The Chilean wine industry has come a long way since vines were first planted in 1550 by Spanish conquistadors. Today, they’re a major wine producer domestically and internationally. In fact, Chile is the largest wine exporter in the entire Southern Hemisphere and the fourth largest in the world behind the heavy hitters: France, Italy and Spain.
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The Landscape
Chile, a slender strip of land located between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes, boasts a wide range of terroirs. The Aconcagua Valley is one of the five primary wine regions in Chile. It shares its name with the mountain, which reaches over 22,000 feet and provides water to the vineyards by way of its snow-capped peaks.
Inland—where it’s warmer and very sunny—you’ll find the ideal conditions for red grape growing. Then, there are newer vineyards near the coast, where the climate is cooler, which have been known to produce the country’s best white wines.
Predominantly sandy, the soil in the Aconcagua Valley plays a critical role in viticulture, not in what it gives back to the wine, because it’s not much, but what the sandy soil prevents: phylloxera. That’s a microscopic insect known to wreak havoc on vines and roots, essentially killing them. These pests were the reason that Europe’s vineyards were destroyed in the late 1800s, essentially giving Chile an opportunity to grow their wine production and exportation against their European competitors.
Grape Varietals
Chilean grapes are a mixture of Spanish and French varieties, with more modern wineries experimenting with new varietals. The most popular grapes are:
Black/Red Grapes
Cabernet Sauvignon
Produced as a varietal wine or a majority grape in a blend
Potential to age for decades
Flavor/aroma: black currant, olives, smoke, eucalyptus/mint
Pais
Most cultivated variety in the country up until the 21st century when Cabernet Sauvignon took the top spot
Not suitable for the export of premium quality wines
Produces rustic red wines/jug wines
Flavor/aroma: tangy, cherry, roses
Carménère
Originally planted in the Médoc region of Bordeaux, France, this varietal was thought to be decimated by the phylloxera plague
In Chile, this grape was mistakenly identified as Merlot until a French oenologist investigated further with an official DNA study
It’s since become a prize grape/national symbol of Chilean wines
Flavor/aroma: spice, berries, cherry
White Grapes
Chardonnay
Thrives in cool climates
Well-balanced with fresh acidity
Flavor/aroma: tropical fruit, minerality
Sauvignon Blanc
Second most planted grape in Chile
High acidity
Flavor/aroma: citrus, fresh grass
Chilean Wine Styles
Red Wines
Cabernet Sauvignon
Chile prides itself on the Bordeaux-style Cabernet blends
Structured and intense with high acidity
Flavor/aroma: spicy, tart, dark berries
Carménère
Should be consumed while young
Moderate tannin level with a medium body
Flavor/aroma: spicy, green pepper, smoky
Merlot
High acidity, fairly low alcohol
Medium-bodied
Flavor/aroma: plum, vanilla, black raspberry
White Wines
Chardonnay
High acidity, full-bodied
More similar to a Sauvignon Blanc than a Napa Chardonnay
Flavor/aroma: apple, pear, tropical fruit
Sauvignon Blanc
Fresh acidity with a medium-to-full body
Flavor/aroma: grapefruit, lemon, white peach
The Classifications
With Chile being considered New World wines, their wine laws closely resemble the U.S.’s appellation system versus Italy’s or most of Europe’s laws.
Chilean Wine Classifications
Set by the Ministry of Agriculture in 1995, Chilean wines are classified into the following categories:
Wines with designation of origin
Wines without designation of origin
Table wines
Export Wines
Exported wines need to meet the following minimum alcohol percentages:
Reds: 11.5% ABV
Whites: 12% ABV
Label Requirements for Aging
Age requirements when using certain terminology:
Especial: two years
Reserva: four years
Gran Vino: six years minimum
Label Requirements for Blending
Varietal labeled wines are required to contain at least 75% of the grape variety if it’s to be consumed inside the country.
Vintage dated wines are required to have at least 64% of grapes harvested in the labeled year.
If the wine is exported, it must contain 85% of the varietal listed on the label as well as at least 85% from the designated vintage year.
For a label to have a wine region on it, 85% of the grapes must be from that region.