Wines of Chile

Winegrowing in Chile began with the arrival of the Spanish "conquistadores". The first vine was planted in Santiago in 1541. At the beginning of the 19th century, the great Spanish families, taking advantage of the exceptional climatic conditions, began planting large vineyards to satisfy the ever-growing local demand. Towards the middle of the 19th century, the French model, synonymous with quality, was called upon to restructure the vineyards. Many Aquitaine grape varieties were planted. Winegrowing was largely unregulated, producing wines of widely contrasting quality. However, since the early 1990s, Chilean winegrowers have been pursuing a policy of improving their wines, introducing techniques that have proved their worth elsewhere.

Chile is a very spread-out country, with a variety of climates depending on latitude. The north is hot, arid and desert-like, the Central Valley enjoys a Mediterranean climate and the south has an oceanic climate. There are usually 7 main wine-growing regions with different characteristics: the Aconcagua, Casablanca, Maïpo, Limari, Curico, Maule and Itata valleys. Chile 's terroirs are favourably situated between the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Andes mountain range to the east. The exceptional natural environment and particularly favorable climatic conditions for viticulture have encouraged the development of vineyards in the Central Valley. Discover also the Las Ninas and Sena estates.

The grape varieties are of European origin. They have escaped mildew and phylloxera and are mainly Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Malbec for the reds, Sauvignon and Chardonnay for the whites. There are also Merlot, Cémillon, Riesling, Muscat and Carménère, the latter tending to become a local specialty. The Païs grape, typically Chilean, is used for local production of lesser quality.

Also discover an original Chilean wine: Cru Las Ninas 2016.