Written by Gurvinder Bhatia | 26 August 2010

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The Chilean wine industry is at a defining point in its evolution. Historically, Chile’s place in the wine world has largely been identified as a producer of inexpensive wine. This label served it well when first entering new markets in the 1990s, but producers have discovered recently that there is little consumer loyalty (or profitability) at the seven-to-nine-dollar price point. Australia, and now Argentina, have both eroded Chile’s market share for entry level wines, and, in general, the wines from these countries are more approachable and consumer friendly.

For years, Chilean producers ignored their greatest asset ... the country’s geography. It is only in the past 10 to 15 years that producers have started to identify the country’s diversity of soils and microclimates. And as vineyard managers and winemakers improved techniques and gained a better understanding of what grapes grow best in what areas, the quality of the resulting wines improved dramatically. On a recent trip to Chile, I served as a judge at the Wines of Chile Awards and participated in seminars, panel discussions, and individual conversations with many producers. The main topic of discussion: “How can Chile achieve its goal of being recognized as a producer of great wines as opposed to a producer of cheap wine?”

The country could also conceivably become the world’s first organic wine producing nation. Many producers are already producing sustainably, organically, and/or bio-dynamically, but Chile as a whole has the ability to go this route. And Chile’s physical isolation (Pacific Ocean to the west, Andes Mountains to the east, desert to the north and Antarctic to the south) protects the country’s vineyards from many vineyard diseases and pests that have affected most other countries.

You want to make an impact on the global wine scene? You want to change your image as a mass producer of cheap wine? Then produce great quality, regionally diverse wines that have a sense of place, do so sustainably, and do so collectively — Chile has this potential.

And as consumers, we have to demand better. Instead of drinking “Chilean” wine, we should be drinking Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir from Casablanca, San Antonio, and Leyda; Cabernet Sauvignon from Maule and Alto Maipo; Syrah and Carmenère from Apalta; and Riesling from Bio-Bio.