The History and Development of Chilean Wines

Abstract

This paper charts the history and development of Chilean wines. The incredible growth of Chile's wine output is a textbook example of how aggressive private enterprise can combine with enthusiastic government backing. In 1988, Chile shipped 185,630 hectolitres abroad. By 1998, this had grown to an impressive 2.3 million hl worth US$500 million. Equally, instead of sending 88% of its wine to Latin America, as it had in the 1980s, in 2001 it sold in high‐profit markets like Europe (41% of all exports), North America (34%) and, increasingly, Asia, where in 1998 Chile sold 14% of its wine. The only country spared from the devastating blight of phylloxera, Chile's wine industry boomed in the early years of the 20th century. In 1981, there were 100,000 hectares (one ha = 2.47 acres) under vines, which sank to 67,000 in 1985, the nadir of the industry. Then, a new sense of identity and purpose swept Chile's winemakers and investors. Suddenly, the wine revolution which had earlier had its impact on California and Australia caught on in Chile. There were gigantic investments in land, plantings and equipment. Old‐fashioned vines were uprooted. In the late 1990s, Cabernet Sauvignon doubled from 11,000 to 20,000 hectares. Merlot vineyard acreage quadrupled between 1994 and 1999, similar growth was seen with Chardonnay and Sauvignon blanc. Winemakers were also experimenting with Pinot Noir and with Shiraz, which loves the dry, hot Chilean autumn. Chile today has 75,600 hectares under vine about two‐thirds of them red grapes. That prime fruit is being pressed by the latest equipment from Europe, Australia and North America.

Citation

Knowles, T. and Sharples, L. (2002), "The History and Development of Chilean Wines", International Journal of Wine Marketing, Vol. 14 No. 2, pp. 7-16. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb008738