Chilean Wine

Chile is a country with wines to watch. After decades of mediocrity, Chilean wines have begun to win major international awards, including the top two spots in the 2004 Berlin Wine Tastings.

The grape most suited to Chile's climate is the Carminère, a red grape originally from Bordeaux. Carminère grapes make a medium-body wine that resembles a less-tannic Cabernet Sauvignon. Cabernet Sauvignons, Merlots, Malbecs, Sauvignon Blancs and Semillions also thrive in Chile's Mediterranean-like climate.

Chile has the additional distinction of being one of the few countries where the Phylloxera insect does not exist. The Phylloxera devastated the vineyards of Europe in the 1800s, and even today European vines use American rootstock to protect their grapes.

In Chile, however, there is no Phylloxera and so European grapes can be grown using their original rootstock. In some ways, this means that European wines grown in Chile are more authentic than European wines grown in Europe.