Chapter 14
Chile and Argentina
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Objectives
• After reading this chapter, you should be able
to
– outline the history of winemaking in Chile and
Argentina.
– describe the climatic conditions of the grapegrowing regions in Chile and Argentina.
– discuss the role that wines from Chile and
Argentina play in the global wine market.
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Introduction
• Chile and Argentina are located in the Southern
Hemisphere’s temperate zone, which gives them the
proper climate for growing grapes.
• Both countries have a long history of winemaking
going back more than 450 years.
• Although Chile and Argentina have a common
border, the Andes Mountain range that lies between
them separates them both physically and culturally.
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Introduction (continued)
• The partition by the Andes Mountains has allowed
each country to develop its own unique style of
winemaking.
• For most of the twentieth century their winemaking
was targeted toward domestic markets, making
inexpensive table wines.
• In recent years domestic consumption has declined,
and great effort has been made in improving
vineyards and winemaking techniques.
• This allows their wine to compete on the world
market.
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Chile
• Chile is the world’s eleventh largest producer of
wine, bottling about one-fourth as much as the
United Sates.
• Possessing the proper terroir to produce fine wines,
it has grown dramatically to meet the demand
brought on by the increasing world market for wine.
• The acreage of vineyard land in Chile expanded by
more than 40 percent from 1997 to 2002, with new
plantings of classic varieties such as Cabernet
Sauvignon, Merlot, and Chardonnay.
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Chile (continued)
• These grapes from new vineyards have been going
to more modernized wineries, producing wines
targeted specifically for the export market in Europe
and North America.
• The low cost of land and labor allows Chilean
vintners to keep their prices low, and inexpensive
wines are their primary export.
• As the industry is maturing, reserve style wines are
becoming more common as Chile attempts to move
into the high-end wine market.
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Chilean Wine—Historical Perspective
• European grapevines were brought to Chile by the
Spanish who also introduced it to the rest of Latin
America.
– As was the case in California, wine was important as both
a beverage and for sacramental purposes.
– In the 1540s, former conquistador Francisco de Aguirre
established the first vineyard in La Serena.
• The most popular grape was the País variety.
– Similar to the Mission variety, it is a red grape that
produces well but makes a rather flavorless wine.
– As late as 1997, País made up 25 percent of the grape
harvest.
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Chilean Wine—Historical Perspective
(continued)
• Over the next three hundred years, winemaking
developed very slowly in spite of the excellent
growing conditions.
• Two main factors contributed to this slow progress.
– It was difficult to expand vineyards beyond the area
around Santiago into outlining areas due to the frequent
raids and attacks by indigenous Indian tribes.
– There was a small domestic market, and exporting the
wine was difficult.
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Chilean Wine—Historical Perspective
(continued)
• During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries,
vineyard land expanded, and Chile began exporting
wine and brandy.
– Spain originally encouraged the export of wine, but
Spanish winemakers became upset when Chilean exports
became a threat to their business.
– In 1774 the Spanish king forbade the export of any wine
from Chile to other Spanish colonies.
– In 1822 Chile won its independence, ushering in a new
era in winemaking.
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Chilean Wine—Historical Perspective
(continued)
• In 1830 an agricultural station was established to teach and
conduct research on how to improve grape growing and
wine production.
• In 1851, Don Sylvestre Ochagavia imported French varieties
for his vineyard, the first planting of traditional vinifera
grapevines in Chile.
• In the late nineteenth century, there was rapid expansion of
vineyards planted to European varieties and improvement in
winemaking techniques.
• During the period from 1850 to 1890, some of Chile’s most
famous wineries were established.
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Chilean Wine—Historical Perspective
(continued)
• In the 1880s, while phylloxera decimated the vineyards of
Europe, wine from Chile was used to fill the demand.
• The root louse was never introduced to Chile, and today it is
one of the few grape-growing regions that vines can be
grown on their own roots.
• By the 1930s demand had slowed, and Chile enacted
prohibitionist laws to restrict the production of wine.
• After the World War II, the export market continued to
decline and the restrictive laws remained, holding production
steady until the laws were repealed in the 1970s.
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Chilean Wine Today
• At the early 1980s, Chile was plagued by
overproduction and poor quality wines.
• The wineries of Chile dealt with the situation by
concentrating on improving their product through
modernization and emphasis on the exports.
• This course of action was successful because Chile
possessed the conditions for success:
– a good terroir for growing wine grapes
– a low cost of labor allowing the wines to be attractively
priced on the world market
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Chilean Wine Today (continued)
• During the 1990s, the value of Chilean wine exports grew
from $30 million to $600 million.
• The number of wineries that exported also rose; however,
the country remains dominated by large wineries.
• Although the overall quality of Chilean wine has greatly
improved, there are two distinct types of wine:
– one inexpensive made primarily for the domestic market
– one made from classic varietals for the export market
• Today Chilean wines have gained a reputation for both
quality and value.
