Category Archives: Chile

China Replaces US as Chile’s Top Wine Market

Posted on May 2, 2017 by don

As we noted in our recent report on Chile’s Premium Wine Revolution, Chile’s wine exports have grown at a phenomenal rate. Rapidly increasing exports to China is one of the reasons. Now, Wines of Chile reports that the value of … Continue reading →

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Chile’s Viña Tres Palacios: New Releases from Coastal Maipo

Posted on April 23, 2017 by don

Tres Palacios is a boutique family winery established by Patricio Palacios near Melpilla in Chile’s coastal range just 35 km from the Pacific Ocean. It is the only winery in the small Valle de Cholquí, a sub-valley of the Maipo … Continue reading →

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Ten Astounding Things We Learned About Chilean Wine

Posted on February 13, 2017 by don

We recently traveled to diverse parts of Chile to learn what’s new in Chilean wine. We saw vineyards being planted in extreme locations, adventurous young winemakers experimenting with new grape varieties and winemaking techniques, and a Chilean wine industry that … Continue reading →

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Twenty-Five Years of Concha y Toro’s Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon: 1988-2013

Posted on February 10, 2017 by don

First made in 1987, Don Melchor is Chile’s original icon wine. We recently tasted several vintages between 1988 and 2013 as part of our research for Report #60 Chile’s Premium Wine Revolution.  The surprising results of the tasting are given at … Continue reading →

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De Martino and Sadie Family: Old Vine Cinsault from Two Outstanding Winemakers in Chile and South Africa

Posted on January 8, 2017 by don

In preparing our Chile and South Africa reports over the years, we’ve been privileged to meet and taste with Marcelo Retamal of Chile’s De Martino Winery and Eben Sadie of South Africa’s Sadie Family Winery. These outstanding winemakers seek out … Continue reading →

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Viña Ventisquero: Wines from Chile’s New Wine Frontiers

Posted on May 31, 2016 by don

Viña Ventisquero is one of Chile’s top wineries leading the search for new terroirs in the Atacama Desert and elsewhere. We recently sat down with Felipe Toso, Ventisquero’s lead winemaker, to taste several new releases at Washington DC’s Rural Society … Continue reading →

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French-Trained Chilean Winemakers: New Releases from Antiyal, Apaltagua, Domus Aurea, Maquis

Posted on April 8, 2016 by don

No country in the Americas has been so strongly influenced by French winemaking as Chile. Aspiring Chilean winemakers go to France to study enology or work the harvests. And French winemakers and winemaking consultants go to Chile to make wine. … Continue reading →

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New Casa Silva Releases from Chile’s Colchagua Valley

Posted on December 9, 2015 by don

The oldest winery in Chile’s Colchagua Valley, Viña Casa Silva is also one of its most innovative, especially when it comes to Chile’s signature grape Carménère. We visited Casa Silva while preparing our report on The Chilean Wine Revolution, so … Continue reading →

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The Carménères of Chile’s Concha y Toro

Posted on October 27, 2015 by don

Carménère is on a roll. It is now one of the most popular varieties in Chile with over 9 thousand hectares planted. In terms of its rapid growth, Carménère is beginning to resemble another Bordeaux varietal that does much better … Continue reading →

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Chilean Carménère: Selections from Apaltagua, Calcu, and Maquis

Posted on July 29, 2015 by don

It was only 20 years ago that Carménère was “discovered” by the French ampelographer Jean Michel Boursiquot. Today, Carménère is one of Chile’s signature varieties with 8827 hectares of vines. It produces both single varietal and red blends of distinction. … Continue reading →

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