Tour of Chile – Part 1
Although it is considered New World, Chile has been growing wine since the 16th century, when the Spanish conquistadors brought vitis vinifera vines with them during their colonization of the region. About the mid-18th century, several French grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Carmenère were also introduced to the region.
Chile’s five viticultural regions occupy an 800 mile stretch, in a country 2,700 miles long and 109 miles wide. The most common red grapes grown are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Carmenère – a grape originally from the Medoc region, but which has all but disappeared from Bordeaux since the phylloxera epidemic of the late 19th Century.
During the early 1980s, Chilean wineries modernized their production, bringing in stainless steel tanks for fermentation and oak barrels for aging. These were fast times, and the number of wineries grew from 12 in 1995 to over 70 in 2005. The increase in production was matched with wine exports as well, with Chile becoming the fifth largest exporter of wines, and the ninth largest producer in the world.
We had always wanted to visit Chile, and explore the culture and wines of the region. Well, the time had finally come, and Jay was off to the Southern Hemisphere. Jay spent three days traveling the valleys and wine regions that make up this fascinating country. We’ve separated the interviews into three parts, and thrown in a “bonus reel” for good measure – four shows altogether.
Join us for Part 1, as we talk with representatives from Viña Koyle, Miguel Torres, Viña San Pedro, and Viña Maquis. There might be more to Chile than we think!
For More Information: www.koyle.cl
Viña San Pedro – www.sanpedro.cl
Viña Maquis – www.vinamaquis.com
Miguel Torres – www.torreschile.com
Sponsor: Wine Berserkers – Wine Board: www.wineberserkers.com
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Great show! I’m looking forward to part two.
Hey, Chile is a beautiful country. I have never been there but that doesn’t mean that I do not know that Chile is famous for their fine wines product.
But I didn’t know that Chile is the 9th largest wine producer in the world?
Zara
Thanks for a great show. 3 days seems a bit of a short trip. I’m thinking about a visit to Chile – how long would be a reasonable trip?
Sorry for the delayed response here. The trip was a bit short due to some rather unusual travel snafus. I loved the Chile. The country is nothing short of stunning. Mary, I would suggest no less than 6 full days (in country). The country is so diverse that you need to make sure you do not stay is any one region for too long. Mary, you are going to love the country and the people. Not to mention the wine.
Jay
Great show! part 1, 2, 3 bonus, everything!!
So amazing I decided to do my own version of it! I’m going tonight, for 2 weeks across chilean vineyards! I guess the most challenging will be to get past the institutional visits and get through to the real people making it happen, like you guys did. Any tips on that btw ?