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The Wine Regions of Chile
• Chile lies on the strip of land between the
Pacific Ocean and the Andes Mountains.
– More than 2,800 miles long, it averages only
about 115 miles wide.
– It has a great range of climates, from deserts in
the north to rain forests in the south.
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The Wine Regions of Chile (continued)
• The middle of the country has a
Mediterranean climate that is ideal for wine
grapes.
– Most of the vineyards are located in an area that
begins 100 miles north of the capital Santiago,
and runs for 400 miles south.
– The Pacific Ocean also influences a vineyard’s
terroir, depending on its distance inland.
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The Wine Regions of Chile (continued)
• Chile’s wine country is divided into five major
grape-growing regions.
– From north to south they are the:
•
•
•
•
•
Atacama
Coquimbo
Aconcagua
Central Valley
Southern Valley
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The Wine Regions of Chile (continued)
• These major regions are separated by a
number of river valleys that run from east to
west, which drain the runoff from the
Andean Mountain Range.
• These river valleys form eleven sub-regions
that are broken up into a number of zones
and areas. This is similar to the Australian
system of appellations.
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Chilean Wine Law
• Chilean law states that for a wine to be listed
with a specific geographical area, it must be
made using at least 75 percent of grapes grown
in that area.
• The 75 percent requirement also applies to the
vintage and variety listed on the label.
• Wine made for export follows the European
standard of 85 percent for variety, region, and
year.
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The Atacama and Coquimbo Regions
• The two northernmost regions, Atacama and
Coquimbo, have a history of winemaking and
viticulture that goes back to the sixteenth century.
• They are hot and dry and are considered too warm
for the production of grapes for table wine.
• Although there are still several wineries in the
Coquimbo region, the vineyards mainly produce
table grapes or grapes that are used for the
production of Pisco, a type of brandy.
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The Aconcagua Region
• The Aconcagua Region is the northernmost of
Chile’s table wine regions.
• It is made up of two subregions, the Aconcagua and
Casablanca Valleys.
• The Aconcagua River Valley lies about 60 miles
north of Santiago.
• It is best known for growing red grapes such as
Cabernet Sauvignon.
• The first wine grapes were established by
Maximiano Errázuriz in 1870, and today is one of
Chile’s largest producers.
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The Aconcagua Region (continued)
• The Casablanca Valley lies on the coast about 50
miles west of Santiago.
– Viticulture is new to the area, with the first vineyards
having been planted in 1982.
– Casablanca has had rapid growth and now has four times
as much acreage as the Aconcagua Valley.
– Because it is near the ocean, the climate is very cool.
– The cool weather makes the Casablanca Valley ideal for
Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir.
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The Central Valley Region
• The Central Valley is Chile’s largest viticultural
region.
– It is made up of four subregions; from north to south
they are the Maipo, Rapel, Curicó, and the Maule.
• The Maipo was also one of the first viticultural
areas in Chile established in the sixteenth century.
• Just south of the Maipo region is the Rapel Valley
with a somewhat maritime climate.
– The Rapel Valley has grown in recent years, primarily in
red grapes, including Carmenére.
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Carmenére
• Carmenére is a red grape that is similar in taste and
appearance to Merlot and is rarely cultivated outside
of Chile.
• Also known as Grand Vidure, prior to the outbreak
of phylloxera it was popular in the Bordeaux region
of France, but due to low yield it was not replanted.
• Merlot and Carmenére were often confused, and in
the 1990s most of what was thought of as Merlot in
Chile was determined to be Carmenére.
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The Central Valley Region
• The Curicó subregion is centered around the town
of Curicó 120 miles south of Santiago.
– Red and white varieties are grown here in roughly equal
proportions.
• The Maule River Valley is the southernmost
appellation in the Central Valley.
– The valley has the most acreage of any region in Chile
with more than 41,000 acres.
– Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Merlot are significant,
and País is still grown for the domestic wine market.
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The Southern Region
• The Southern Region is made up of the Itata
and the Bío-Bío river valleys.
– The Itata River valley has been growing grapes
since the Spanish colonization and has 17 percent
of Chile’s vineyards.
• The Bío-Bío River valley is the most southern
and coldest of Chile’s wine appellations.
– Cool climate varieties such as Pinot Noir,
Chardonnay, and Gewürztraminer do best.
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Argentina
• Argentina has over one half a million acres in
grapes, nearly twice as much as Chile.
• Investment in Argentina has come slowly due to the
unstable economic situation.
• Like Chile in the 1990s, investors are beginning to
be drawn to the country to take advantage of the
low cost of vineyard land and labor.
• However, modernization is coming slowly and the
majority of the wine made is destined for the
domestic market for inexpensive wine.
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Argentine Wine—Historical Perspective
• The first grapevines were introduced to Salta,
Argentina, from Chile in 1556.
• Vineyards were soon established to the south of
Salta around the town of Mendoza.
• Here the native variety Criolla, which is similar to
the Chilean País, was widely planted.
