Missionaries traveling with the conquistadors in the mid-1500s brought vine cuttings to Chile from their native Spain to produce wine for sacramental purposes. The wines were mostly rustic renditions of Spanish varietals — Pais and Moscatel. The grapes did so well that by the 1800s, Chilean wines were giving Spanish imports a run for their money. That was a problem, at least to the Spanish Crown. The Spanish government levied heavy taxes and imposed severe restrictions on winemaking — all of which took its toll on Chilean vineyards.

Following the wars of independence in the nineteenth century, the newly prosperous upper class of Chileans traveled to Europe, where they developed a fondness for French wines. Cuttings from the great Bordeaux varieties were imported, and the modern era of winemaking in Chile was underway.

Isolation Has Its Advantages

In the second half of the nineteenth century, the phylloxera epidemic wiped out the vineyards of Europe and North America. Chile was isolated by natural conditions. It has the Andes to the east, the Pacific to the west, and barren deserts to the north. Chile remained free of the insect while the rest of the wine world was decimated. To this day, Chile remains the only country unaffected by phylloxera. Its Vitis vinifera vines are the only ones in the world still growing on their own rootstocks.

Carmenère: The Great Masquerade

Carmenère used to be an important grape in Bordeaux. When Chile imported vine cuttings from France in the mid-1800s, Carmenère was high on the list. However, when Bordeaux was replanted after phylloxera, Carmenère was conspicuously left out in favor of Merlot. Carmenère is especially susceptible to a condition called coulure, in which grapes fail to set properly on the vine. Cloudy, cold, and wet weather contribute to coulure, making Bordeaux ground zero for this condition. Merlot is less difficult to deal with, and it ripens earlier with higher yields, so Carmenère was out; Merlot was in.

The climate in Chile, however, is perfect for Carmenère, so it grew happily for years alongside Merlot. Given Merlot's international reputation and its striking resemblance to Carmenère, soon all Camenère vines came to be called Merlot.

As Chilean wines gained popularity in recent years, more of it made its way into the world market. It didn't go unnoticed that Chilean Merlot tasted somewhat stronger and spicier than Merlots from elsewhere. Then in 1994, it was discovered through DNA testing that the Merlot was actually Carmenère!

Politics and Investment

The Chilean wine industry has had its ups and downs, in spite of nearly perfect conditions for growing grapes. In the 1940s Chilean wines grew in popularity — only to lose ground when the government nationalized many of the wineries and restricted production. Even when government regimes changed, civil war brought further instability to the wine industry. By 1980 almost half the country's vineyards were out of production.

With stability restored in the 1980s, Chile was able to attract significant investment from companies in France, the United States, Australia, Spain, and Japan. Modern technology and replanted vineyards brought new life to Chilean wines. They became known, almost overnight, as excellent, value-priced varietals, but fine wines were on the way.

Varietals

While Pais and Moscatel are still being turned into wine for the domestic market, the wine industry has invested heavily in high-quality reds for export. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Syrah — and, of course, Carmenère — are the focus. White varietals include Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, and Sémillon.