Jun 2013
Chilean Wine
June, 2013 Filed in: Wine varieties
Chile is the 5th largest exporter of wine in the world and the 9th largest producer of wine. So it is a significant player in the world and a producer of excellent wines.
It has a very long history of wine making and wine growing. The first wine grapes were planted in Chile in 1554, brought to Chile by Spanish Conquistadores. Jesuit priests were responsible for growing these grapes for wine used in the Catholic mass, communion or Eucharistic wine. Being a colony of Spain, and to protect their own wine industry, the Spanish monarchy ruled in the 1650’s that wine production should cease in Chile and wine could only come from Spain. Well, the wine arriving from Spain was oxidized and vinegary, practically undrinkable through the long transport. So, the Chileans revolted and continued to grow their own grapes for wine. A Chilean version of the Boston tea party!
A significant event occurred in the mid 1800’s that affected the Chilean wine industry. A North American disease, Phylloxera, arrived in Europe and almost eradicated all wine grape vines. This root disease resulted in many European grape growers and winemakers being out of work. Eventually they resolved the problem by grafting the vines on to the root of native North American rootstock. However, many of the winemakers immigrated to Chile, where Phylloxera was not a problem. They brought with them European vines which grew very well in the Mediterranean growing conditions in Chile. The end result was Chilean wines with outstanding qualities.
A long came democracy to Chile in the 1980’s and Chile started to export wine. Interestingly, in the early 80’s many people that started drinking the Chilean Merlot and Chilean Sauvignon Blanc, that the wine did not taste like either grape should. Most Chilean Merlot was in fact Carmenere, a grape variety that was almost extinct, it was mis-identified. That has all been sorted out and Chilean Merlot and Carmenere are awesome wines. The Sauvignon Blanc was actually Sauvignon Vert, a horrible wine. The Sauvignon Vert vines were replaced and now Chile produces some of the finest Sauvignon Blancs in the world.
It must be remembered that being in the Southern Hemisphere, has harvest from late February to early May, the opposite of North America and Europe.
It has a very long history of wine making and wine growing. The first wine grapes were planted in Chile in 1554, brought to Chile by Spanish Conquistadores. Jesuit priests were responsible for growing these grapes for wine used in the Catholic mass, communion or Eucharistic wine. Being a colony of Spain, and to protect their own wine industry, the Spanish monarchy ruled in the 1650’s that wine production should cease in Chile and wine could only come from Spain. Well, the wine arriving from Spain was oxidized and vinegary, practically undrinkable through the long transport. So, the Chileans revolted and continued to grow their own grapes for wine. A Chilean version of the Boston tea party!
A significant event occurred in the mid 1800’s that affected the Chilean wine industry. A North American disease, Phylloxera, arrived in Europe and almost eradicated all wine grape vines. This root disease resulted in many European grape growers and winemakers being out of work. Eventually they resolved the problem by grafting the vines on to the root of native North American rootstock. However, many of the winemakers immigrated to Chile, where Phylloxera was not a problem. They brought with them European vines which grew very well in the Mediterranean growing conditions in Chile. The end result was Chilean wines with outstanding qualities.
A long came democracy to Chile in the 1980’s and Chile started to export wine. Interestingly, in the early 80’s many people that started drinking the Chilean Merlot and Chilean Sauvignon Blanc, that the wine did not taste like either grape should. Most Chilean Merlot was in fact Carmenere, a grape variety that was almost extinct, it was mis-identified. That has all been sorted out and Chilean Merlot and Carmenere are awesome wines. The Sauvignon Blanc was actually Sauvignon Vert, a horrible wine. The Sauvignon Vert vines were replaced and now Chile produces some of the finest Sauvignon Blancs in the world.
It must be remembered that being in the Southern Hemisphere, has harvest from late February to early May, the opposite of North America and Europe.