,

7sia, and the United tates

8he eyes of many worldwide wine industry investors and players are greatly on

this countryF



43/51

Wines of Chile

0rom 0rances Domaines arons de 4othschild "6afite( purchased a 9+$percent

eBuity share of Vina 6os Vascos in %?;;.

8he eagrams$owned spar!ling wine house, was the first to build a winery there

more than two years ago.

Napa Valleys 0ranciscan 5states has purchased 9++ acres for its new hilean

property, 7lto de asablanca.

4obert 3ondavi has established a I%& million joint venture with hiles Vina5rra/uri/

ebastiani is buying hilean bul! wine to bottle for airline use under its

Vendange label, and 7merican vintners *endall$)ac!son, 0irestone and #ess

ollection are currently scouting and courting potential partners.

With high Buality and low prices, more and more vintners worldwide are importing

hilean wine juice for use in blending in their own labels.

8he U* and the U account for a fifth each of eCports, so about '+ of the total

eCports, followed by anada, 1reland and -ermany, along with the rest of the

mainland 5urope. o, the first thing was to open and reopen, the U* offices.

8he most eCiting developments have come from the ordeauC varieties of

abernet auvignon and 3erlot, especially when blended. hilean reds are

blooming, not least because -lasgow University declared their health giving

potential in a report published a couple of years ago. 8here are newcomers too

such as yrah and


44/51

Wines of Chile

hardonnay and io io in the far south and asablanca near the coast are fast

being reali/ed.

auvignon lanc is hiles second white hope. hile produces about &: of the

worlds auvignon lanc, even though much of it is not auvignon at all but

auvignonasse$ not nearly such a noble variety.

hiles industry to change course almost overnight. 1t has gone from producing

the most generic red and white table wines to the lofty ambition of mastering

refined 0rench varietals.

8he U* trade has become used to seeing hile increasing its mar!et share$ not

in the astonishing way that 7ustralia did in %??+s, or li!e the current boom from

alifornia, but slowly and steadily. ompared to the situation five years ago, the

trade and those consumers who ma!e it their business to now about these things

are well versed in strides hile has made in arrears such as site selection, cool

climate viticulture, clonal material and vinification of varities such as


45/51

Wines of Chile

by the modern consumers, particularly of hardonnay and auvignon lanc,

competition for resources have increased.

7nother problem faced by the hilean wines in the U* is the promotional deals

by 7ustralia "driven by its wine glut( and alifornia "on the bac! of handful of its

super brand(. With about ;+of the promotional deals coming from these two

countries, its simply the case of the rest of the mar!et pic!ing up the pieces.

La,s, *n Chian $ins

&io dynamics

1t is often said that hiles warm, dry climate ma!es it perfectly suited to organic

viticulture. While many of the bigger producers, including ono ur, armen and

Valdivieso, have certified organic vineyards, few have gone as far down the path

a sustainable viticulture as Vinedos 5miliana. 1t has moved beyond simple

organice viticulture into biodynamics$ a practice that promotes biodiversity in thevineyard and view the soil as living organism. 1t is related to good management

of the farm.

!ourism trail

8ourism is becoming increasingly important in hile and wine routes are

becoming ever more evident throughout hiles wine ma!ing regions. olchagua

was one of the first regions to actively establish its tourist trail.

achapoal and 3aule following the suit. #owever, its between Valparaiso and

antiago that the greatest opportunities eCists. hristian Wylie, eCport director of

anta arolina, estimates that some '+,+++ cruise ship passengers land in



46/51

Wines of Chile

Valparaiso and ma!e their way inland to antiago and they pass right through

asablanca.

Chile's &outiue (evelopment

8he hilean wine seen has been getting increasingly crowded, with mid$si/ed

wineries finding it ever harder to compete. Ultimately, this means that the new

wineries coming onto the scene will have to differentiate themselves from the

masses producing the varietal standard reds and whites.

8his has in turn, given rise to a band of growing outiBue producers pioneering

new regions and /ones, focusing on different grape varieties. Nowhere is this

more evident than in an 7ntonio, where all wineries could be considered

outiBue.

spiritu de Chile - A brand ne) )ine concept

7 joint venture by 4ac!e and 7resti

5spiritu de hile, the new wine range launched by german based wine group

4ac!e 1nternational and hilean winery 7resti, is an idea that was borne in the

south 7frican vineyards. 1t is the latest manifestation of that vision$ a range of

wine that embodies the perfect vine growing conditions and passionate wine

ma!ing of hile, given life by the mar!eting and bran building and 5uropean

distribution eCpertise of 4ac!e.

8his is a true partnership, where the wines are produced by 7resti from the family

owned companys own vineyards with 7resti also handling the sales in outh

7merica. 4ac!e , meanwhile, will be in charge of all over and below the line



47/51

Wines of Chile

activities from the band as well as its eCclusive importer and distributor in most

mainland 5uropean and many other countries.

7lready, 5spiritu de hile has enjoyed a highly successful world


48/51

C*nusi*n

8oday the focus in hile has shifted to Buality.


49/51

Bi'i*ra.hy

B**ks

5Cploring WinesK *olpan. , mith. , 3icheal 7. Weiss, 4.Nostrand K hileK Weathering the tormK ). #ibberd.

hilean wine, Y7 hallenge from the New WorldK . asra.

8he history of wines$ 7 short history of wineK 4. 0riday %'%>hrs.

httpFJJwww.vino.comJcountryJchileJwineJhistory.aspK 7ugust %& &++>,

%==+hrs.

httpFJJwww.foodandwine.comJarticlesJwhat$defines$a$great$chilean$wineK7ugust %;, &++> 0riday %'%+hrs.

httpFJJwww.winesofchile.orgJK 7ugust %& &++> %'&9hrs.

httpFJJwww.samcoo!s.comJsavorJhileanZWine.htmK 7ugust %& &++>aturday %'=; hrs.

httpFJJwww.wine$pages.comJregionsJchileeCp.htmK 7ugust %& &++>aturday %9&:hrs.

httpFJJwww.wine$pages.comJfoodwineJhs+;++.htm

httpFJJwww.foodandwine.comJarticlesJgla/ed$por!$and$a$lush$red


50/51

httpFJJwww.nomerlot.comJasa$lapostolleJindeC.htmlK 7ugust %& &++>aturday %>9: hrs.


51/51

Ann,ur

Chilean Wines

Documents

Transcript of Chilean Wines