WineRegionsNew World
Some ten percent of the world's wine is made in South America.
This region, particularily red wine from Chile, joins Australia and South
Africa, as new world wines increasing their exports of wine dramatically
in the 1990's. Almost half of all the South American vineyards lie in the
Argentina state of Mendoza. Here is the quantity production of table
red wines, vino comun. The most widely planted grape is Malbec. This arid,
flat region is comparable to the Central Valley in California, the Languedoc
in France, the plains of Spain, and the flatlands of Australia.
CHILE
Chilean wines are made from grapes Americans already know and like: Cabernet
Sauvignon and Merlot for the reds, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay for the
whites. Vintages hardly matter, because Chile's vineyards enjoy temperate,
semi-arid weather that ripens the grapes consistently from year to year.
The appellation system is relatively primitive and the big wineries tend
to blend fruit from widely spread growing regions, so regional character
is still blurred (though beginning to emerge). Most of the Chilean wines
we see in America are produced by a handful of large companies; labels are
few and brands are consistent. It's simply hard to go wrong.
Chile's wine industry was founded in the 1850s by wealthy aristocrats who
modeled their estates after Bordeaux châteaus. Most of the early wineries
were established in the Maipo Valley, just south of Santiago, Chile's capital.
This is still the heart of Chile's wine country, which extends 250 miles
through the country's Central Valley, a narrow, fertile plain at the foot
of the Andes. And Chile's best wines are still made from Bordeaux's traditional
grape varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc. The wine
industry foundered in the wake of the Allende years, during the 1970s and
early '80s, but now has the critical mass of capital and expertise needed
to propel it into the top ranks of quality.
The focus in Chilean wines is on fruit flavor. The wines to to be medium-bodied,
supple and balanced, best in their youth, when their fruit is fresh and
delicate. Some producers are now striving for, and achieving, more concentration.
The longevity of these wines is still open to question, but even the richest
retain harmony and accessibility.
The reds are the best bets so far. Refreshing, great accompaniments to food,
they are polished, rarely heavy or jammy, with bright fruit, firm acidity
and light tannins. Most are ready to drink two or three years after harvest;
few reward extended cellaring. The top Cabernets still come from the Maipo
Valley, but the Cabs and Merlots from Colchagua, a subregion of the Rapel
Valley south of Maipo are up and coming.
Maipo Valley giants Concha y Toro and Santa Rita are two of Chile's top
Cabernet producers; both offer bottlings at several price points, and their
best wines (called Don Melchor and Casa Real, respectively) can rival some
of Bordeaux's classified growth châteaus in character and concentration.
Cousino-Macul, Chile's first premium winery, and Domaine Paul-Bruno, a new
venture founded by Bordeaux stars Bruno Prats of Cos d'Estournel and Paul
Pontallier of Chateau Margaux, are Maipo neighbors that aim for a lighter,
more elegant style.
Other notable Cab producers include Errazuriz, in the Aconcagua Valley north
of Santiago, and Los Vascos, owned by Chateau Lafite Rothschild. Casa Lapostolle
and Carmen are newcomers earning reputations for Merlot. Undurraga, Santa
Carolina and Canepa reliably offer excellent value in red wines.
The whites play second fiddle so far. Chardonnay has only been widely planted
since the 1980's, and though good examples are available, overall it lacks
the consistency and character of the other varietal wines, mostly offering
straight forward fruit with some oak influence. Sauvignon Blanc is more
exciting, especially wines coming from the newest vineyard region, Casablanca;
crisp and exuberant, they mix fruit and herb flavors in refreshing balance.
Vina Casablanca, Carmen and Casa Lapostolle all make vivid Sauvignon Blancs.
Caliterra and Miguel Torres are other reliable white-wine producers.
Chilean wines stay mostly within a relatively narrow price band, with the
vast majority of wines ranging from about $5 per bottle to nearly $15. Overall
you get what you pay for. Because the soil is fertile and irrigation is
permitted, and often overused, the vines can be made to yield enormous harvests;
the result can be simple wines with little concentration or varietal character
at the low end of the price range. But the top wineries are seeking out
better matches of site and grape variety, reducing yields and improving
their vinification methods, so wines in the $8 to $12 range are better now
than ever.
However, ambitious producers are determined to test both the outer limits
of both quality and price. Currently, Chile's most expensive wine is Finis
Terrae, a rich, concentrated Cab-Merlot blend newly released by Cousino-Macul
at $40 per bottle. Unfortunately, sometimes Chile's top-priced prestige
wines suffer from overoaking and overextraction, and can lose the refreshing
drinkability that is so attractive in the country's wine character. But
improvements are bound to come rapidly, especially since new players are
jumping into the game. For example, California's Kendall-Jackson will soon
be releasing Chilean wines from Vina Calina, while the Robert Mondavi winery
has teamed up with Errazuriz in a joint venture.
Today Chile's top wineries offer clean, accessible wines in food-friendly
styles at reasonable prices. Because of the country's natural advantages
and economic structure, the bulk of Chile's wines are likely to remain attractive
bargains to American wine drinkers. But over the next few years, the top
players and emerging boutique wineries will push wine quality higher. With
both California and European investment and interest flooding Chile, it
will be very interesting to view the emergance of the chilean wine styles
of the next century. Look for outstanding wines, still at fair prices, emerging
from Chile before too long.