What springs to mind when I mention Chilean wine? “Good value”? Certainly. “Easy to drink” might be another. And if I asked you to name its top grape varieties, sauvignon blanc and merlot would undoubtedly be on the list. These observations are true, but there is such a varied, lively wine scene in Chile that it seems amiss to view it as a country producing one homogeneous style. Yes, you can still pick up bottles that provide great pleasure for head-scratchingly low prices, but there are also some serious wines to interest the pickiest collector.
Chile is more than 2,500 miles long and its vinicultural regions stretch from the Atacama desert in the north to the chilly, damp valleys around Osorno 600 miles south of the capital, Santiago. You can find complex, racy whites that give chablis a run for its money and reds of real character. I’ve been consistently impressed by the wines coming out of coastal regions such as the Limari and Leyda valleys, kept cool by the vast Humboldt Current that sweeps north from the Antarctic.
The country abounds with interesting producers — keep an eye out for names such as Carmen, De Martino, Kalfu, Montes, Bodega Volcanes and Viña Tabali. At the very top end, Don Melchor’s sumptuous, velvety-smooth cabernet sauvignon is a hedonist’s delight. It’s £95 at Ocado if you’re in the mood to splash out.
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2020 The Society’s Chilean Limari Chardonnay
The Wine Society, £7.95 (13.5%)
Cooled by coastal breezes, the Limari Valley produces some of the most intriguing wines coming out of Chile. This refreshing chardonnay from Concha y Toro is great value for money and brims with white fruit and tropical flavour.
2019 Indomita Gran Reserva Carignan
Co-op, £8 (14%)
Another tempting bargain hunted down by the Co-op buyers, this is derived from the carignan grape and produced in the central Maule Valley, Chile’s oldest wine-growing region. It’s a rich, full-bodied red powered by dark fruit, with appealing structure and intensity.
2017 Paraiso Sur Organic Syrah
Aldi, £9.99 (14%)
Northwest of Santiago, the cool- climate Casablanca Valley was planted in the 1980s and made its name with zesty sauvignon blanc, chardonnay and pinot noir. There’s more variety these days and this is a succulent, silky syrah, with moreish notes of cherry and blackcurrant.
2020 Leyda Single Vineyard Garuma Sauvignon Blanc
Tesco, £12 (13%)
A little further south and nestled next to the Pacific coast, the Leyda Valley is also renowned for its vibrant cool-climate whites. Producedby the highly rated Viviana Navarrete, the Garuma has powerful aromas of green herbs, citrus and grapefruit, with a long, juicy finish.
2018 Viña La Ronciere Licanten Idahue Cabernet Franc
Corney & Barrow, £13.95 (14%)
Licanten in central Chile is one of the newest vinicultural areas in the country and La Ronciere’s cabernet franc is an exciting discovery. Beautifully fresh, supple and elegant, with lip-smacking dark fruit and a trace of savoury spice.
2018 Calco Limari Chardonnay
The Sourcing Table, £18 (13.5%)
An indication of just how accomplished modern winemaking in Chile can be. This is an exceptional, dry, crisp Limari Valley chardonnay — well rounded, pure and mineral, with lashings of soft white fruit. You could easily mistake this for a wine from one of the famous regions of France.