• After independence in 1816, a new wave of
immigration from Europe brought in new residents,
forming a healthy domestic market for wine as well
as winemaking expertise.
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Argentine Wine—Historical Perspective
(continued)
• In 1853, Argentina established a school of agriculture in
Mendoza and taught modern winemaking techniques.
• There were many irrigation projects completed during this
time, which allowed the expansion of vineyards.
• The industry continued to grow and have a strong export
market until the depression of the 1920s.
• Phylloxera was introduced during this time, and growers
responded quickly with the widespread use of grafting and
rootstocks.
• Phylloxera still exists in Argentina today, but it is not
widespread, and most vines are own-rooted.
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Argentine Wine—Historical Perspective
(continued)
• Since the 1920s, Argentina experienced severe economic and
political instability, which adversely affected development.
• Wine consumption remained strong, and a great deal of
mediocre wine was produced for the domestic market.
• Per capita wine consumption declined from over 23 gallons
per year in 1970 to less than half that amount in 1997.
• In the 1980s there was severe overproduction and 36 percent
of Argentina’s vineyards were taken out of production.
• Vineyard acreage has declined, but Argentina remains the
fifth largest producer of wine worldwide.
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Argentine Wine Today
• Today Argentina has realized that its wine future lies
in the export market.
• Like Chile, Argentina has the proper terroir for
growing grapes and a low cost of land and labor.
• This has spurred new development and has
attracted international investors in spite of the
unstable economic situation.
• Currently Argentina remains in the shadow of Chile
on the international wine market, exporting 7
percent of its production compared to Chile’s 54
percent.
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The Wine Regions of Argentina
• Much of Argentina’s viticultural regions lie on the eastern
slopes of the Andes Mountain range.
• Being in the rain shadow of the mountains, the climate is
drier and warmer than what is found in Chile.
• Most vineyards are irrigated and are planted at higher
elevations to help keep the vineyards cool.
• Argentina also has more of a continental climate and less of
maritime influence than Chile does.
• Argentina’s vineyards experience more difficulties with
spring frosts, hail, and heat than Chilean vineyards.
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The Mendoza Region
• The Mendoza is the largest appellation in Argentina at
58,000 square miles and has 75 percent of the country’s
vines.
• The appellation is centered around the city of Mendoza
which is only about 150 miles east of Santiago.
• The elevation ranges from 2,000 to 3,000 feet and this
altitude helps keep the vineyards cool.
• Mendoza is one of Argentina’s best appellations for quality
and has more than 1,000 wineries.
• Mendoza contains the subregions of Agrelo, Luján de Cuyo,
San Rafael, and Tupungato.
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The Mendoza Region (continued)
• The Mendoza region is planted to classic European
cultivars as well as Criolla, but it is best known for
Malbec and Torrontés.
– Malbec is a grape that is native to the Bordeaux region.
Considered to be a lesser grape in France, Malbec
flourishes in its adopted home of Argentina.
– Torrontés is a white grape native to the Rioja region of
Spain. Like Malbec, it is better known in Mendoza than it
is in its native country. It produces light-bodied wines that
have a fragrant aroma.
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The San Juan Region
• The San Juan region lies north of Mendoza and is
Argentina’s second largest grape appellation,
producing nearly 20 percent of the countries grapes.
• Being closer to the equator, it is warmer than
Mendoza and is best known for making average
wines for domestic consumption.
• The San Juan region contains about 250 wineries,
and the warm climate is ideal for making dessert
wines as well as brandy.
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The La Rioja and Salta Regions
• The La Rioja region lies between the San Juan
region on the south and the Salta region to the
north.
– The climate is warm and dry, but the wines are generally
of better quality than those in the San Juan region.
• The Salta is a small appellation in the north of the
country located at a latitude of about 25 degrees
south.
– The vineyards are planted between 5,000 and 6,800 feet,
making them some of the highest in the world.
– The high altitude makes the terroir very cool.
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The Rio Negro Region
• Located in the far south of Argentina’s wine
country, Rio Negro is a cool region.
– It has a long growing season with plenty of sunny days in
which cool climate varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc and
Chardonnay do well.
– Pinot Noir also does well here and is grown for both
table wine production and as a base for sparkling wine.
– There are relatively few acres in production; however,
vineyard land is expanding.
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Summary
• Chile and Argentina have the terroir to match some
of the world’s best wine-growing regions.
• In the past their potential has not been realized due
to restrictive laws, unfavorable economic conditions,
and a lack of modernization.
• Chile was the first of the two to look outward to the
export market to deal with its expanding production
and declining national consumption.
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Summary (continued)
• Chile’s efforts have been met with success, and
much more of Chile’s wines are exported even
though it produces less than Argentina.
• Argentina is attempting to modernize its vineyards
and wineries to make better wine for export.
• Both countries have come far in recent decades and
have achieved a reputation for producing quality
wine at a good value.
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