Among the countries of the New World, Chile can now boast a significant wine production. The wine was introduced by European colonialists but until at least the 20th century, wine was only produced by amateurs. The country has enviable climatic and territorial conditions, but it was only after the end of the dictatorship that the wine sector in Chile had the possibility to develop in an interesting manner. In the last 30 years, however, thanks to huge investments, Chilean wines have now found its place on the international scene. 

The Chilean vineyards are located between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes mountain range, on a strip 900 km long and less than 100 km wide. Generally speaking, the country has a mild, Mediterranean-type climate, colder in the South and warmer in the northern regions closer to the equator. The most widely cultivated grape varieties are French. The most common black grape varieties are Cabernet, Merlot, Carménère, Syrah and, to a certain extent, also Pinot Noir. The Paìs variety is also cultivated, but only for the production of wine in bulk or for distillation. Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc are predominant among the white grapes.  If there is an original Chilean wine, it is the one made from Carménère, a variety that originated in Bordeaux but is rarely grown there nowadays, and seldom found in wines, only in a minimal percentage. In contrast, in Chile, Carménère is often vinified on its own and gives full-bodied, elegant wines. It didn’t take long before Chile also adopted a system of designations, referring to the various wine-growing regions, and the varietal indication is always specified on the label.