Chilean Wine

The Past

Its not just European countries that are dominating the wine scene, with France, Italy, and Spain being the top three wine-producing countries, there is a new group of key players on the international wine scene. One of the rising stars that has left its mark in the trade is the scenic country of Chile.
Chile is the 7th largest wine-producing and 5th largest wine-exporting country in the world. An extraordinary achievement if you consider there were only a hand full of producers back in the 1970’s.
Chile’s winemaking tradition dates back to the mid-16th century. During the first couple of centuries of Chilean viticulture, Spanish law restricted local winemaking in the country, requiring the South American nation to purchase most of its wine from Spain.. But the early Chilean vintners were a tough bunch. They mostly ignored the Spanish order that limited wine production and export.
While the country may have been under Spanish rule for centuries, Chilean viticulture is more similar to French, particularly Bordeaux, winemaking. In the early 19th century, many of the rich locals travelled to France to learn more about wine production. By the mid-1800s, vine growers were already planting varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Carménère.

The Highs and Lows of the 20th Century

Up until the end of the 19th century, the country’s wine trade was operating at full speed. However, threats of war, and transportation problems made it difficult to export. Add to that high taxes, and political instability, and what you have is a massive slowdown in the progress of the Chilean wine industry. Though the local market remained unaffected, wine export definitely dwindled.
Fortunately, the country experienced a wine renaissance of sorts in the 1980s, when local winemakers began using modern viticultural practices, including new technology and better wine storage systems. This led to a resurgence in export sales by the 1990s. At the start of the 21st century, Chile had become the third largest wine exporter to the United States.

A Bright Future for Chilean Wines

Today, Chile is considered one of the most important global producers of fine wines and spirits. In 2007 alone, its export industry surpassed the one billion pound mark, with its biggest sales found in the markets of the UK, Canada, and the United States. Last year, the South American country also produced over 10 million hectoliters of wine, making it one of the top global wine producers. On the whole you get very good quality for a lot less money than branded regions (Boardeaux etc) and they are pushing price affordability, making this country very appealing.