The hottest taste in Chile
The grape reigns supreme in South America's wine capital
May 20, 1997
Web posted at: 2:33 p.m. EDT (1433 GMT)(CNN) -- Chile is sometimes called the oldest wine producer in the "New World." Farmers on the southwest coast of South America have been cultivating wine grapes since the 16th century, when Spanish conquistadors brought the first vines from Europe. Like fine wine, Chile's winemaking reputation has gotten better with age.
Chile's contemporary wine boom took root in the mid-19th century when cuttings from Bordeaux, France arrived. Before long, talented French winemakers followed, attracted by the favorable conditions of the nation's Central Valley with its rich soil, warm summers and mild winters.
Today, Chile is noted for producing some of the most reasonably priced, consistently good varietals in the world. Its wines, especially its reds (Cabarnet Sauvignon and Merlot), have won critical acclaim and an expanding share of the international market.
Dip into the catacombs of Chile's biggest winemaker, Concha y Toro, or learn the secret of Chile's winemaking success by clicking on the icons at the right. Cheers!
Concha y Toro, Chile's largest winery, is made up of several smaller producers with about 5,000 acres in vines. Its headquarters is a 19th-century hacienda in the town of Pirque, south of Chile's capital, Santiago. "Wine Spectator" magazine recognizes the winemaking estate as one of the few lively tourist destinations in the heart of Chile's wine country, the Maipo Valley.
A tour of Concha y Toro
Spring begins the process of transforming the thousands of fruit-laden acres into wines. Hundreds of workers harvest the grapes which rest in the dark for at least one year before they are sent all over the world as wine. Concha y Toro accounts for more than half of Chile's wine exports to the United States, according to "Wine Spectator."
In the wine catacombs, where the grapes ferment in vats, barrels and casks of French or American oak, legends mingle with the dank, cool air. According to one, more than one hundred years ago, the owner of Concha y Toro, Don Melchor, spread the rumor that the devil wandered the passageways.
It's said he concocted the story to prevent the theft of any bottles of his finest wine, known today as "Cassillero del Diablo," or "Devil's Winerack."
What was once a closely guarded secret is today a tourist attraction. Concha y Toro offers tours and tastings, and its estate in Pirque is noted for its attractive gardens.
Chile's well-suited wine country
When making wine, five centuries of experience can't hurt. But luck has a lot to do with it, too.
Chile's central western region is naturally suited to cultivating grapes. Wine country spans about 875 miles, from just north of Santiago, the capital, to the city of Concepcion in the south. The Andes rise to the east. To the west, the Coastal Mountain Range shelters the region from cold air blowing off the Pacific Ocean.
Most of the major vineyards occupy a strip about 220 miles long in the Central Valley region, which is home to the famed, productive Maipo Valley.
The consistent, temperate, Mediterranean climate and protected geography of Chile's winemaking region is complimented by a lucky entomological twist. The nation, remarkably, has remained free of phylloxera, a type of plant lice that has ravaged vineyards around the world.
In the late 1800s, a phylloxera blight destroyed the roots of some of the most illustrious vine lineages. Chile was left unharmed. Today, Chile boasts the only remaining pre-phylloxera clones grown on their own European rootstock.
Many Californian winemakers have launched joint ventures with Chilean wineries to make sure they have enough grapes to satisfy a booming wine market. Robert Mondavi has paired up with Chile's Vina Errazuriz. Such big names as Fetzer and Kendall-Jackson have also entered joint ventures with Chilean wineries. And Concha y Toro produces the Walnut Crest brand, well known in the United States.
BACK TO TOP© 1997 Cable News Network, Inc.
All Rights Reserved.Terms under which this service is provided to you.
